RIP Johnny Hardwick: The Voice Behind ‘King Of The Hill’s’ Dale Gribble

RIP Johnny Hardwick: According to the show’s producers, Johnny Hardwick, best known for his portrayal as Dale Gribble on the long-running Fox animated comedy “King of the Hill,” passed away on August 8, 2023.He was 64 years old. No mention was made of the cause of death.

Johnny Hardwick was a much-loved member of the ‘King of the Hill’ cast, and all those who had the privilege of working with him over the past quarter-century will mourn his tremendous talent, brilliant wit, and friendship.

RIP Johnny Hardwick: The Voice Behind ‘King Of The Hill’s’ Dale Gribble

We extend our profound condolences to his friends and family as we mourn the passing of an animation legend. His voice brought one of our most recognisable characters to life, and he will be greatly missed.

During his over 200-episode tenure on the programme, Hardwick also served as a writer and story editor. In 1999, as the producer of “King of the Hill,” Hardwick won an Emmy for outstanding animated programme. Moreover, he was nominated for two additional awards in the category.

Dale Gribble was a notable supporting character on Mike Judge and Greg Daniels’ “King of the Hill,” which ran for 13 seasons and 259 episodes from 1997 to 2010. Dale was one of Hank Hill’s closest friends, and he was notorious for his persistent paranoia resulting from his conspiracy theories. Hardwick portrayed Dale for the entirety of the show’s 13-season run, appearing in 257 of 258 episodes.

Born in Austin, Texas, Hardwick began his career as a stand-up comic before earning a role on “The Jon Stewart Show.” A routine at the Laugh Factory comedy club in Los Angeles attracted the attention of Daniels and Judge, the latter of whom achieved television success as the creator of MTV’s “Beavis and Butt-Head.” The crew was working on “King of the Hill” when Hardwick was invited to join them.

In addition to “King of the Hill,” Hardwick has appeared on “Ace of Cakes” (2009) and “Boomer vs. Zoomer” (2019). Using previous recordings, he continued to provide Dale’s voice in other mediums, such as the video game “King of the Hill” and the 2022 racing game “Warped Kart Racers.”

The revival of “King of the Hill” was officially approved by Hulu in January. Hardwick was appointed to reprise his role as Dale, alongside Kathy Najimy, Stephen Root, Pamela Adlon, and Lauren Tom. Before completing his vocal work for the “King of the Hill” revival, Hardwick passed away.

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