Johnny Hardwick and Dale Gribble on “King of the Hill”
Johnny HardwickThe autopsy may have raised more questions than it answered.
The King of the Hill The voice actor died unexpectedly in August at the age of 64, and his autopsy report now suggests that his body was too badly decomposed for the coroner to determine the exact cause of death at this time.
According to the report, TMZ Nearly three months after his death, Hardwick’s body was found in the bathtub of his Texas home on August 8. And although the water was still running, the drain was open, so he wasn’t actually submerged.
Hardwick was pronounced dead at the scene and his body had already shown “extensive signs of decomposition” at the time of discovery, so the coroner could not determine the cause of death.
The report noted that a toxicology test was conducted that was “presumptive positive for cannabinoids.” Drugs were also found at the scene, but it is still unclear what exact substances were found.
In addition, Hardwick weighed only 45 kilograms at the time his body was discovered, which is not typical for a 5-foot-7 man.
After the first news of Hardwick’s death, the co-creator of King of the Hill, Michael Richterspoke to the tabloid and said he was “deeply saddened” by Hardwick’s death.
Judge, the voice of the show’s lead actor Hank Hill, was among other friends and fans of Hardwick who issued statements to remember the late actor following his untimely death.
The man who voiced Dale Gribble has died. I love King of the Hill and watched it many times… Let’s all take the time to remember Johnny Hardwick and watch his best moments. pic.twitter.com/7r8pnQcRKC
— Aaron Mikita (@AaronMikita) 10 August 2023
“Rest in peace, Johnny Hardwick,” wrote the X-Account (formerly Twitter) for Adult Swim Out of Context.
“This film is deeply heartwarming,” wrote one of Hardwick’s fans. “Johnny Hardwick was a national treasure and his portrayal of Dale Gribble is one of the best performances in a show full of incredible characters.”
“He has contributed King of the Hill so timeless,” added the same fan.
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