Phil Hartman
Philip Edward Hartman (né Hartmann; September 24, 1948 – May 28, 1998) was a Canadian-born American comedian, actor, screenwriter, and graphic designer. Hartman was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, and his family moved to the United States when he was ten years old. After graduating from California State University, Northridge with a degree in graphic arts, he designed album covers for bands including Poco and America. In 1975, Hartman joined the comedy group the Groundlings, where he helped Paul Reubens develop his character Pee-wee Herman. Hartman co-wrote the film Pee-wee's Big Adventure and made recurring appearances as Captain Carl on Reubens' show Pee-wee's Playhouse.
Phil Hartman
May 28, 1998 (aged 49)
Homicide by gunshot
Cremated; Ashes scattered over Emerald Bay, Santa Catalina Island, California, U.S.
- Canada
- United States
- Actor
- comedian
- screenwriter
- graphic designer
1969–1998
-
Gretchen Lewis(m. 1970; div. 1972)
-
Lisa Strain(m. 1982; div. 1985)
-
Brynn Omdahl(m. 1987; death 1998)
2
In 1986, Hartman joined the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL) as a cast member, and stayed for eight seasons until 1994. Nicknamed "Glue" for his ability to hold the show together and help other cast members, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for his SNL work in 1989. He also starred as Bill McNeal in the sitcom NewsRadio, voiced Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure on The Simpsons, and appeared in supporting roles in the films Houseguest, Sgt. Bilko, Jingle All the Way, and Small Soldiers.
After two divorces, Hartman married Brynn Omdahl in 1987, with whom he had two children. However, their marriage was troubled due to Phil's busy work schedule and Brynn's drug and alcohol abuse. In 1998, while Phil was sleeping in his bed, Brynn shot and killed him, and later killed herself. In the weeks following his murder, Hartman was celebrated in a wave of tributes. Dan Snierson of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Hartman was "the last person you'd expect to read about in lurid headlines in your morning paper ... a decidedly regular guy, beloved by everyone he worked with".[1] He was posthumously inducted into the Canada and Hollywood Walks of Fame in 2012 and 2014.
Career[edit]
Graphic Artist[edit]
Phil Hartman designed the logo for Crosby, Stills & Nash, along with more than 40 album covers for other popular bands including Poco, America, CSNY, FIRESIGN Theater and Seven.
The Groundlings and Pee-Wee Herman (1975–1985)[edit]
Working alone as a graphic artist, Hartman frequently amused himself with "flights of voice fantasies".[11] In 1975, seeking a more social outlet for his talents, he began attending evening comedy classes by the California-based improvisational comedy group The Groundlings.[4][8][10] While watching one of their performances, he impulsively decided to climb on stage and join the cast.[3][11][12] His first onscreen appearance was in 1978's Stunt Rock, an Australian film directed in Los Angeles by Brian Trenchard-Smith.[13] After several years of training, paying his way by redesigning the group's logo and merchandise, Hartman formally joined The Groundlings and by 1979 was one of the show's stars.[10]
There Hartman befriended Paul Reubens, with whom he often collaborated on comedic material. Together they created the character Pee-wee Herman and developed The Pee-wee Herman Show, a live stage show that subsequently aired on HBO in 1981.[11] Hartman played Captain Carl in the show, and reprised the role for the children's TV show Pee-wee's Playhouse.[11] Reubens and Hartman made cameos in the 1980 film Cheech and Chong's Next Movie.[8][14] Hartman co-wrote the script of the 1985 feature film Pee-wee's Big Adventure and had a cameo role as a reporter.[1][4] He had considered quitting acting at the age of 36 due to the challenges of finding work; but the success of Pee-wee's Big Adventure changed his mind.[15][16] After a creative disagreement with Reubens, he left the Pee-Wee Herman project to pursue other roles.[11][17][18]
Hartman took more small roles in 1986 films such as Jumpin' Jack Flash and Three Amigos. He also worked as a voice actor in animated television programs, including The Smurfs, Challenge of the GoBots, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, and in Dennis the Menace as Henry Mitchell and George Wilson and most of the adult male characters. After season 1, Hartman (who by this point had joined the cast of Saturday Night Live) was replaced by Maurice LaMarche. [2] He developed a strong persona providing voice-overs for advertisements.[12]
