'King of the Hill' Star Johnny Hardwick's Cause of Death Undetermined in Sad Turn of Events

Hardwick's cause of death is undetermined due to bodily decomposition, per the medical examiner.

By Stephen Andrew

Three months after King of the Hill star Johnny Hardwick was found dead, the comedian's cause of death remains undetermined. In a sad turn of events, TMZ reports that Hardwick's body was in such poor condition that the local medical examiner has not been able to conclude how he died. Per an autopsy report obtained by the outlet, Hardwick's body was discovered in his bathtub, with the water running when he was found. However, he was not submerged as the drain was open.

TMZ reports that the medical examiner says they found no obvious signs of trauma, and that a toxicology test showed a "presumptive positive test for cannabinoids." The report noted that drugs were found at the scene, but TMZ states it's unclear what type of substance, or substances, police discovered. Ultimately, Hardwick's death remains undetermined due to the "extensive decompositional changes" his body had experienced. It was also added that Hardwick weighed only 100 pounds at the time his body was found.

Originally from Austin, Texas, Hardwick got his start as a comedian in the early '90s. He performed around North America for years and was the first stand-up to appear on The Jon Stewart Show, a short-lived nightly talk show on MTV. Hardwick eventually landed the role of Dale Gribble, a hilariously quirky and paranoid friend of Hank Hill, on Mike Judge's King of the Hill. Interestingly, the role was first offered to actor Daniel Stern, but he and the show's producers could not come to an agreement on salary. Of the show's 259-episode run, Hardwick appeared in 258. He was with the show for all of its 13 seasons, from its debut in January 1997 until its finale in May 2010.

In August, TMZ reported that police were called to Hardwick's home in Texas for a welfare check. Upon arriving, officers discovered his body. The comedian was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene. No foul play was suspected. Hardwick was 64 years old.

Following the news of Hardwick's death, many King of the Hill fans have come out to memorialize and pay tribute to the late voice actor, with one person writing on social media, "Dale Gribble is such a funny, livewire character but there's so much vulnerability and warmth that Johnny Hardwick brought. Dale seems like a genuinely good man and good father despite being a total nut."

"Gutted to hear about the passing of Johnny Hardwick," someone else added. "Dale Gribble absolutely stole any scene on KOTH that he was the focus of. Undeniably he was the funniest character on the show, and part of that came from Hardwick's voice performance. He will be missed."

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