Johnny Hardwick
Encyclopedia
Jonathon David Hardwick Jr. (born September 21, 1963) is a stand-up comedian
and voice actor
. He is best known as the voice of Dale Gribble
in the animated American
television show King of the Hill
. He served as staff writer, story editor
, and producer
for the show as well.
, Texas
, Hardwick attended Texas Tech University
in Lubbock, Texas
. After graduation, he performed stand-up comedy for a number of years, appearing at such venues as the Dallas Improv and the Velveeta Room in Austin. He was originally planned to be a regular in MTV's
Austin Stories
—a deal that never materialized. In 1995, Hardwick appeared at the Montreal Comedy Festival
, where Brandon Tartikoff
saw him and offered him a sitcom for NBC
. However, after Hardwick proposed a comedy along the lines of Green Acres
and Get a Life
the network showed little interest in seriously pursuing the idea.
After Hardwick signed with the Strauss-McGarr agency, he was continually booked doing stand-up comedy in both Austin and Los Angeles
. While at the Laff Factory in Los Angeles, Hardwick performed a comedy set about his father in Texas. After the show, he was approached by television writer and producer Greg Daniels
who was helping to put together King of the Hill at the time. Daniels felt Hardwick's Texan humor was just what the show needed and offered him a job writing for the fledgling program. Hardwick moved from Austin to Venice Beach, California to work for the show. Hardwick's first day working for King of the Hill was one day after NBC's option on his sitcom development deal expired (thus making it legal for Hardwick to pursue a sitcom with another network).
The role of Dale Gribble was originally offered to Daniel Stern
, but producers were unable to agree with Stern on a salary. Instead, Hardwick won the voice role after three weeks of auditions.
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
and voice actor
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
. He is best known as the voice of Dale Gribble
Dale Gribble
Dale Alvin Gribble is a fictional character in the animated series King of the Hill. and is voiced by Johnny Hardwick . He is an exterminator, bounty hunter, smoker, gun fanatic, and paranoid believer of almost all conspiracy theories and urban legends...
in the animated American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television show King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
. He served as staff writer, story editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
for the show as well.
Biography and career
A native of AustinAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Hardwick attended Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
in Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
. After graduation, he performed stand-up comedy for a number of years, appearing at such venues as the Dallas Improv and the Velveeta Room in Austin. He was originally planned to be a regular in MTV's
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Austin Stories
Austin Stories
Austin Stories is MTV's first ever prime time situation comedy, which debuted September 10, 1997, and aired Wednesday nights at 10:30 pm. The show aired twelve episodes filmed on location in Austin, Texas....
—a deal that never materialized. In 1995, Hardwick appeared at the Montreal Comedy Festival
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
, where Brandon Tartikoff
Brandon Tartikoff
Brandon Tartikoff was a television executive who was credited with turning around NBC's low prime time reputation with such hit series as Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, ALF, Family Ties, The Cosby Show, Cheers, Seinfeld, Miami Vice, The Golden Girls, Knight Rider, The A-Team, St...
saw him and offered him a sitcom for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. However, after Hardwick proposed a comedy along the lines of Green Acres
Green Acres
Green Acres is an American television series starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a country farm...
and Get a Life
Get a Life (TV series)
Get a Life is a television sitcom that was broadcast in the United States on the Fox Network from September 23, 1990, to March 8, 1992. The show starred Chris Elliott as a 30-year-old paperboy named Chris Peterson. Peterson lived in an apartment above his parents' garage...
the network showed little interest in seriously pursuing the idea.
After Hardwick signed with the Strauss-McGarr agency, he was continually booked doing stand-up comedy in both Austin and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. While at the Laff Factory in Los Angeles, Hardwick performed a comedy set about his father in Texas. After the show, he was approached by television writer and producer Greg Daniels
Greg Daniels
Gregory Martin "Greg" Daniels is an American television comedy writer, producer, and director.-Life and career:...
who was helping to put together King of the Hill at the time. Daniels felt Hardwick's Texan humor was just what the show needed and offered him a job writing for the fledgling program. Hardwick moved from Austin to Venice Beach, California to work for the show. Hardwick's first day working for King of the Hill was one day after NBC's option on his sitcom development deal expired (thus making it legal for Hardwick to pursue a sitcom with another network).
The role of Dale Gribble was originally offered to Daniel Stern
Daniel Stern (actor)
Daniel Jacob Stern is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the Hollywood films C.H.U.D., Diner, City Slickers and the first two Home Alone films, and as the narrator for the television series The Wonder Years.-Early life:Stern was born in Bethesda, Maryland to a...
, but producers were unable to agree with Stern on a salary. Instead, Hardwick won the voice role after three weeks of auditions.