On May 28, 1998, Phil Hartman was killed by his wife Brynn Omdahl Hartman in their home in Los Angeles, and then Brynn committed suicide. America was shocked to see the headlines about Phil Hartman being shot by his wife.

However, for friends who had known the couple for years, Phil Hartman's death had been long anticipated.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagicPhil Hartman was shot and killed by his wife Brynn Omdahl Hartman in their home on May 28, 1998.

At the time, Hartman was celebrated as one of America's funniest comedians thanks to his work on hit shows like Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. Although it is known that many comedians have dark personal lives, Phil Hartman's story ended particularly tragically.

Here is the horrifying story behind Phil Hartman's death.

Phil Hartman's First Steps into Comedy

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesActor and comedian Phil Hartman poses for a portrait around 1990.

Born on September 24, 1948, in Ontario, Canada, Phil Hartman was the fourth of eight children in a devout Catholic family. However, in the struggle to win their parents' affection among so many siblings, Hartman found it difficult to gain attention and love.

“I guess I didn’t get what I wanted from my family life,” Hartman said, “so I started looking for love and attention elsewhere.” This need for attention led young Hartman to stand out in school, and when the Hartman family moved to America, he began to gain a reputation as the class clown.

Hartman later studied graphic arts at California State University and had the opportunity to start his own graphic design company. His company was successful, and Hartman's career helped create over 40 album covers for various groups, including Poco and America.

During his time working in graphic design, he discovered his passion for comedy by starting classes with The Groundlings comedy troupe in 1975. In a 2014 New Yorker article regarding Phil Hartman's biography You Might Remember Me, it is noted that Hartman adapted to comedy performance immediately:

“According to Thomas, Hartman was immediately good, ‘total commitment produced perfection,’ and he was regarded as ‘a reliable supporting player’ in every script. Comedian Jon Lovitz saw Hartman as ‘a big star,’ and when he was given the role of a shoe salesman, he could offer something shocking: ‘It was nothing you could imagine or think of… He could do every voice, play every character, and change his face without makeup. He was the king of The Groundlings.’”

Phil Hartman's Meeting with His Wife Brynn Omdahl

Ann Summa/Getty ImagesPhil Hartman at “The Groundlings.” Los Angeles. May 1984.

Thanks to his undeniable charisma and talent, Phil Hartman began to receive more praise and work.

Voice acting and small roles in films also started to come in. Hartman also helped his friend Paul Reubens from The Groundlings develop the now-iconic Pee-wee Herman character. In 1985, Phil Hartman met Brynn Omdahl, who would eventually become his third wife and killer. Tragically, the seeds of Phil Hartman's death were sown long before the horrific event.

The two met at a party. Omdahl was sober at the time due to a history of drug and alcohol abuse. In the book You Might Remember Me, Mike Thomas explains:

“When Phil met Brynn, he might have been in the most vulnerable position he had been in for years - the end of his second marriage had shaken him and his career was not on the rise. Omdahl was stunningly beautiful, and the love of a statuesque blonde may have boosted Hartman's faltering self-esteem. However, their relationship was tumultuous from the start.”

Still, Hartman continued his comedy career. After working with Reubens on Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, he was hired as both a writer and performer on Saturday Night Live in 1986 - alongside the show's highest-profile performers like Dana Carvey, Kevin Nealon, and Jan Hooks.

During Phil Hartman's time on the show, he created some of the program's most beloved characters and perfected his quirkiest impersonations. From a tough Frank Sinatra to the wonderfully funny Frozen Caveman Lawyer, Hartman had the ability to portray self-absorbed or deceptive characters, and these characters were still charming and entertaining to watch despite their egos.

In 1990, following his successful performances on Saturday Night Live, Phil Hartman began taking on various roles in another classic television show: The Simpsons.

Maintaining his talent for playing extremely self-absorbed or slippery characters, Hartman created the characters of Lionel Hutz, a second-rate lawyer; Troy McClure, a C-list Hollywood actor; and the charming con artist Lyle Lanley from the universally acclaimed episode Marge Vs The Monorail, written by Conan O’Brien.

Brynn Hartman's Erratic Behavior Before the Murder

When Phil Hartman left Saturday Night Live in 1994, it was undeniable that the tone of the show began to change with the addition of new cast members who had a particularly absurd and comedic sensibility.

After working for about 10 years in a sketch comedy show in New York, Hartman returned to California with his wife and two children, where he found the opportunity to focus on his latest project, a ensemble comedy show called NewsRadio.

