Phil Hartman was one of the greatest comedians to be a part of “SNL,” but his life was cut short in a truly tragic event.
He was of German, Irish, and English descent. Phil Hartman, Actor: NewsRadio. Phil Hartman as funny man His co-stars on Saturday Night Live nicknamed Hartman “The Glue” because of his cementing role in pulling together the often frenetically amusing skits.

His surname was originally "Hartmann", but he later dropped the second "n".

He was one of eight children of Doris Marguerite (Wardell) and Rupert Loebig Hartmann, a salesman. Hartman was a voice of reason, frequently giving a gentle reminder to cast members to pull the riotous chaos together. Comedic actor Phil Hartman was known as a consummate professional during his days as a cast member on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live as well as his recurring role on The Simpsons.And while many comedians have been known for their dark personal lives that leave trails of destruction in their wake, Hartman was renowned for his very real “everyman” personality. He got his break in the Los Angeles comedy troupe called "The Groundlings."
Phil Hartman was born Philip Edward Hartmann on September 24, 1948, in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Phil Hartman, 49, was born in Canada and grew up in Connecticut and Southern California.