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Philip Edward Hartmann (September 24, 1948 –
May 28, 1998) was a graphic artist, writer, actor
and comedian born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. 
Hartman became a United States|U.S. citizen in the
early 1990s.  The exact timing of his switch from
"Hartmann" to "Hartman" is unknown, but all of his
acting credits after 1986 were as "Hartman".

In 1975, he joined the California-based comedy
group The Groundlings.  Hartman met Paul Reubens
while working with the Groundlings, and the two
became friends, often writing and working on
material together. One such collaboration was the 
character of Pee-wee Herman and the script of the
film Pee-wee's Big Adventure.  Phil Hartman also
met Jon Lovitz while with The Groundlings. 

Hartman also worked part time as a graphic artist,
including designing album covers for popular rock
bands.  Hartman's covers include  Poco's 1978
album Legend (1978 album)|Legend
(http://www.lovelandnet.com/smilingdog/legend.jpg
photo), Firesign Theatre's 1980 album Fighting
Clowns
(http://www.larrymonroe.com/images01/Hart.gif
photo), and three album covers for the band
America (band)|America: History: Greatest Hits in
1975
(http://kingbiscuit.com/america/album/album06p.htm
photo), Harbor (album)|Harbor in 1977
(http://kingbiscuit.com/america/album/album08p.htm
photo), and Silent Letter in 1979
(http://kingbiscuit.com/america/album/album10p.htm
photo). Hartman also designed the logo for the
band Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young)|Crosby,
Stills, and Nash.

In 1986, Phil Hartman joined the cast of NBC's
popular variety show Saturday Night Live and
stayed for eight seasons, which was a record at
the time. Hartman was known for his impressions,
which included Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra, Telly
Savalas, Ed McMahon, Michael Caine, Jack
Nicholson, Barbara Bush, Burt Reynolds, Phil
Donahue, and former president Bill Clinton, which
was perhaps his best known impression. Also in
1986, Hartman was chosen to play the role of
Captain Carl, one of Pee-Wee Herman's close
friends and famed sea captain in the first season
of Pee-Wee's Playhouse.

From 1991 to 1998, Hartman also provided the
voices for a number of characters on the popular
animated television series, The Simpsons.
Hartman's characters included dubious attorney
Lionel Hutz and B-movie actor Troy McClure.  

In 1994, Phil Hartman left SNL and in 1995 became
one of the stars of the NBC Situation
comedy|sitcom NewsRadio, where he portrayed radio
news man Bill McNeal. 

Phil Hartman died on May 28, 1998 in his Encino,
California home when he was shot by his wife,
Brynn Hartman.  His wife then turned the gun on
herself later that morning.  The reasons for the
murder suicide|murder/suicide are unknown,
although friends of the Hartmans speculated in the
press that the combination of their marriage
problems and Brynn's drug addictions probably
contributed.

The couple had two children, Sean Edward Hartman
(born 1989) and Birgen Hartman (born 1992).

Hartman is one of several notable graduates from
Westchester High School in Los Angeles,
California. 

Hartman was posthumously nominated for an Emmy for
his portrayal of McNeal in Newsradio, but lost out
to David Hyde Pierce from the show Frasier. Upon
learning of Hartman's loss, Dave Foley, a friend
and fellow star of Newsradio remarked, "What's
this guy gotta do to win an Emmy?"