AUSTIN, TEXAS: Johnny Hardwick, the acclaimed voice behind the popular character Dale Gribble in 'King of the Hill' died at the age of 64. The actor died at his home on Tuesday, August 8.
According to TMZ, the voice actor was discovered at his home in Texas by law enforcement officers who were called to respond to the scene by performing a welfare check on Hardwick.
How did Johnny Hardwick die?
The 64-year-old comedian was pronounced dead at the scene. An official cause of death has not yet been issued by the police. However, authorities stated that they do not suspect any foul play in Hardwick's death.
Inside Hardwick's professional life
Hardwick's journey to fame began as a stand-up comedian in 1990 in Texas and he eventually established himself in the entertainment industry after he appeared on 'The Jon Stewart Show.'
However, his place in television history was solidified after his portrayal of a conspiracy theory-obsessed character Dale Gribble in the Fox animated sitcom 'King of the Hill'.
Premiering in 1997, the Lone Star State native showcased his vocal talents as he voiced Dale for a remarkable 258 episodes of the show that ended in 2010.
His portrayal of Dale earned him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in 1999 with two subsequent Emmy Award nominations in the same category in 2001 and 2002.
Apart from his remarkable contribution to the small screen, Hardwick has also voiced big-screen characters including Kevin Booth's epic 'Shadow of Sofia' in 2019 and Lambert Bristol's 'Natural Selection' in 1999.
Following the end of 'King of the Hill' in 2010, Hardwick became active on social media as he shifted his focus to the digital realm. The comedian posted videos of him dressed as Dale and creating parody covers of popular songs. These clips featured several references to his signature "pocket sand" attack.
'This one cuts deep'
Mourning the loss of the actor who voiced the beloved character Dale, fans took to social media to fondly remember Hardwick's unparalleled talent.
"This one cuts deep. Johnny Hardwick was a national treasure and his portrayal of Dale Gribble is one of the finest performances in a show stacked with incredible characters. He helped make 'King of the Hill' so timeless," wrote a fan.
"RIP Johnny Hardwick whose work as Dale Gribble was a foundational comedy performance for me. This is just one of so many bits of pure hilarity he brought us," a fan tweeted.
"Gutted to hear about the passing of Johnny Hardwick. Dale Gribble absolutely stole any scene on 'KOTH' that he was the focus of. Undeniably he was the funniest character on the show, and part of that came from Hardwick's voice performance. He will be missed," wrote a Twitter user.
