Johnny Hardwick, Voice Of Dale Gribble On King Of The Hill, Has Died At 64

Today brings the sad and unexpected news that Johnny Hardwick, the popular voice actor behind Dale Gribble on "King of the Hill," has died at the age of 64. No information regarding the nature of his passing was immediately available, as the news was first reported by TMZ. In many ways, Hardwick was the heart and soul behind the ever-popular animated series that originally ran for 13 total seasons, from 1997 to 2010. /Film previously reported earlier this year that a new revival series of "King of the Hill" was in the works with much of the original cast returning to reprise their roles. Between the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, however, it's unclear whether Hardwick or the rest of the cast had recorded any new voice performances for the series.

Hardwick had much more influence on "King of the Hill" than simply voice acting. The star, who also had a long-established history as a comedian, was also credited for writing and producing on the show. All told, he served as a writer, story editor, and supervising producer on top of voicing the conspiracy-minded character of Dale Gribble for an incredible 258 episodes (out of 259 total). Hardwick was ultimately nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Animated Program in 1999, 2001, and 2002, winning the Emmy in his role as a producer on "King of the Hill" in 1999. In voicing the jack-of-all-trades Dale, the wildcard supporting character who loved to spout conspiracy theories and rarely showed up without his familiar Mack baseball cap and aviator sunglasses, Hardwick made a name for himself as an indispensable member of the "King of the Hill" cast for well over a decade.

A mainstay of one of the most popular and successful animated shows in American television is no longer with us. TMZ reports that actor, writer, producer, comedian, and, in recent years, entertaining YouTuber Johnny Hardwick was found dead earlier this week at his Texas home. No cause of death has yet been reported, though /Film will update as more information comes to light. Meanwhile, fans of "King of the Hill" took to social media to mourn the passing of one of the unequivocal highlights of the animated series.

Born in Austin, Texas, Hardwick performed as a stand-up comedian for years before landing an appearance on "The Jon Stewart Show." Steadily building out his profile throughout the industry, he eventually landed on the radar of prolific television producers Greg Daniels and Mike Judge. The pair offered him a job on a then-unknown animated project called "King of the Hill," paving the way for him to take on even greater creative responsibilities as the show took off and his voice-acting role as Dale Gribble became a permanent fixture on the series. Although his credits include a handful of other projects to his name, it's safe to say that his claim to fame came predominantly through his work on the outstanding "King of the Hill."

A unique voice with a strong personality to match, Johnny Hardwick will forever be remembered for providing some of the best laughs and unforgettable moments on one of American television's most prolific animated shows.