Johnny Hardwick, the versatile voice actor best known for his role as Dale Gribble from King of the Hill, has passed away at the age of 64. The comedian and producer’s career extended beyond his iconic voice role in the long-running animated sitcom. As fans mourn Johnny Hardwick’s death, let’s take a look at his life and career and understand how his distinctive voice and comedic timing made him a memorable talent.
Johnny Hardwick’s death announcement
Johnny Hardwick breathed his last on August 8th at his home in Austin, Texas. Police found him dead in his residence following an urgent welfare check. The coroner’s office has not yet released the official cause of death. However, no foul play is suspected, pending the outcome of their investigation.
The man who voiced Dale Gribble has passed. I love king of the hill watched it many times….Lets all take the time to remember Johnny Hardwick and watch his best moments. pic.twitter.com/7r8pnQcRKC
— Aaron Mikita (@AaronMikita) August 10, 2023
Hardwick’s unexpected death has left a void in the entertainment industry. 20th Television Animation and Hulu released a statement to announce his death to their show’s fans. They called Johnny Hardwick an incredibly beloved member of the ‘King of the Hill’ family.
The statement praised his tremendous talent, brilliant humor, and friendship with people who worked with him over the past 25 years. They said Johnny Hardwick would be genuinely missed and that his voice gave life to one of their most iconic characters.
The late actor was Emmy-nominated for King of the Hill as a supervising producer in 2001 and 2002. He shared the Emmy as a producer in 1999 when King of the Hill was named Outstanding Animated Program.
Johnny Hardwick as Dale Gribble from King of the Hill
Dale Gribble is a conspiracy-minded character who immediately became a fan favorite on the animated TV show King of the Hill. Created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, the show followed the lives of the Hill family in the fictional town of Arlen, Texas.
Was lucky enough to have Johnny Hardwick as my pops Dale for almost a decade. He will be so damn missed! RIP pic.twitter.com/pOvOG34289
— Breckin Meyer (@breckinmeyer) August 10, 2023
Johnny Hardwick brought Dale Gribble to life with his Texas drawl and perpetual paranoia over conspiracy theories. He voiced the character throughout the show’s 13-season and 259-episode run between 1997 and 2010. Dale was one of Hank Hill’s best friends.
Recently, Hulu announced that Johnny Hardwick would return for the show’s streaming revival. He was all set to reprise his role as Dale Gribble alongside returning voice cast members Kathy Najimy, Stephen Root, Pamela Adlon, and Lauren Tom.
In fact, the actor had already recorded a few episodes before his passing. However, he did not complete his voice work on the revival. Notably, Johnny Hardwick also served as a producer and writer of the show during the early Fox seasons.
Johnny Hardwick’s career, apart from Dale Gribble
Beyond his defining voice role as Dale Gribble in King of the Hill, the actor initially did stand-up comedy and made a name for himself in the local scene. Climbing up the ladder, he appeared at comedy clubs like Los Angeles’ Laugh Factory and the Montreal Comedy Festival.
He also made his mark on reality shows such as Ace of Cakes and Boomer vs Zoomer. Following the end of King of the Hill, Hardwick started his own YouTube channel. He lent his voice as Dale Gribble in various mediums, including the King of the Hill video game.
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