Filburt

Filburt Shellbach
Rocko's Modern Life character
Filburt Shellbach
Voiced by	Doug Lawrence Tom Kenny (singing voice)
Information
Species	Turtle
Gender	Male

Filburt Shellbach is a main and supporting character of the cartoon Rocko's Modern Life and the comic book series of the same name. In the Australian website of the television show, his name is sometimes spelled as Filbert and sometimes as Filburt. In the comic book, his name is spelled Filbert. On the show's creator Joe Murray's website and in the episodes "Born to Spawn" and "Uniform Behavior", his name is spelled as Filburt. In the episodes "Born to Spawn" and "Fortune Cookie", he is referred to as Mr. Filburt Turtle. However, in the episode "High Five of Doom" Rocko and Heffer read in Filburt's diary that his full name is Filburt Shellbach. Doug Lawrence provided Filburt's voice.

Whenever Filburt feels uncomfortable or disturbed, he is known to say, "I'm nauseous! I'm nauseous!". He also occasionally says, "Oh boy" and "Oh fishsticks." He also popularized the phrase "Turn the page, wash your hands," in reference to clammy hands being stained by poor quality comic book inks.

Filburt becomes age 21 in the episode "Born to Spawn".

Joe Murray, the creator of the show, originally intended for Filburt to be a secondary character used to "add texture" to Rocko and Heffer Wolfe. Lawrence, also functioning as a director on the show, sculpted Filburt into a main character befriending Rocko and Heffer.

Murray auditioned Lawrence in a large casting call in Los Angeles and chose him as the voice actor for Filburt. Murray stated that he did not expect for Lawrence's "east coast nasal to be so perfect for Filburt." [sic]

Martin Olson, a writer, described the decision when Nickelodeon gave the "okay" for the marriage of Filburt and Paula Hutchison as one of the most memorable moments of the production. Olson said that the executives at first did not like the idea; linear character development did not exist in Nicktoons. Murray convinced the executives to allow for the marriage to occur.