Johnny Hardwick, YouTubePolice confirmed they found voice actor Johnny Hardwick dead at his home Tuesday after conducting a welfare check.
Hardwick was best known for his talented work as the voice of animated character Dale Gribble on “King of the Hill.” He was an integral part of the long-running sitcom and will forever be remembered for his contributions to the show’s landscape. Police have not yet determined or declared Hardwick’s exact cause of death, but foul play is not suspected at this time, according to TMZ.
‘King Of The Hill’ Dale Voice Actor Johnny Hardwick Dead At 64 https://t.co/F1sEPZmKn5 pic.twitter.com/PrfeLN6IgK
— TMZ (@TMZ) August 10, 2023
Hardwick began his career by performing stand-up comedy in Texas in 1990 and managed to secure his very first stand-up appearance on “The Jon Stewart Show” just a few short years later, according to TMZ.
He was a talented artist that remained dedicated to his career and continued to bring creativity to each of the roles he took on. His work on “The King of the Hill” was ongoing. He was involved in a total of 258 episodes of the series. (RELATED: Clint Eastwood’s Longtime Mistress Dead At Age 93)
He took on the voice of Dale for the very first episode of the hit sitcom that aired in January 1997 and remained devoted to the continued development of his character until the final episode in 2010. The show aired 259 episodes, meaning he missed just one over the course of his career, according to TMZ.
He was listed to appear in the revival of the show but it remains unclear if he had already recorded any aspects of that project before he passed away.
Hardwick also covered a variety of songs on his YouTube channel and dressed up to take on Dale’s persona.
An outpouring of love and messages of condolences are flooding social media as friends, fans and loved ones learn of the tremendous loss.