Remember This SpongeBob SquarePants Character? It Was Dennis Quaid All Along
Think you know every Bikini Bottom face? The one you forgot is Mr. Krabs’ pirate grandpa, Grandpa Redbeard — and Dennis Quaid is about to put him back on your radar.
If you mainlined SpongeBob as a kid or you are currently neck-deep in a 16-season rewatch, there is a character you probably forgot existed: Mr. Krabs' pirate grandpa, voiced by Dennis Quaid. Yes, Dennis Quaid once sailed into Bikini Bottom.
Dennis Quaid, pirate grandpa, and a very chaotic Krusty Krab
The character is Grandpa Redbeard, Mr. Krabs' paternal grandfather and a full-on pirate. Quaid voiced him in the Season 6 episode "Grandpappy the Pirate," where the old man pops in expecting his grandson to be living the swashbuckling life. To keep up appearances, Mr. Krabs goes all-in: he turns the Krusty Krab into a makeshift pirate ship and drafts his crew into the bit.
That means SpongeBob and Patrick stumble around as sailors, Squidward grimaces his way through it, and somehow they still manage to pass the sniff test. It is goofy, it is surprisingly sweet, and it gives Mr. Krabs a nice little backstory detour. The ending drops the pretense and lands on teamwork and acceptance, with Grandpappy being proud of Krabs for running a successful restaurant. Also, Quaid's voice cuts right through the chaos in a way that makes the cameo pop.
- Episode: "Grandpappy the Pirate" (Season 6, Episode 15)
- First aired: February 18, 2009
- Guest voice: Dennis Quaid as Grandpa Redbeard
- Rotten Tomatoes: 78%
- New movie: "The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants" is coming later this year
- Director: Derek Drymon
- Premise: SpongeBob sets out to prove his bravery to Mr. Krabs by chasing down the Flying Dutchman
- Cast: Tom Kenny (SpongeBob) and Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs) return, as they have since 1999; Mark Hamill voices the Flying Dutchman
- Not returning: Dennis Quaid is not in the new film
- Release: US theaters on December 19, 2025
About that new SpongeBob movie
"The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants" leans into an adventure setup: SpongeBob wants to prove he is brave in Mr. Krabs' eyes, so he heads after the Flying Dutchman. Mark Hamill voicing the Dutchman is a flex, and Tom Kenny and Clancy Brown are back doing what they have done since 1999. If you were hoping for a Grandpa Redbeard encore, no luck this time — Quaid is not on the call sheet.
Between a deep-cut cameo that actually aged well and a new big-screen quest on the horizon, SpongeBob keeps finding ways to surprise people who think they have seen it all.