William Fagerbakke ( ; born October 4, 1957) is an American actor. He voices Patrick Star in the SpongeBob SquarePants franchise, and played Michael "Dauber" Dybinski on the sitcom Coach. He also appeared in 12 episodes of the sitcom How I Met Your Mother as Marshall Eriksen's father Marvin.
Early life and education Fagerbakke was born on October 4, 1957, in Fontana, California, and moved to Rupert, Idaho, as a youth. He graduated from Minico High School in Rupert in 1975, where he was a three-sport athlete for the Spartans in football, basketball, and track.
Although he had multiple scholarship offers for college football, including Pac-8 schools, Fagerbakke decided to stay in state and attended the University of Idaho in Moscow. He was a defensive lineman for the Vandals and was ticketed to redshirt in 1976, but was called into action in the fourth game of his sophomore season. The Vandals went 7–4 in 1976, their first winning season in five years, and were 5–2 in the seven games that Fagerbakke started. Head coach Ed Troxel planned on moving him to the offensive line in 1977, but a knee injury in spring drills ended Fagerbakke's athletic career, which turned his focus to theater.
Fagerbakke's first theatrical role was in a campus production of Godspell. He was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and earned his bachelor's degree in 1981, a result of "two years of football and four years of school."Delts.org - famous members - Delta Tau Delta - accessed 2012-03-01 He later attended graduate school at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
Career
Fagerbakke has appeared on television in roles such as assistant coach "Dauber" Dybinski on Coach, and in films, including Funny Farm. He had a role as the mentally disabled Tom Cullen in the 1994 mini-series Stephen King's The Stand. From 1994 to 1996, he had main and recurring roles as Broadway / Hollywood in Gargoyles. From 1996 to 1999 he played Alan Parish in the Jumanji TV series. In 1999, he had a role in HBO's original series Oz as Officer Karl Metzger.
His character on Coach was based on a former assistant coach at Idaho, a graduate assistant nicknamed "Tuna."
He has appeared in numerous live action and animated films. With his first appearance coming in Perfect Strangers in 1984 where he played Carl. He has since appeared in films such as Loose Cannons, Halloween II, Rosewood Lane and Baby Makers.
From 2001 to 2004, Fagerbakke had a main role as Kurt Blobberts in Lloyd in Space. He also had multiple reoccurring roles in the 2007, series Transformers: Animated.
He has lent his voice to many other animated shows such as American Dad, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, All Hail King Julien, Kim Possible, Duck Tales and Young Justice.
In 2007, he made a cameo appearance on the show Heroes as Steve Gustavson in the episodes "Run" and "Unexpected." In 2009, he had a role in the film Jennifer's Body. From 2005 to 2014, he had a recurring role as Marvin Eriksen Sr. on the CBS sitcom How I Met You Mother. In 2012, he made a cameo appearance in the TV show Weeds. He guest started as Ken Fisher in four episodes of the NBC series Growing Up Fisher. In 2015, it was announced Fagerbakke would reprise his role as coach Dyninski on NBC’s Coach revival, however the proposed revival was quickly cancelled. In 2017, he guest started in Blackish in the episode "One Angry Man". Fagerbakke had another recurring role as Chris Beverly in the Showtime series I Am Dying Up Here.
In 2019, Fagerbakke portrayed Detective Pruitt on Netflix Unbelievable. He played Officer Jake on Young Sheldon from 2021 to 2023. In 2022, Fagerbakke guest-starred in the fifth season of Dynasty as Peter de Viblis. His daughter Carson portrays Peter's daughter Patty.
SpongeBob SquarePants
Since 1997, he has provided the voice of Patrick Star for the Nicktoon SpongeBob SquarePants. His role as Patrick has become one of the most iconic in all of animation. He has also been compared to the character's real-life counterpart as show writer Kent Osborne once said of Fagerbakke, "He is this big guy, and he plays Patrick so well. He's just this big guy, and he lumbers around."
In 2004, Fagerbakke voiced Patrick in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, along with subsequent films The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. He also voices the character in video games and spinoffs, such as Kamp Koral.
The television show celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019. In celebration, a television special was aired, titled "SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout". One scene includes each of the show's main characters' voice actors portraying live-action versions of their characters. While not the first SpongeBob SquarePants episode that blended animated sequences with live-action characters, this was the first time that the characters' voice actors have played a live-action scene all together.
Since 2021, Fagerbakke has been the lead role in the SpongeBob SquarePants spinoff The Patrick Star Show, reprising his role as Patrick.
Super Bowl LVIII, which took place in 2024, was broadcast on CBS; the network's parent company Paramount also owns Nickelodeon, the network that airs SpongeBob SquarePants. As part of a plan to maximize the use of its broadcasting rights partnership with the National Football League (NFL), Paramount decided to air an "alternative" Super Bowl telecast on Nickelodeon that was aimed to be more family-friendly. The channel's website claimed that the broadcast was intended for "kids of all ages, from 2 to 102". The broadcast on Nickelodeon was hosted by Nate Burleson and Noah Eagle in live-action and accompanying them were SpongeBob and Patrick. Bill Fagerbakke and SpongeBob's voice actor Tom Kenny voiced the characters in real-time, improvising their own jokes in-character, and also utilized motion capture.
Fagerbakke and Kenny also hosted the 2024 Kids Choice Awards as SpongeBob and Patrick. They voiced their characters while being filmed backstage via motion capture, marking the first time the ceremony has been hosted by animated characters.
