If you close your eyes and think of John Redcorn, you probably hear that smooth, deep baritone. It's a voice that managed to be simultaneously seductive, spiritual, and—especially in the later seasons—hilariously pathetic. But here is the thing about the man behind Arlen’s favorite "healer": the story of who voiced John Redcorn is actually a pretty heavy one.
It’s not just one guy. It’s two. And honestly, both of their lives ended in ways that feel way too sudden for a show as cozy as King of the Hill.
The Original Voice: Victor Aaron
When King of the Hill first hit the airwaves in 1997, John Redcorn wasn’t quite the character he became later. He was more of a stoic, mysterious figure. The man providing that initial gravity was Victor Aaron.
Aaron was a Yaqui actor who was just starting to really hit his stride in Hollywood. You might recognize him from Geronimo: An American Legend or Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. He brought a genuine, grounded presence to Redcorn in those very early episodes of Season 1.
Tragically, Victor Aaron never got to see how big the show would become. In September 1996, before the first season even finished airing, he was killed in a car accident. He was only 39. A truck ran a red light and struck his vehicle at an intersection in Palm Springs. If you go back and watch the Season 1 episode "The Order of the Straight Arrow," you’ll see it’s dedicated to his memory. It’s a small, quiet tribute to the man who gave the character his first breath.
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Jonathan Joss: The Voice We All Remember
After Aaron passed away, the producers had a choice: retire the character or find someone who could carry the torch. They found Jonathan Joss.
Joss didn’t just mimic what Aaron did. He evolved it. Starting in Season 2, he took over the role and basically lived in it for the next 12 years. He’s the one who gave us the "New Age" healer who was also a frustrated rock star with his band, Big Mountain Fudge Cake. Joss had this incredible ability to make John Redcorn feel like a real person—someone who was deeply flawed, occasionally arrogant, but also strangely sympathetic as he watched Dale Gribble raise his biological son, Joseph.
Jonathan Joss was a proud Comanche and White Mountain Apache actor from San Antonio. He wasn't just a voice actor; he was a musician too, often performing with his own group, The Red Corn Band. For most of us, he is the definitive voice of the character.
The Tragic 2025 Update
For years, fans wondered if we’d ever see the hills of Arlen again. When the King of the Hill revival was officially announced for Hulu, one of the biggest questions was whether the original cast would return.
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Jonathan Joss was all in. He actually recorded lines for four episodes of the new Season 14.
But history, in a cruel way, repeated itself. On June 1, 2025, Jonathan Joss was fatally shot outside his home in San Antonio. He was 59 years old. According to reports from the time, Joss was involved in a long-standing dispute with a neighbor, Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez. The situation escalated near Joss's home—which had already been devastated by a fire earlier that year—and resulted in a senseless act of violence.
His husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, noted that Joss actually saved his life during the confrontation by pushing him out of the way of the gunfire.
How the Revival Handled the Loss
When the King of the Hill revival finally premiered in August 2025, the atmosphere was bittersweet. Seeing John Redcorn on screen again felt right, but knowing Joss wasn't here to see the reception was tough.
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The showrunners decided to air the episodes Joss had already completed. The tenth episode of Season 14, titled "A Sounder Investment," served as his final performance. At the end of the episode, a tribute appeared on screen: "In Loving Memory JONATHAN JOSS." It featured a photo of the actor alongside a drawing of John Redcorn.
It was a heavy moment for the "KOTH" community. We lost the original voice to a car accident and the long-term voice to a shooting. It’s a lot of trauma for one animated character to carry.
Who is voicing John Redcorn now?
As of right now, the future of the character is a bit up in the air. While Joss finished several episodes, the show has to decide whether to recast yet again for future seasons or slowly phase the character into the background. Some fans on Reddit and social media have suggested recasting with another Native American actor to keep the representation alive, while others feel the role should be retired out of respect for Joss's massive legacy.
Key Facts About the John Redcorn Actors
- Victor Aaron (Season 1): A Yaqui actor who died in a car crash in 1996.
- Jonathan Joss (Seasons 2-14): A Comanche/Apache actor and musician who voiced the character for over a decade.
- The 2025 Revival: Joss returned for the first few episodes of the Hulu reboot before his death in June 2025.
- Legacy: Both actors were celebrated for bringing authentic Native American representation to a mainstream sitcom during an era when that was rare.
Honestly, the best way to honor these guys is just to go back and watch the work. Whether it’s Redcorn trying to "heal" Nancy’s headaches or his desperate attempts to start a career in children’s music, the heart of that character came from two very talented men who left us way too soon.
If you're watching the revival on Hulu, pay close attention to the credits in the later episodes of the first season. It’s a poignant reminder of the real people behind the drawings we've loved for nearly thirty years.
Actionable Insight: If you want to dive deeper into the legacy of Native American voice acting, look into the work of Gary Farmer or Zahn McClarnon, both of whom have been suggested by fans as potential successors who could carry the role with the same level of respect and nuance that Victor Aaron and Jonathan Joss established.