King of The Hill supplemented its core cast with truly impressive ing roles, including frequent guest appearances by Tom Petty as Elroy “Lucky” Kleinschmidt. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who died in 2017, lent his voice to 28 episodes of King of the Hill, beginning in 2004. As Luanne’s main love interest in the series, Lucky represented a laissez-faire approach to life that was concurrently wise and unassuming.
As Arlen’s lowkey philosophical redneck and Luanne’s future husband, Lucky represented qualities of southern living that were largely well-received during his five-year term on King of the Hill. His approach to life, though conventionally flawed, provided his neighbors with alternative viewpoints. The character’s plotlines and dialogue were effortlessly delivered by Petty, who was not entirely green to the world of acting, having made appearances in several other TV series and a notable cameo as an implied version of himself in The Postman.
Series creator Mike Judge revealed Lucky’s origins to the ended after season 13.
Humor seemed to come naturally for Petty, whether he played a testy and egotistical parody of himself on character is a foodie at heart and experiences this life-altering event courtesy of Lucky’s favorite form of conflict resolution: threatening a personal injury lawsuit. Petty earnestly sells the absurdity of his scheme to fulfill Bobby’s wish with a pun-infused zinger, telling his girlfriend’s cousin, “I’m gonna help you run down that dream, Bobby,” referencing the title of Petty’s 1989 solo hit "Runnin' Down a Dream.”
Lucky’s easy-going life philosophy extended into matters of religion. Lucky trusted people to worship their god wherever felt right to them, whether inside a church or a bar on Sundays. When Hank struggles to find a new church after a pew seating dispute in season 10’s “Church Hopping,” Lucky poignantly — and somewhat crassly — indicates that, to him, God is wherever a person finds themselves. He tells the Hills, “I’m worshippin’ when I’m drinkin’ a beer, diggin’ a hole, or fishin’ for trout.”
The King of the Hill revival could potentially feature a recasting of Lucky, or better yet, writers may find a way to send Lucky and Luanne riding Lucky’s truck into the sunset. Petty, who famously stood for musicians’ rights, fit the role of Lucky like a glove. The character valued free will, from the right to rev his truck down any alleyway, if he so chose, or to file a lawsuit against any unsuspecting, deeply lined corporate pocket. The King of the Hill reboot will be hard-pressed to match the original pairing of Petty and Lucky.