Johnny Hardwick — best known for his role in King of the Hill as conspiracy-theorist and jack-of-all-trades Dale Gribble — has died at age 64.
Reports first broke this morning, with TMZ saying that someone requested a welfare check for Hardwick, and upon arriving at Hardwick’s home, his body was discovered by law enforcement officials, showing no signs of foul play.
No cause of death for Hardwick has been revealed, but fans who grew up on the series are heartbroken to learn of his loss, especially with confirmation coming earlier this year that he would be joining Mike Judge, Stephen Root, and Pamela Adlon, among other original stars in a reboot of King of the Hill on Hulu.
Hardwick was born in Texas in September 1958 and got his start in comedic acting in the 1990s, appearing on The Jon Stewart Show and The Laugh Factory several times. He also had a YouTube channel in which he created shorts as Rusty Shackelford and sang songs as Dale Gribble.
Fans immediately began paying tribute to Hardwick on social media, many compiling some of Gribble’s best moments in various videos.
The delivery of this line, in particular, has always been a fan favorite and gives excellent insight into who Gribbles was and Hardwick’s skill in playing him.
Hardwick’s comedic timing was unmatched, and when you think back to King of the Hill, it’s impossible to imagine the show without his creativity and dedication to the unique character. Deeply invested in all things conspiracy theory, extraterrestrial, and out-of-the-box, Gribble is a character you can’t help but love.
In fact, one of Gribble’s most famous quotes has to do with aliens, which seems more timely now than ever:
“You’re like E.T., except E.T. was a purebred alien with a heart of gold. You’re only half-alien and at times can be a tad self-absorbed.”
We’re sending our well-wishes to Hardwick’s friends, loved ones, and family at this difficult time.