Saturday Night Live (1986–1994)[edit]
Hartman successfully auditioned to join NBC's variety show Saturday Night Live (SNL) in its 12th season, which began on October 11, 1986.[1] He had been recommended for the show by fellow Groundlings and SNL cast members Jon Lovitz[19] and Laraine Newman, as well as Jumpin' Jack Flash director Penny Marshall.[20] He told the Los Angeles Times, "I wanted to do [SNL] because I wanted to get the exposure that would give me box-office credibility so I can write movies for myself."[16] In his eight seasons with the show Hartman became known for his impressions, and performed as over 70 different characters. Hartman's original SNL characters include Eugene, the Anal Retentive Chef and Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer.[2] His impressions include Frank Sinatra, Ronald Reagan, Ed McMahon, Barbara Bush, Charlton Heston, Kelsey Grammer, Michael Caine, Oliver Stone, Phil Donahue, Telly Savalas, Barry Humphries, Kirk Douglas and Bill Clinton—the latter considered his best-known impression.[1][21]
Hartman first performed his Clinton impression on an episode of The Tonight Show.[22] When he met Clinton in 1993, Hartman remarked, "I guess I owe you a few apologies",[22] adding later that he "sometimes [felt] a twinge of guilt about [his Clinton impression]".[21] Clinton showed good humor and sent Hartman a signed photo with the text: "You're not the president, but you play one on TV. And you're OK, mostly."[21] Hartman copied the president's "post-nasal drip" and the "slight scratchiness" in his voice, as well as his open, "less intimidating" hand gestures. Hartman opted against wearing a larger prosthetic nose when portraying Clinton, as he thought it would be distracting. He instead wore a wig, dyed his eyebrows brighter, and used makeup to highlight his nose.[10] In one of Hartman's sketches as Clinton, the president-elect visits a McDonald's restaurant and explains his economic policies and support for military intervention in Somalia by the metaphor of eating other customers' food. The writers told him that he was not eating enough during rehearsals for the sketch – by the end of the live performance, Hartman had eaten so much he could barely speak.[22]
Personal life[edit]
Hartman married Gretchen Lewis in 1970 and they divorced in September 1972.[51] He married real estate agent Lisa Strain in 1982, and their marriage lasted three years. Strain told People magazine that Hartman was reclusive off screen and "would disappear emotionally ... he'd be in his own world. That passivity made you crazy."[7] In 1987, Hartman married former model and aspiring actress Brynn Omdahl (born Vicki Jo Omdahl, April 11, 1958 – May 28, 1998), having met her on a blind date the previous year.[3][7] They had two children, Sean and Birgen Hartman. The marriage had difficulties; she was reportedly intimidated by his success and was frustrated that she could not find any on her own, although neither party wanted a divorce. She was reported to have been jealous and often verbally and/or physically abusive, even sending a letter to his ex-wife, threatening to "rip [Strain's] eyes out" if she spoke to him again.[52] Hartman considered retiring to save the marriage.[7]
Hartman tried to get Brynn acting roles, but she became progressively reliant on alcohol and narcotics, entering rehab several times. On multiple occasions, he removed their children from the household to stay with friends or family because of her drug- and alcohol-fueled outbursts.[3] Because of his close friendship with SNL associate Jan Hooks, Brynn "joked" on occasion Hooks and Hartman were married "on some other level".[26] Brynn had written threatening letters addressed to Hooks, warning her to not get close to her husband, but they appeared to have never even been sent, being discovered in her belongings following her death.
Stephen Root, Hartman's NewsRadio co-star, said few people knew "the real Phil Hartman", as he was "one of those people who never seemed to come out of character", but he nevertheless gave the impression of a family man who cared deeply for his children.[53] Hartman befriended Joe Rogan during his time on NewsRadio and confided his marital problems to him. Rogan said that he encouraged Hartman to divorce Brynn five times, but "[Hartman] loved his kids and didn't want to leave".[54]
Hartman stated in 1997 that, though a non-practicing Catholic, he displayed a sense of religiousness.[55] In his spare time, he enjoyed driving, flying, sailing, marksmanship, and playing the guitar.[1][3]
The following is a list of albums for which Hartman designed the covers.
1974
1975
1977
1979
1980