Dale Gribble
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Dale Alvin Gribble (voiced by Johnny Hardwick) is a character in the animated series King of the Hill. He is an exterminator, chain-smoker, and paranoid believer of almost all conspiracy theories. Due to his beliefs, he uses the alias "Rusty Shackleford" whenever he doesn't want his real name known, including when ordering pizza. The neighborhood block charter is the only document he has ever signed with his real name; he refuses to sign any document authorized by a government official.
He was estranged from his father, Bug Gribble, because he saw Bug kissing his wife, Nancy, on the lips on their wedding day. In truth, Bug only kissed Nancy to hide his homosexuality as he was nearing a kiss with the Filipino caterer when Dale entered the room. Dale did not learn the truth until 20 years later, when he witnessed his father working as a cowboy at a gay rodeo. It was here that father and son reconciled their differences.
Although highly suspicious of the government and of other people, Dale is unaware (although everyone else knows) that his wife Nancy has had an affair with John Redcorn for nearly 15 years, and that Redcorn is the biological father of his son, Joseph. The people that know about their affair are (according to Nancy): God, herself, Peggy, Hank, John Redcorn, possibly Bobby (it is revealed early in the first season that Bobby does indeed know), Boomhauer, Bill, Redcorn's sister, Kahn and Minh. When Peggy Hill (finally) found out, she considered telling Dale, but decided not to disturb Dale and Joseph's relationship. Dale's inability to figure out Nancy's bigamy may be the result of the blinding love he feels for her. Nancy claims that Dale's grandmother was of Jamaican descent, which led to Joseph's darker skin. Dale briefly believed Joseph to be fathered by aliens, accounting for his skin color ("Of Mice and Little Green Men"). Incidentally, whenever Dale makes a comment about being Joseph's father, John Redcorn will show up.
He runs his own business, Dale's Dead-Bug, and drives a Dodge Caravan (the "Bugabago") with a large, fake, dead queen ant perched on the roof. Dale's favorite TV shows are Sanford and Son and What's Happening!! He enjoys drinking Alamo Beer with his long-time friends and neighbors, Hank Hill, Bill Dauterive, and Boomhauer. Dale is an avid smoker of Manitoba brand cigarettes, perhaps a parody of Marlboro cigarettes, and also drinks hot Mountain Dew. In one episode, Dale instructs a boy, who is receiving his kidney, to give his kidney a can of Mountain Dew once a week. He further explains that his kidney likes it ("Dale Be Not Proud"). He also stockpiled barrels of Mountain Dew in preparation for Y2K in the episode "Hillenium".
He shares a birthday with Van Cliburn (July 12). Dale has taken Russian correspondence courses and can speak the language, after a fashion ("Tankin' It To The Streets").
Dale reveals that he doesn't know what to do with his hands and is consequently a chain smoker ("Of Mice and Little Green Men"). He once attempted to quit smoking and switched to chewing tobacco, but abandoned the effort when his wife prohibited spitting in their house.
While engaging in illicit and/or illegal activities, Dale often turns to his right-hand man Octavio. Octavio appears in several episodes in minor roles in which he is aiding Dale with activities such as assassinating Bobby Hill's ventriloquist dummy, stealing Dale's kidney (which was supposed to go to a young boy), and many more similar actions.
[edit] Trivia
- Dale looks very much like Mike Judge when he removes his ubiquitous hat and dark glasses. Other than that, his appearance was mostly based on actor Robert Patrick, whom Mike Judge had hoped would sign for the part.
- Dale also bears a resemblance to the author William S. Burroughs. Johnny Hardwick has stated in an interview that the voice he uses for the character is essentially a "really lousy" impression of the late author [citation needed]. The physical resemblance was taken further in the fifth season episode "The Exterminator" where Dale took a job in an office and was forced to shed his hat and dark glasses and don the type of generic grey suit that was Burroughs' trademark. Like Dale Gribble, William S. Burroughs worked as an exterminator and had an interest in firearms.
- Dale also looks very much like the late Hunter S. Thompson, with his bald head constantly covered with a hat, always wearing sunglasses, and always pictured with a cigarette. Further, his love of firearms, anti-authoritarian stance, and dubious claims of being "in the know," regarding conspiracies further the resembalance.
- Much like Hank who looks/sounds like Tom Anderson from Beavis and Butt-head, Dale resembles another character from Beavis and Butt-head. In some Beavis and Butt-head episodes, a skinny, bald, smoking man in his underwear wearing sunglasses can be seen. This man is the husband of the trailer park phone sex woman.
- Dale's last name is a tribute to Mike Gribble, who died of cancer in 1994. Gribble, along with Craig "Spike" Decker, founded the Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation in San Diego. The Festival is considered the birthplace of Beavis and Butt-head, since Spike and Mike produced Judge's first two Beavis and Butt-head shorts.
- Stephen Root originally auditioned for the part of Dale, but was cast as Bill instead.
- There is an inconsistency regarding the appearance of Dale's father, Bug Gribble. When Bug was seen in a flashback from season one, in the episode "The Order of the Straight Arrow", he looked almost exactly like Dale, only older and more rugged. This version of Bug was again shown in a flashback in the episode "Now Who's the Dummy?" When Bug was seen in person when Hank tried to reunite Bug and Dale for Dale renewing his vows with Nancy, Bug was given an overhaul, looking nothing like Dale. However, this inconsistency can be attributed to Dale's paranoia, as it is possible that his extreme paranoia has led to a less than accurate memory.
- The song "Get In Line" by Barenaked Ladies, on the King of the Hill soundtrack is based on Dale. The song's music video features the band members performing various conspiracies on him.
- Dale is about 5' 10".
- Dale was once a towel manager for Arlen High School
- Dale's love of conspiracy theories may have been inspired by Alex Jones, a talk radio host and documentary filmmaker based in Austin, Texas.
- Dale prefers to consume nine small meals a day instead of the customary three large ones.
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| Hills and Platters: | Hank | Peggy | Bobby | Luanne Platter | Cotton | Tilly | Ladybird |
| Gribbles: | Dale | Joseph | Nancy |
| Souphanousinphones: | Kahn | Minh | Connie |
| Other characters: | Boomhauer | Bill | John Redcorn | M. F. Thatherton | Chuck Mangione | Monsignor Martinez |
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| Miscellaneous: | Alamo Beer | Manger Babies | Mega Lo Mart | Strickland Propane |
| Media: | King of the Hill DVDs | List of King of the Hill episodes |
