Phil Hartman - Early Life

Early Life

Hartman was born Philip Edward Hartmann (later dropping the final "n") in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, on September 24, 1948. He was the fourth of eight children of Doris and Rupert Hartmann. His parents were Roman Catholic, and his father was a salesman specializing in building materials. As the middle child, Hartman found affection hard to earn and stated: "I suppose I didn't get what I wanted out of my family life, so I started seeking love and attention elsewhere." His family moved to the United States when Hartman was ten years old, gaining American citizenship in 1990. The family first lived in Connecticut, and later moved to the West Coast a few years later. There, Hartman attended Westchester High School and frequently acted as the class clown.

After graduating, Hartman studied art at Santa Monica City College, dropping out in 1969 to become a roadie with a rock band. He returned to school in 1972, this time studying graphic arts at California State University, Northridge. He developed his own graphic arts business, which he operated on his own, creating over 40 album covers for bands including Poco and America, as well as advertising and the logo for Crosby, Stills & Nash. In the late 1970s, Hartman made his first television appearance on an episode of The Dating Game; he won, but was stood up by his date.