You Might Remember Me

July 15, 2014
An admiring, often granular report on the life and tragicdeath of comedian and Saturday Night Live veteran Phil Hartman(1948-1998), a man "adored by millions and slain in his prime."Chicago Sun-Times arts/entertainment writerThomas (The Second City Unscripted: Revolution and Revelation at theWorld-Famous Comedy Theater, 2009) uses a combination of previouslypublished materials, police reports, letters, and firsthand interviews withfamily members and famous comedians-including Jay Leno and Julia Sweeney-to puttogether a chronological narrative of the life and murder of the belovedcomedian. Hartman was the star of the NBC sitcom NewsRadio, the voice of several classic roles on The Simpsons and aneight-year veteran of SNL, where he was nicknamed "The Glue" forhis versatility and skill at keeping the cast cohesive. At 49, Hartman wasmurdered in his sleep by his third wife, Brynn, who killed herself severalhours later. Thomas begins with exhaustive quantitative details from Hartman'schildhood-such as a nearly full list of his middle school report cardgrades-but the pace and quality of the book pick up once it moves intoHartman's adult life. Readers will be entertained by learning the lesser-knownfacts about the beginning of his career-Hartman did a stint designing albumcovers for high-profile clients like Crosby, Stills & Nash for hisbrother's production company-and the illustrative anecdotes of the Hollywoodand New York comedy scenes in the 1980s and '90s. While Thomas provides someclues about Hartman's often guarded personality, large questions about his personallife and untimely death go unaddressed.Thomas is intent on celebrating the talent and career ofHartman, but he offers little conclusive insight into what was all too clearlya troubled marriage. Fans will likely find it an entertaining but ultimatelyunsatisfying read.

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August 1, 2014

Arts and entertainment writer (Chicago Sun-Times) Thomas delivers a much-needed, well-researched biography of one of comedy's most beloved entertainers. From his Canadian roots to his formative years as a California surfing teen and through his ups and downs as a TV and film celebrity, Phil Hartman (1948-98) is revealed with compassion and respect. The author constructs Hartman's story from numerous published articles and interviews with his family, close friends, and coworkers, who provide firsthand experiences and impressions of a humorous and personable yet vulnerable human being. Hartman began honing his craft as a member of the comedy troupe the Groundlings, followed by his work with Paul Reubens and the development of Pee-wee's Playhouse. But it was through his stint on Saturday Night Live, his characters on The Simpsons, and his work on the NewsRadio TV show that audiences knew him best. The book concludes with a recounting of Hartman's final days in painful, vivid detail, which provides necessary perspective to his overall experience. To date, Hartman's life and death have only been documented in several sensationalized books about Hollywood celebrity murders. The best available resources on his work can be viewed in DVDs of his TV show and film appearances, plus his hilarious audiotape of comedy vignettes Flat TV (2002). VERDICT A welcome contribution to the sparse and one-note publications about Hartman's career and personal life.--Richard Dickey, Washington, DC

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2014
It's been more than 15 years since Phil Hartman, star of NewsRadio, voice artist on The Simpsons, and veteran of Saturday Night Live, was murdered by his wife (who then, hours later, took her own life). This new biography begins and ends with the last night of Hartman's life, but the author spends most of his time exploring the years that came before. Fans of Hartman's comic performances who don't know much else about him will find the book to be packed with surprises: Hartman was an accomplished graphic artist, doing album art for a number of music groups in the 1970s (including Crosby, Stills &Nash); he cowrote the hit film Pee-Wee's Big Adventure; and he went to school with Lynette Squeaky Fromme, who would later become famous as one of Charles Manson's acolytes. Based on previously published material and firsthand interviews with many people who knew the actor, the book might not be the definitive Hartman biography, but it's a wonderful introduction to a man whose shocking death still resonates with his many fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)