Johnny Hadwick.Photo:johnnyhardwick/YouTube
johnnyhardwick/YouTube
Voice actor Johnny Hardwick, best known for playing Dale Gribble onKing of the Hill,has died at age 64.
The Austin Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE that Hardwick’s body was discovered on Tuesday evening after “APD officers responded to a Check Welfare Urgent call.” Hardwick was pronounced dead at the scene.
Hardwick started voicing Dale Gribble fromKing of the Hill’s inception in 1997 and won an Emmy for the program in 1999. He also served as a producer on the show.
King of the Hillran for 13 seasons until 2010. In January, Hulu announced plans to rebootKing of the Hillwith Hardwick reprising his role. Original series voice actorsKathy Najimy, Stephen Root,Pamela Adlonand Lauren Tom also signed on for the revival.
20th Television Animation exec Marci Proietto toldemmy Magazinein April that the newKing of the Hillwill see “the characters we love with a slightly more modern sensibility.”
The ‘King of the Hill’ cast celebrates the show’s 200th episode in 2008.Ray Mickshaw/WireImage
Ray Mickshaw/WireImage
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Hardwick graduated fromTexas Tech Universitywith a degree in journalism and went on to pursue a comedy career. While performing at The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, he caught the attention ofKing of the Hillco-creator Greg Daniels, who offered him a writing job on the animated series. Hardwick landed the gig voicing Dale Gribble after first choiceDaniel Sterndidn’t pan out.
In a 2019 interview, Hardwick told YouTuber Simian Jimmy (formerly known as Mumkey Jones) that he wanted to get back to his comedy roots.
“I wanted to get back into standup, so I was working on my acting stuff, so I’ve been working out material,” Hardwick said.
In 2012, afterKing of the Hillended, Hardwick started up his ownYouTube channelwhere he played character Rusty Shackelford, Yello! Party Chairman and President of the United States Gun Club, and uploaded videos called The Rusty Report. Hardwick also posted videos playing cover songs on guitar and piano.
“It’s shocking to see Dale Gribble play guitar, more than anything,” Hardwick told Jimmy. “It’s funny when he plays piano but if he’s hitting these licks and playing ‘Here Comes the Sun,’ it just doesn’t … if I played it badly it might work, but that’s impossible.”
source: people.com