Here, Hartman once again had the chance to do what he did best: play a self-absorbed yet lovable radio host named Bill McNeal. The show was cleverly written and successfully ran for five seasons - four of which featured Hartman.

Al Levine/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty ImagesSaturday Night Live Season 18 Press Conference – Seen: (back row left to right) Adam Sandler, David Spade, Ellen Cleghorne, Kevin Nealon, Phil Hartman, Tim Meadows (2nd row) Chris Rock, Julia Sweeney, Dana Carvey, Rob Schneider (front row left to right) Chris Farley, Al Franken, Melanie Hutshell. September 24, 1992.

After returning to California, Brynn Omdahl began to struggle with substance abuse again, which became a significant factor in Phil Hartman's death. Frequent arguments occurred between the couple, and threats were made; Hartman's friends and family often expressed that Omdahl was a troubling presence.

In 1987, when Hartman told his friend and fellow Groundlings performer Cassandra Peterson that he planned to propose to Brynn Omdahl, Peterson shouted, “Oh my God, no!” Hartman was removed from Peterson's office, and the two did not speak again for years. Remembering the incident, Peterson said, “I saw him angry for the first and I think last time.”

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagicPhil Hartman and his wife Brynn Omdahl Hartman at an HBO event in 1998.

In addition to Cassandra Peterson's strong feelings about Omdahl - who took the name Brynn Hartman after their marriage in 1987 - Hartman's second wife Lisa Strain also had some issues with Hartman's third wife.

Although Strain and Hartman were divorced, the two remained close friends; however, when Strain sent a congratulatory card to the Hartman couple after the birth of Hartman's son Sean, Lisa Strain received a death threat from Brynn Hartman instead of a thank you.

In the late 1990s, as the Hartman couple's relationship began to deteriorate and Brynn Hartman plunged further into substance abuse, their friends and family were unaware of the impending violence that would lead to Phil Hartman's death.

Both Hartmans kept weapons in their home, and most of the time Brynn Hartman would start fights before going to bed. Phil Hartman began to pretend to be asleep to avoid his wife's bad behavior and manic actions.

How Did Phil Hartman Die?

John Chapple/OnlineUSA/Getty ImagesA forensic vehicle carries the bodies of Phil Hartman and his wife from their home. Encino, California. May 28, 1998.

On the night of May 27, 1998, Brynn Hartman went out for dinner with a friend and later said she was “in a good mood.” When she returned home, it is reported that Brynn had an argument with Hartman.

Phil Hartman was angry with his wife due to an incident where she hit their children while under the influence of alcohol, and Hartman had threatened to leave her if she used drugs again or harmed their children. Hartman then went to bed.

At some time before 3:00 AM, Brynn Hartman entered the room where Hartman was sleeping and shot him in the face, throat, and chest. She was drunk and had recently used cocaine.

In shock, Brynn Hartman quickly left the house to visit a friend named Ron Douglas and confessed to the murder. Considering Brynn Hartman's tendency for dramatic and manic outbursts, her friend initially found her confession unconvincing.

The duo returned to Hartman’s home, and upon seeing Hartman lying shot in the couple's bed, Douglas called 911. When authorities arrived, Brynn Hartman had locked herself in a room and then committed suicide with the gun she used to kill her husband.

The couple's two children were removed from the home and later raised by family members. As the shocking murder-suicide news spread, many from the entertainment world offered their condolences. Rehearsals for The Simpsons and performances from The Groundlings were canceled.

It was said that Hartman’s character on NewsRadio suffered a heart attack, and Jon Lovitz, Hartman's longtime friend and former SNL colleague, took his place in the show's fifth and final season.

The Sad Legacy of Phil Hartman's Death

After his death, NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer said Hartman had “an incredible talent for creating characters that made people laugh.” Anyone who had the chance to work with Phil knows he was an extremely warm person, a true professional, and a loyal friend.

Others commenting on Phil Hartman's death included Steve Martin, The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, and many more. In the years since Phil Hartman's death, he has continually been remembered as one of the greatest performances in the legendary history of Saturday Night Live.

Find a GravePhil Hartman and his wife Brynn are buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.

Like many stars of long-running sketch shows, Hartman was among the early lost but respected stars; alongside John Belushi, Gilda Radner, and Chris Farley.

And while Hartman's career came to an abrupt and unfair end, his legacy continues to live on and inspire. A rare and unique talent like Hartman was meant to transform self-absorbed characters into beloved cultural icons, and it is also rare and unique for someone to face fame with composure while remaining kind, warm, and gentle.

Phil Hartman could do both, and he did.