Johnny Hardwick: 'King of the Hill' star's cause of death not disclosed due to his body's decomposed state
AUSTIN, TEXAS: Johnny Hardwick’s cause of death has not yet been disclosed. The 'King of the Hill' star’s body was found in a decomposed state which made it difficult for the authorities to identify an immediate cause of death, an autopsy report obtained by TMZ stated.
Hardwick was found dead at his Texas home in August after someone called in a welfare check on the voice actor.
Johnny Hardwick's death is not investigated as a case of homicide
Authorities stated that they do not suspect any foul play in Hardwick's death. The incident was “not being investigated as a homicide," the Austin Police Department said after confirming the matter, which was initially reported by the outlet.
The autopsy report also mentioned that Hardwick tested positive for cannabinoids and stated that unspecified drugs were found at the scene.
It also confirmed Hardwick showed no signs of trauma.
Why was Johnny Hardwick so famous?
Hardwick's journey to fame began as a stand-up comedian in 1990 in Texas and he eventually established himself in the entertainment industry after he appeared on 'The Jon Stewart Show.'
Hardwick, who was 64 at the time of his tragic demise, was best known for his role voicing Dale Gribble on 'King of the Hill.'
He was brought into the role at the show’s inception in 1997, winning an Emmy award for the portrayal just years later in 1999.
'King of the Hill' ran for 13 seasons on Fox until 2010. However, in January, the series was rebooted for even more animated fun through Hulu.
Hardwick was slated to reprise his role as Gribble. Hardwick told YouTuber Simian Jimmy he was planning to start a new venture in his career by stepping into an old interest in a 2019 interview.
“I wanted to get back into standup,” Hardwick said, adding “So I was working on my acting stuff, so I’ve been working out material.”
Following the end of 'King of the Hill' in 2010, Hardwick became active on social media as he shifted his focus to the digital realm.
The comedian posted videos of him dressed as Dale and creating parody covers of popular songs. These clips featured several references to his signature "pocket sand" attack.
Apart from his remarkable contribution to the small screen, Hardwick has also voiced big-screen characters including Kevin Booth's epic 'Shadow of Sofia' in 2019 and Lambert Bristol's 'Natural Selection' in 1999.