Bill Dauterive

Bill Dauterive (voiced by Stephen Root) is a character in the animated series King of the Hill. He is a Sergeant in the United States Army, and serves as a barber at Fort Blanda near Arlen.

Bill was born as William Fontaine De La Tour D'auterive to a wealthy Cajun family and lived in Louisiana until he was 6. In Episode 66 ("A Beer Can Named Desire") Bill and his friends visited his family's estate, "Chateau d’Haute Rive." Owing to his roots in the Bayou, Bill is fluent in Cajun French (he was himself unaware of this, but upon traveling back through Louisiana he just instinctively began speaking it). Bill's life can be described simply: What football didn't take, the Army did and virtually anything remaining was taken by his ex-wife, Lenore. Bill is little more than a shadow of what he was in high school and as a result his friends are protective of him. He is overweight, bald, socially awkward to the point that people have mistaken him for retarded. He has poor hygiene and even worse self-esteem. He has often been seen openly weeping, displaying inappropriate behaviors such as dancing with a mop, and has even gone through suicidal periods.

Much like the narrator in The Raven, Bill pines for his ex-wife, Lenore. For many years Bill held on to the faint hope that Lenore would come back to him before finally coming to terms with his wife’s departure. As a consequence of his divorce, Bill becomes extremely attached to people or objects for whom he has affection, almost to the point of suffocation. In the episode "Bill of Sales" Peggy learns that Bill can only respect people who are verbally abusive to him. In spite of his drawbacks, Bill can be inspirational at times. Boomhauer was once pulled out of a deep depression by an encouraging speech from Bill.

The cause for Bill's slovenly and overweight condition was briefly thought to have stemmed from his involvement as an Army test subject from 1982-1984. The drugs administered in the test were intended to create an elite group of Arctic commandos with walrus-like capabilities that would be deployed in the event of war if the Soviet Union were to invade the United States via Alaska. It was later discovered that Bill was injected with placebos.

In high school, Bill (nicknamed, "the Billdozer") was Arlen High's career leader in touchdowns, and held the distinction for over 20 years. He loses the record to running back Ricky Suggs in the 4th season episode "Bills are Made to be Broken", which was inspired by the true story of University of Connecticut basketball star Nykeshia Sales. Suggs breaks Bill's record on a broken leg when the other team sympathetically allows Suggs to score the record-breaking touchdown. Since he never finished high school (due to his joining the U.S. Army in 1974), Bill is allowed back on the team for one game in order to try for the record. In a game-winning drive, he scores one final touchdown to tie the record with Suggs.

Like his friends and high school classmates Hank Hill, Dale Gribble, and Boomhauer, he frequently drinks Alamo beer in the alley behind Hank's house. Bill once salvaged a couch discarded by Kahn which was then used by Bill, Hank, Dale and Boomhauer in the alley.

Trivia

 * The character is named after King of the Hill writer and producer Jim Dauterive.
 * Despite having a pathetic reputation, Bill has had several romantic escapades which include:
 * Kahn's mother.
 * Luanne's psychotic mother Leanne.
 * A woman who had been released from prison.
 * Former Texas governor Ann Richards.
 * The widows of two of his deceased cousins (and also, nearly his actual cousin).
 * A police officer.
 * Bill also has a long-standing infatuation with Peggy Hill, although his affection is unrequited.
 * Stephen Root, who provides Bill's voice, originally auditioned for the role of Dale.
 * Bill stands 5' 8 3/4" (1.73 m) in height.