Johnny Hardwick, the voice actor for Dale Gribble in the animated comedy series “King of the Hill,” has died. He was 64.
According to TMZ, a welfare check was done on Hardwick on Tuesday (Aug. 8). That's when law enforcement found his body. The outlet reports that he pronounced at the scene and there is no foul play has been suspected. A cause of death has not been determined.
“Johnny Hardwick was an incredibly beloved member of the ‘King of the Hill’ family, whose tremendous talent, brilliant humor and friendship will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate enough to work with him over the past 25 years,” 20th Television Animation and Hulu said in a statement per NBC News.
“Our deepest condolences go out to his friends and family as we mourn the loss of one of the animation greats. His voice gave life to one of our most iconic characters, and he will be truly missed.”
Hardwick is most remembered for his work on “King of the Hill.” He played Dale Gribble on the show who was known for being obsessed with conspiracy theories. The character was the best friend of the show's lead Hank Hill.
Prior to snagging the role on the animated series, he performed stand-up comedy in Texas in 1990 according to the outlet. He later made his stand-up debut on “The Jon Stewart Show” a few years later. YouTube creation was also another creative outlet for Hardwick as he used to cover songs on his channel.
Mike Judge, co-creator of “King of the Hill” and voice of Hank Hill told TMZ, “I am deeply saddened by the loss of my friend Johnny Hardwick. He was a great writer, actor and comedian, and he will be deeply missed.”
Take a look at some throwback moments of Hardwick's “King of the Hill” Dale below: