Phil Hartman created numerous enduring characters with only his voice. Today marks the 19th anniversary of the comic actor's tragic death.

Phil Hartman's SNL Audition

Best known for his work on "Saturday Night Live," Hartman has been described as "a regular guy and, by all accounts, one of show business' most low-key, decent people" by Sacramento Bee writer Rick Kushman. In contrast, Hartman often played arrogant, conceited, or unpleasant characters as well as comedic villains. He noted that his standard character was a "jerky guy" and described his usual roles as "the weasel parade," citing Lionel Hutz, Bill McNeal, and Troy McClure. Hartman enjoyed playing such roles because he "just wanted to be funny, and villains tend to be funny because their foibles are all there to see."

Hartman's Celebrity Impressions in Other Languages

On May 28, 1998, Hartman's wife shot and killed him while he slept in their Encino, Los Angeles, home before turning the gun on herself hours later. 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."

Hartman Sings in The Simpsons' Planet of the Apes Musical

Backstage at SNL, Hartman was called "the Glue." In a 1998 interview with People Magazine, SNL creator Lorne Michaels explained the reason for the name:

He kind of held the show together. He gave to everybody and demanded very little. He was very low-maintenance.

Michaels added that Hartman was "the least appreciated" cast member by commentators outside the show and lauded his ability "to do five or six parts in a show where you're playing support or you're doing remarkable character work." Hartman often helped other cast members, such as Jan Hooks in overcoming her stage fright. He was never afraid to let someone else have the spotlight in a sketch. When he left the show after eight seasons, the cast and crew presented him with a pedestal, affixed to which was a bottle of wood glue.

A malleable voice and swagger were always Hartman's strong suit. Who could forget the classic Monorail Song from "The Simpsons," parodying "The Music Man?"

Hartman Sings the Monorail Song

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