Personal life In 1989, Fagerbakke married actress Catherine McClenahan, with whom he had two daughters, one of which is actress Carson Fagerbakke. In September 2012, he filed for legal separation from McClenahan, citing irreconcilable differences. He has lived in Los Angeles ever since filming the show Coach, however he visits Idaho often. He enjoys spending time with his grandchild. Through his daughter Carson, Fagerbakke's son-in-law is actor Scott Michael Foster.
In 1997, Bill Fagerbakke returned to his alma mater—the University of Idaho to star in benefit performances of the play Love Letters, staged by the Idaho Repertory Theatre to support the university's theater program.
Fagerbakke is good friends with his SpongeBob SquarePants co-star Tom Kenny.
Filmography
Television voice roles Year Title RoleNotesSource19903×3 EyesSteve Long1994BeethovenCaesar / Roger's DadMain cast1994–1996GargoylesBroadway / HollywoodMain cast (season 1),recurring role (season 2)1994–1995Aaahh!!! Real MonstersTroop Leader / Tiny / Carl3 episodes1995–1996Dumb and Dumber Harry Dunne, various voicesMain cast1996–1999JumanjiAlan Parrish1999–presentSpongeBob SquarePants Patrick Star, additional voices 1999Timon & PumbaaBigfootEpisode: "Bigfoot, Littlebrain" The Wild Thornberrys Dank Episode: "On the Right Track"The Night of the Headless HorsemanDolphusTelevision film1999–2000Roughnecks: Starship Troopers ChroniclesSgt. GossardMain cast2000Batman Beyond PaybackEpisode: "Payback"2001–2004Lloyd in SpaceKurt BlobbertsMain cast2002Final Fantasy: UnlimitedFungusJackie Chan AdventuresButchEpisode: "Pleasure Cruise"2005The Grim Adventures of Billy & MandyThud, Grandpa, ClerkEpisode: "The Firebird Sweet"2005–2006A.T.O.M.Flesh2007Family GuyPatrick StarEpisode: "Road to Rupert"; archival footage (uncredited)Kim PossibleMyronEpisode: "Larry's Birthday"2007–2009Transformers Animated Bulkhead, Master Disaster, Hot Shot, additional voicesRecurring role2009The Spectacular Spider-Man Morris BenchEpisode: "Shear Strength"2010Batman: The Brave and the Bold Ronnie Raymond, Lead, Helium4 episodes2010–2011Sym-Bionic Titan Meat5 episodes2011–2022Young Justice Bear3 episodesHandy MannyRoland2 episodes2012Robot and MonsterLev Krumholtz2013–2016Wander Over Yonder Prince Cashmere, additional voices3 episodes2015–2017All Hail King Julien King Joey, Lazy Doug, Hans, Rat DJ, Leonard9 episodes2017Pig Goat Banana Cricket Banana's DadEpisode: "Flowers for Burgerstein"American Dad! StrannixEpisode: "The Long Bomb"2017–2020Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz Scarecrow, various voicesMain cast2018DuckTales Ghost of Christmas PresentEpisode: "Last Christmas!"2021–2024Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under YearsPatrick Star, additional voices Main cast 2021–present The Patrick Star ShowPatrick Star, Pat-gor, Pat-Tron, additional voices Lead role
Video games Year Title RoleNotesSource1996Disney's Animated Storybook: The Hunchback of Notre DameOafish Guard 2000Nicktoons RacingPatrick StarArchival recordings 2001Nicktoons Nick TunesSpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Krabby Patty SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge 2002SpongeBob SquarePants: Employee of the Month SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman 2003Nickelodeon Toon Twister 3-DSpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom 2004SpongeBob SquarePants: TypingNicktoons Movin' The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie 2005SpongeBob SquarePants: Lights, Camera, Pants! Nicktoons Unite! 2006SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab Nicktoons: Battle for Volcano Island Spongebob SquarePants: Nighty Nightmare 2007Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis 2008SpongeBob SquarePants Featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom 2009SpongeBob's Truth or Square 2010SpongeBob's Boating Bash 2011Nicktoons MLB SpongeBob's Surf & Skate Roadtrip 2013SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic RevengePatrick Star, Clem 2015SpongeBob HeroPantsPatrick Star 2020SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated Archival recordings2021Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Voiceover added in the June 2022 update 2022Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway 2023 SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 2024 SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game 2025 SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide 2026 Fortnite Battle Royale
Television live-action roles Year Title RoleNotesSource1989–1997CoachMichael "Dauber" Dybinski1994The StandTom CullenMiniseries1997Sabrina the Teenage WitchDirkEpisode: "Cat Showdown"1998–1999OzKarl Metzger3 episodes2005–2014How I Met Your MotherMarvin Eriksen Sr.12 episodes2007According to JimHowardEpisode: "All the Rage"2012WeedsPolice Academy InstructorEpisode: "Allosaurus Crush Castle"2014Growing Up FisherKen Fisher4 episodesCrash & BernsteinJeffEpisode: "Escape from Bigfoot Island"2016All In with Cam NewtonHimselfEpisode: "All In with Josh"2017Black-ishTom AveryEpisode: "One Angry Man"2018MomSergeant Gene RubenzerEpisode: "Phone Confetti and a Wee Dingle"I'm Dying Up HereChris Beverly3 episodes2019UnbelievableDetective Pruitt2021–2023Young SheldonOfficer Jake4 episodes2022DynastyPeter de ViblisEpisode: "Devoting All of Her Energy to Hate"
Film