King Of The Hill star Johnny Hardwick’s death remains a mystery after voice actor passed away suddenly at home in Texas aged 59
- The talented voice actor played conspiracy theorist and Hank Hill’s next door neighbor Dale Gribble on the iconic animated series from 1997-2010
- He was found dead at his home in Texas on Tuesday after police were called for a welfare check and found his body
- Hardwick was pronounced dead at the scene with no foul play suspected – the cause of death is currently unknown
King of the Hill star Johnny Hardwick’s death remains a mystery following his sudden passing aged 59.
The talented voice actor – who played Hank Hill’s conspiracy theorist next door neighbor Dale Gribble on the iconic animated series in 258 episodes from 1997-2010 – was found dead at his home in Texas on Tuesday after police were called for a welfare check and found his body.
It was reported that Johnny was pronounced dead at the scene with no foul play suspected – with the cause of death at the time unknown, reported TMZ.
And three days following his passing, the cause of his death remains undisclosed, however, police are said to have confirmed the death is ‘not being investigated as homicide’, reports Metro.
It’s said that the cause of death will ultimately be determined by the Medical Examiner’s Office.
RIP: King of the Hill star Johnny Hardwick’s death remains a mystery following his sudden passing aged 59
![Iconic: The talented voice actor played conspiracy theorist and Hank Hill's next door neighbor Dale Gribble (left) on the iconic animated series in 258 episodes from 1997-2010](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/10/17/74177445-12394047-image-a-1_1691683619331.jpg)
Iconic: The talented voice actor played conspiracy theorist and Hank Hill’s next door neighbor Dale Gribble (left) on the iconic animated series in 258 episodes from 1997-2010
Hardwick served as a staff writer, story editor, and producer for King of the Hill, scoring four Prime Time Emmy nominations.
In 1999 he won an Emmy Award for his work as a producer on King of the Hill.
Hardwick was a native of Austin, Texas and attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, graduating with a BS degree in journalism.
He then worked as a bartender for a decade in blues bars in Dallas and Austin, before beginning his stand-up comedy career in 1990.
He became the first stand-up comedian to appear on the Jon Stewart Show.
In 1995, an appearance at the Montreal Comedy Festival led to a chance meeting with NBC president Brandon Tartikoff who offered him a sitcom. However NBC was uninterested in Hardwick’s pitch for a Green Acres and Get A Life-inspired show.
Hardwick signed with the Strauss-McGarr agency and began a successful stand-up career performing all over the USA.
After a gig at the Laugh Factory in LA, in which he performed a skit about his father, he was approached by television writer and producer Greg Daniels and Beavis and Butt-Head’s Mike Judge who were creating King of the Hill.
![Cast: Hardwick (back row right) is seen with the show cast in 2005 as they marked the show' 200th episode](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/11/12/74178217-12397113-Cast_Hardwick_back_row_right_is_seen_with_the_show_cast_in_2005_-a-40_1691753440754.jpg)
Cast: Hardwick (back row right) is seen with the show cast in 2005 as they marked the show’ 200th episode
![YouTube: In recent years the star created a YouTube channel which saw him perform song parodies and monologues in the style of Gribble, while wearing his famous shades and orange cap](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/11/12/74177665-12397113-YouTube_In_recent_years_the_star_created_a_YouTube_channel_which-a-39_1691753440751.jpg)
YouTube: In recent years the star created a YouTube channel which saw him perform song parodies and monologues in the style of Gribble, while wearing his famous shades and orange cap
Intrigued by Hardwick’s Texan humor, they offered him a writing job on the series, which saw Hardwick move to Silver Lake from Austin.
Hardwick ended up with the role of Gribble after Daniel Stern turned down the opportunity.
In recent years the star created a YouTube channel which saw him perform song parodies and monologues in the style of Gribble, while wearing his famous shades and orange cap.
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