Johnny Hardwick

About

John Michael Hardwick (December 31, 1958 – c. August 8, 2023) was an American voice actor, comedian, writer and producer. He was best known as the voice of Dale Gribble in the animated American television series King of the Hill. He also served as a staff writer, story editor, and producer on the show. He was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards three times, winning once in 1999 with the rest of King of the Hill’s production team.

John Michael Hardwick was born in Austin, Texas, on December 31, 1958. He attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock. After graduating with a BA degree in journalism, he worked for a decade as a bartender in live blues bars in Dallas and Austin, including Nick’s Uptown, Sixth Street Live and The Greenville Bar & Grill.

Starting in 1990, Hardwick performed stand-up comedy for a number of years, appearing at such venues as the Dallas Improv and The Velveeta Room in Austin and appearing on shows including Evening at the Improv and Caroline’s Comedy Hour. He was the first comic to appear on The Jon Stewart Show. In 1995, he worked the Montreal Comedy Festival, where Brandon Tartikoff saw his set and signed him to a sitcom on NBC, which…