Which actor voiced Dale Gribble before on King of The Hill? Background and cause of death

Dale Gribble and Johnny Hardwick share an almost inseparable legacy on King of the Hill, the animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels that first aired on Fox in 1997 and is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

Hardwick voiced the chain-smoking, conspiracy-obsessed exterminator from the pilot through the original 13-season run (257 episodes) and even recorded six chapters for the 2025 revival before his sudden passing.

The Austin-born comedian, who won a 1999 Primetime Emmy with the production team, was found dead at his Texas home on August 8 2023, aged 64. An autopsy could not determine a definitive cause because the body was “far too decomposed,” though investigators ruled out trauma or foul play.

As a character, Dale Gribble embodies small-town paranoia: he runs “Dale’s Dead Bug,” leads the Arlen Gun Club and distrusts every layer of government, all while oblivious to his wife Nancy’s long-running affair. King of the Hill mines comedy from that irony, with executive producers Judge and Daniels grounding the satire in everyday Texas life.

Johnny Hardwick’s voice behind Dale Gribble: Career milestones and tragic end

Born John Michael Hardwick on December 31, 1958, in Austin, Texas, the future Dale Gribble earned a journalism degree at Texas Tech before turning to stand-up. He was the first comic ever booked on The Jon Stewart Show and caught the eye of Judge and Daniels after a Laugh Factory set.

When actor Daniel Stern baulked at salary negotiations, Hardwick landed the part by not arguing about money, according to his interview in The Austin Chronicle dated April 2, 1999. Johnny Hardwick stated,

"Originally they offered the part to Daniel Stern -- I think he's Dilbert now, but he used to do the voiceover on The Wonder Years -- which I can't even imagine. Apparently, he wanted a whole bunch of money and they weren't willing to negotiate with him, so I ended up getting the part."

Hardwick became more than a performer; he wrote, story-edited and produced multiple episodes, helping King of the Hill win two Emmys and seven nominations overall. His YouTube channel, launched in 2012, kept Dale Gribble’s raspy drawl alive through parody songs and monologues.

Financially, the multifaceted work paid off: several entertainment-finance trackers estimated his net worth at about $5 million at the time of death.

Yet Hardwick’s private life remained largely off-camera. Public records show no confirmed spouse or children; friends say he devoted most free hours to writing and voice work. In a 2019 chat with YouTuber Simian Jimmy, he spoke of returning to live comedy:

“I wanted to get back into standup...So I was working on my acting stuff, so I’ve been working out material.”

As per the People report dated November 3 2023, that recording became one of his last public statements.

Medics discovered cannabinoids and unspecified drugs, but with no trauma, drowning or foul play, the medical examiner listed both cause and manner of death as undetermined. The Austin Police Department closed the case as a non-homicide.

Johnny Hardwick’s legacy: Accolades, influence and the enduring appeal of Dale Gribble

Across 13 seasons, Johnny Hardwick turned Dale Gribble into a cult favorite. Viewers embraced Dale’s signature yell - “Pocket sand!” and his endless theories about shadow governments and alien microbes. The performance helped King of the Hill earn its place on Time’s “100 Greatest TV Shows” list and sealed Hardwick’s Primetime Emmy win in 1999.

Hardwick also voiced Dale in video games and music videos (Barenaked Ladies’ Get in Line) and remained on the show’s writing staff until its Fox finale in 2010. His multi-hyphenate resume - voice actor, writer, producer, YouTuber made him a fixture at animation panels and Texas comedy festivals.

Even after his death, the 2025 revival credits keep his name prominent. Hulu’s season premiere opens with a title-card tribute. The creative team has said the new episodes aim to “honor Johnny by letting Dale be fully Dale,” ensuring that every Dale Gribble conspiracy still sounds unmistakably like Johnny Hardwick for the first six instalments.

Who voices Dale Gribble now?

With Hardwick gone, Hulu faced a delicate casting task. Toby Huss, already a veteran of the series (Kahn, Cotton Hill and others), records Dale’s lines from episode 7 onward. As per Entertainment Weekly's report dated July 25 2025, Huss stated,

“He(Hardwick) was a super sweet fellow, we miss him,...His Dale is one of a kind. I'm not taking over anything, I'm just trying to do some justice to his voice.”

Showrunner Saladin K. Patterson confirmed that Hardwick’s six completed performances remain untouched, while Huss modulates his delivery to bridge Hardwick’s tone with subtle updates: Dale in 2025 is “a little left of right” after being “out-righted by the right” in today’s conspiracy ecosystem.

Fans have generally welcomed the handoff, noting that Huss preserves Dale’s nasal timbre and manic cadence. King of the Hill streams weekly on Hulu (U.S.) and Disney+ (select territories).

Stay tuned for more updates.