Johnny Hardwick Recorded “King Of The Hill” Revival Episodes Before Death
Earlier this year, it was announced that 20th Television was working on reviving the hit animated series, “King Of The Hill” for a new show for its streaming services, which is due to be released in 2024.
The original series ran for 13 seasons and will star many of the original voice talents from the original series, including Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, Stephen Root, Pamela Adlon, Johnny Hardwick and Lauren Tom.
“King Of The Hill” is set in fictional Arlen, Texas, and follows the life of Hank Hill (Mike Judge), an enthusiastic seller of propane and propane accessories; his wife, Peggy (Kathy Najimy), local Boggle champ and substitute teacher; and their 13-year-old son, Bobby (Pamela Adlon), who defies any expectation his father had for a son. Hank’s friends – conspiracy theorist Dale (Johnny Hardwick), military barber Bill (Stephen Root) and cool but inarticulate Boomhauer (Judge), along with Peggy’s friends Minh (Lauren Tom) and meteorologist Nancy (Ashley Gardner), and Bobby’s friend Connie (Tom) help the Hills navigate a changing world. The new series is going to be a slight reboot, as there will be a time shift to the modern day.
This past weekend, it was revealed that Johnny Hardwick, who plays Dale in the show, sadly passed away. Dale is Hank’s best friend and neighbour, who is a chain-smoking, conspiracy-obsessed bug exterminator.
TVLine has revealed that Johnny Hardwick had completed work on a couple of episodes of the new revival prior to his death. It remains unclear if another actor will be brought in to finish the lines or if they will just make some changes to the show to work around it.
20th Television Animation issued a statement about Johnny’s passing:
“Johnny Hardwick was an incredibly beloved member of the King of the Hill family, whose tremendous talent, brilliant humor and friendship will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate enough to work with him over the past 25 years. Our deepest condolences go out to his friends and family as we mourn the loss of one of the animation greats. His voice gave life to one of our most iconic characters, and he will be truly missed.”
The revival is going is being created and executive produced by original co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, as well as incoming executive producer and showrunner Saladin Patterson. Additionally, 3 Arts’ Michael Rotenberg and Howard Klein, and Bandera Entertainment’s Dustin Davis serve as executive producers of the show.
The original series received critical acclaim and accolades, including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program. The series has been translated into numerous languages and aired in 50 countries around the world. You can watch the previous seasons on Hulu now and on Disney+ in some countries including Australia.
Roger Palmer
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