‘Bob’s Burgers’ Character Designer Dave Creek Dies After Skydiving Accident
UPDATED with joint statement from Fox Entertainment, 20th Television and Bento Box Entertainment: Dave Creek, the longtime character designer on popular animated comedy Bob’s Burgers, has died after a skydiving accident.
Creek’s colleagues on the show confirmed the news on social media, posting a variety of tributes (see below). The Cartoon Brew website reported that the animator died Thursday after sustaining significant injuries from the accident last weekend.
Creek worked on Fox Network’s Bob’s Burgers from its inception in 2011, initially as a character designer and then as a lead character designer.
“We are heartbroken at the tragic passing of Dave Creek, an extraordinary artist who had been with Bob’s Burgers from day one,” said 20th Television, Fox Entertainment and Bento Box Entertainment in a joint statement. “He was not just an incredible talent but a beautiful person as well, and our hearts go out to his family, friends and all his colleagues at the show who loved him and are grieving today.”
Creek also had credits including Apple TV+ show Central Park, Brickleberry and the film Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown. He was a passionate skydiver, as evidenced by numerous posts on his Instagram account. Creek also spent his time making intricate treehouses constructed around bonsai trees.
Tributes flooded in from Creek’s colleagues and contemporaries:
We lost a great artist and a great friend at Bobs today – our lead character designer Dave Creek. Here’s one of his many designs, Lady Tinsel, and one of his incredible tree houses. pic.twitter.com/5yX4fZ8ZiQ
— Bernard Derriman (@derriman) January 8, 2021
Today we tragically lost our Lead Character designer and friend, Dave Creek. A wonderfully brilliant and talented man who I can guarantee designed your favourite character on Bob’s at some point. I’ll miss you, buddy x https://t.co/NOxEq1VOGw
— Simon Chong (@chongster62) January 8, 2021
If you love Bob’s Burgers, you loved Dave Creek. He was an adventurous funny outgoing amazing artist and one of the most incredible, interesting people I ever met. I often thought that Dave really knew how to live, and I wish he got to live some more. Rest In Peace, buddy. 💔 https://t.co/PMf1jKT0Zc
— Wendy Molyneux (@WendyMolyneux) January 8, 2021
RIP Dave Creek.
Many know his Bob’s Burgers work, but I know him as my crazy, Pogues-loving, Himalayan throat-singing college roommate. Here’s Dave’s Freshman CalArts film, animated entirely in charcoal. I challenge any animation student to do better. https://t.co/27AgX0qIqm
— ⚡️ Austin Madison⚡️ (@munchanka) January 8, 2021