Remembering All of the Talented 'King of the Hill' Voice Actors Who Died

The Fox hit sitcom King of the Hill first premiered on Jan. 12, 1997, and had an impressive run until 2010, when it wrapped what was believed to be its final season, Season 13. But 15 years later, the show made a surprising comeback, essentially marked as a reboot, picking up years after it originally left off with Season 14. This time, the world and the characters had changed drastically.

Naturally, when a show runs for that long, fans can expect shifts in plot lines and character arcs.

Case in point is Season 14 as it kicks off with Bobby Hill as a 21-year-old adult and Hank now retired. And just like the storylines evolve, so does the voice cast. Some voice actors step away due to scheduling conflicts or simply wanting out, while others, sadly, are no longer with us.

In honor of the talented individuals who brought these iconic characters to life, here’s a look at the King of the Hill voice actors we’ve lost so far.

King of the Hill has undoubtedly featured some incredibly talented individuals over the years. While many are still with us, a few have sadly and permanently parted ways with this world.

One of the most notable losses from the voice cast is Johnny Hardwick, who voiced the iconic Dale Gribble through Season 13. He passed away at the age of 64 in August 2023.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, police discovered his body during a welfare check at his home in Texas, though his death wasn’t being investigated as a homicide. His official cause of death remains undetermined.

Since Dale appears in Season 14, Hardwick was presumably set to reprise his role. However, following his death, the character has been recast with Toby Huss.

Another prominent King of the Hill voice actor who tragically passed away is Brittany Murphy, who voiced Luanne Platter, Hank’s sweet, but clueless niece. She played the role from 1997 up until 2009, just months before her unexpected death in December of that year.

According to People, Brittany’s official cause of death was pneumonia, though iron-deficiency anemia and “multiple drug intoxication” involving both over-the-counter and prescription medications were listed as contributing factors. Apparently, she had been walking around with flu-like symptoms, unaware that it was actually pneumonia.

Tom Petty, who voiced Lucky Kleinschmidt, is another voice actor we’ve sadly had to say goodbye to. He passed away on Oct. 2, 2017, at the age of 66, though his time on the show ended in 2009 after voicing the character for five years. A year after his passing, Tom’s death was ruled an accidental drug overdose, NPR reported.

Dennis Burkley, who voiced Principal Carl Moss, is another key voice actor from the animated sitcom who passed away. He died in his sleep on July 14, 2013, at the age of 67, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Dennis voiced the school principal in 36 episodes between 1997 and 2010, according to his IMDb. While his exact cause of death was not released, he had been battling some health issues prior to his passing.

While we’ve had to say goodbye to these talented individuals, they’ll always be remembered through their iconic roles on King of the Hill, and the many other projects that showcased their gifts.