Born as John Michael Hardwick and originating from Austin, the actor launched his career in 1990 by venturing into local stand-up comedy. John Hardwick’s educational journey led him to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Following his graduation with a BS degree in journalism, he embarked on a decade-long stint as a bartender in live blues bars in cities like Dallas and Austin, Texas. Notable venues included Nick’s Uptown, Sixth Street Live, and The Greenville Bar & Grill. His career took a turn in 1990 when he delved into stand-up comedy, performing at renowned locations such as the Dallas Improv and the Velveeta Room in Austin, Texas.
His appearances on shows like “Evening at the Improv” and “Caroline’s Comedy Hour” earned him recognition, and he notably became the first stand-up comedian to appear on “The Jon Stewart Show.” In 1995, Hardwick’s performance at the Montreal Comedy Festival caught the attention of Brandon Tartikoff, who offered him a sitcom opportunity on NBC. However, the proposed comedy concept, akin to “Green Acres” and “Get a Life,” failed to garner serious interest from the network.
Johnny Hardwick ventured into the realm of online content creation by establishing his own YouTube channel on September 12, 2012. However, it wasn’t until 2015 that he began sharing content on the platform. It was in December 2018 that he started to consistently upload new material. By May 2023, his channel had amassed a subscriber count of 17,500 and had garnered an impressive 608,000 views. The channel’s content predominantly revolved around song parodies and monologues delivered in the distinctive voice of Dale Gribble, the character he brought to life on “King of the Hill.”
After affiliating with the Strauss-McGarr agency, Hardwick’s stand-up comedy career flourished both in Austin and across the United States. Originally slated to be part of MTV’s “Austin Stories,” he made a pivotal choice to contribute to the creation of “King of the Hill” instead. While performing at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, he shared a comedic narrative about his Texan father. It was here that Greg Daniels, a television writer and producer, along with Mike Judge, known for “Beavis and Butt-Head,” recognized the fitting Texan humor that Hardwick could bring to “King of the Hill.”
They extended an invitation for him to join the writing team for the burgeoning show. Relocating from Austin to Silver Lake, Los Angeles, Hardwick became an integral part of the series. It’s notable that his start on “King of the Hill” coincided with the expiration of NBC’s option on his sitcom development deal, allowing him to fully commit to the new opportunity. Interestingly, the character of Dale Gribble was initially offered to Daniel Stern, but an agreement on salary couldn’t be reached. Johnny Hardwick, unaffected by monetary concerns, took on the voice role instead. This decision led to his portrayal of Dale Gribble throughout the show’s successful 13-year run, featuring in an impressive 257 out of 258 episodes.
Gradually, he expanded his presence to national platforms such as The Jon Stewart Show, while also performing at prestigious stand-up venues like L.A.’s The Laugh Factory and the Montreal Comedy Festival. During the initial seasons of Fox’s King of the Hill, Hardwick held credits as a producer and writer. His significant contributions earned him Emmy nominations in 2001 and 2002 as a supervising producer. Moreover, he played a role in the show’s triumph at the Emmy Awards, securing the honor for Outstanding Animated Program in 1999. Concurrently, the news of the show’s revival on Hulu, under the production of 20th Television Animation, emerged in January 2022. The original creators, Judge and Daniels, are set to return in the capacity of executive producers. In a strategic addition to the production team, Saladin Patterson will undertake the responsibility of an executive producer and showrunner.
Mike Judge, one of the co-creators of “King of the Hill” and the voice behind Hank Hill, expressed his heartfelt sorrow over the passing of Johnny Hardwick, stating to TMZ, “I am deeply saddened by the loss of my friend Johnny Hardwick. He was a great writer, actor, and comedian, and he will be deeply missed.”
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