Jan 1, 1969
Capricorn
East Brunswick, NJ
56 years old
N/A
N/A
Voice Actor
Name, Age & Place of Birth
Douglas Lawrence Osowski—better known by his stage name Mr. Lawrence—was born on January 1, 1969, in East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. As of mid-2025, he is 56 years old .
Profession & Education
Mr. Lawrence is a multi-talented voice actor, screenwriter, animator, and comedian . He attended The Kubert School in New Jersey for cartooning and illustration, though he left after two years to pursue stand-up comedy full-time .
Career Highlights & Notable Roles
Early Animation Work:
Started in 1992 as a layout assistant on The Ren & Stimpy Show at Spümcø .
Rocko’s Modern Life (1993–1996):
Joined Joe Murray’s team as storyboard artist, writer, director, and became the voice of Filburt Turtle .
SpongeBob SquarePants (1999–present):
Co-writer from the start (became story editor in Season 10), and voice actor behind iconic characters like Sheldon J. Plankton, Larry the Lobster, Fred, Realistic Fish Head, and Potty the Parrot . His Plankton voice, inspired by a friend and described as “a combination of Gregory Peck and Tony the Tiger,” won him the part—despite the network's initial push for a celebrity voice .
Other Animation Roles:
Voiced characters like Edward T. Platypus, Nurse Leslie, Dave, and Ping-Pong in Camp Lazlo .
Featured in The Aquabats! Super Show! as Announcer and ManAnt .
Contributed to Mighty Magiswords as voice actor and story writer .
Projects & Filmography
Beyond television series, Mr. Lawrence has expanded his creative footprint into feature films and video games:
Films: Appeared in The SpongeBob Movie (2004), Sponge Out of Water (2015), Sponge on the Run (2020), upcoming Plankton: The Movie (2025), and Saving Bikini Bottom (2024) .
Television & Streaming: Ongoing roles in Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show (also co-developer and writer) .
Video Games: Continues to voice Plankton, Larry, and others in games like Battle for Bikini Bottom, Cosmic Shake, and The Patrick Star Game .
Comedic Roots & Creative Style
Mr. Lawrence began in stand-up comedy, performing in New Jersey and Los Angeles, teaming up with peers like Jeremy Kramer and Martin Olson . His humor is known for its quirky, unpredictable edge—Rocko and Phineas & Ferb writer Jeff “Swampy” Marsh described his style as so unique that “you’d really have to know Doug to understand (or not understand) it”—a signature trait that profoundly shaped his voice work and writing .
Personal Life & Accolades
Married to Mary Ann, currently residing in Burbank, California .
Winner of the 1995 CableACE Award for Best Animated Programming and Primetime Emmy nominee for Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program in 2012 .
Final Thoughts
Mr. Lawrence’s creative path—from layout assistant to comedy writer, voice actor, and influential story editor—reveals a person driven by imagination, wit, and dedication. Whether he’s plotting Plankton’s latest scheme or crafting a zany story beat, his contributions are core to the personality and legacy of SpongeBob SquarePants and its animated universe.
