Phil Hartman

1948-1998


A Tribute to Phil Hartman

by Erik Pepple (aka Rudy)

To paraphrase Troy McClure, one of his greatest comic personalities, "You may know Phil Hartman from such television shows as Saturday Night Live, NewsRadio, and The Simpsons" Others may know him for his film work, stage work, or written work. Whatever you know Mr. Hartman for, the cold, hard truth is that his tragic and untimely death is a heartbreaking and sorrowful event.

As the circumstances and events around his death come into light, I have noticed an interesting thing about the media coverage. Unlike the recent death of Chris Farley or the deaths of former SNL alumnus (John Belushi and Gilda Radner), the Hartman coverage has been noticeably "major character free." When Farley died, there was a constant replay of the image of "bumbling fat guy." Belushi had the samurai warrior or Jake Blues. While Gilda Radner had Emily Latella. These were SNL performers who had a trademark character, that made them immediately recognizable.

Phil Hartman, however, never had a trademark character.

Best known for a flawless impersonation of Bill Clinton, Hartman was a Hollywood rarity- a brilliant ensemble player. Despite the much missed genius of Belushi and Radner, these were actors who were destined to break out. In their super stardom, the audience frequently missed the subtleties and nuance that these actors graced their characters with. Not so with Hartman. A professional chameleon, Mr. Hartman could command the stage or slip into the background and serve as a bit player.

It was this Zelig-like ability to be anybody, anywhere that made Hartman such a consummate performer. First and foremost he was an actor. Even his razor-sharp impressions of Frank Sinatra, Clinton, James "Why am I here?!" Stockdale, and Ronald Reagan were such flawless pieces of performance that Hartman's impressions became full-blooded characters of their own. To my astonishment I think Phil Hartman was the only actor who could play Jesus Christ, Bill Clinton, a Colon Blow pitchman, Jimmy "the Greek," and Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer (one of my personal favorites) all within the same episode.

As much as Hartman brought to the often brilliant, frequently uneven SNL, it was his work on The Simpsons and NewsRadio that truly allowed him to shine. Using only his brilliant comic instincts and amazing vocal faculties he created some of the most memorable and downright hilarious characters on The Simpsons. From B-movie actor Troy McClure (my all-time favorite Hartman creation) to the shady, storefront lawyer Lionel Hutz (he of the business card/sponge) to the Music Manesque salesman Lyle Lanley, Phil Hartman brought a grace and nuance to these vocal characterizations that many actors would nary attempt. Each character was carefully crafted. There is a tendency among those who do voice-over work to simply allow the character to be one-dimensional. Not so with Phil Hartman. The ability to make a three-dimensional being out of some squiggly yellow lines, is an amazing gift.

The egregiously underrated NewsRadio is the last major achievement in Hartman's career. As the bombastic and pompous SOB of a reporter, Bill McNeal, Hartman did the impossible. He made an inherently remorseless, ignorant, sexist jerk into a likable character. No small feat. Instead of playing McNeal as a Ted Baxter-like cipher, Hartman played him as a harmless fool-a petty man completely unaware of his pettiness. It was a stroke of genius in an already wonderful career.

For that we admire him. For everyone who attempted Phil Hartman impersonations (myself included) we will miss watching (and hearing) him.

So good night, Mr. Hartman, you will be missed.


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