5 Secrets From Craig Bartlett, the Creator of Hey Arnold!

Since its Nickelodeon debut in 1996, Hey Arnold! and its namesake football-headed protagonist have captured the imaginations of children and adults alike. Now, with the TV movie Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie slated for November, it's official: The fandom will not be dying down any time soon.
In anticipation of this two-hour nostalgia trip, show creator Craig Bartlett sat down with Great Big Story to deliver five surprising facts about the series. There's good news for those who remember Pigeon Man's departing words, "[I'm going] somewhere where I can live in peace with my friends," and were led to believe that he died. In the interview, Bartlett assures fans that he is alive and well—probably in Paris checking out the pigeon scene there.
Other noteworthy reveals made in the interview: Hey Arnold! doesn't take place in New York—or, exclusively New York; rather. Bartlett says that it's actually a composite of where Bartlett grew up in Seattle, where he went to art school in Portland, and the stoop-laden streets of Brooklyn.
For more surprising facts about Hey Arnold!, you can read our list from 2016 here, or watch the Great Big Story interview below.