"SNL": Phil Hartman Characters Quiz

Answer: Charlton Heston

Classic "SNL" humor choosing the actor to read Madonna's book to be Charlton Heston. Hartman's Heston impression was incredibly funny, especially when he mentioned a female body part with his practiced diction without so much as a laugh. He was partnered with Danny DeVito in this skit.

Answer: "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer"

The name of the caveman lawyer was Mr. Cirroc. He always feigned ignorance to modern ways, but would then sometimes reference his BMW while talking on a "brick" cell phone. The skit was first aired in 1991. He even made an appearance as the Caveman Lawyer in Mexico with the skit mainly done in Spanish. Hartman also played the Chef in the skit "Cooking With the Anal Retentive Chef".

The "Coneheads" were wonderfully played by Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtain, and Laraine Newman.

"Point/Counterpoint" was a feature from time to time on the "Weekend Update" part of late 1970s "SNL" shows. The two participants were Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtain. This skit was voted fifth best all-time on "SNL" by "Rolling Stone" magazine. It also provided one of the most well known one-liners in the show's history, "Jane, you ignorant slut".

Answer: Ed McMahon

"You are correct sir" and some laughter was the bulk of Hartman's part in the spoof. He did sound a lot like McMahon, especially imitating his laugh. Dana Carvey also did a great Johnny Carson.

McMahon was Carson's "Tonight Show" sidekick from 1962 until Carson left in 1992. McMahon passed away on June 23, 2009 in Los Angeles.

Jay Leno was the "Tonight Show" host from 1992-2014.

Paul Shaffer is David Letterman's band leader and sidekick on his late-night show.

Pee Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) was a friend of Hartman. Hartman helped Reubens develop the character of Pee Wee.

Answer: Phil Donahue

Hartman was particularly good at imitating Phil Donahue's pondering style of asking questions of his guests and his posturing and dramatic posing. Donahue was a big star in the USA at the same time period that Hartman was on "SNL".

Answer: Johnny O'Connor

Jon Lovitz played the studio head Harry in this skit. As the skit escalates, the fact that Johnny O'Connor doesn't comprehend he's finished makes it memorable.
Harry,"You're through! Do you hear me? Through! You'll never work in this town again!"
Johnny O'Connor, "Don't leave me hanging by a thread! Let me know where I stand!"
And so it went!

Todd DiLaMuca was a Bill Murray character in the recurring "Nerds" skits opposite Gilda Radner.

Matt Foley was the iconic Chris Farley character who "lived in a van down by the river". By the way, the Matt Foley skit was number one on Rolling Stone's all-time list, the one with Christina Applegate.

Chevy Chase was "SNL's" first star in 1975.

Answer: Larry King

Again, Dana Carvey's impersonation overshadowed Hartman's more subdued impression in the Ross Perot skit.

Piers Morgan was King's replacement on CNN, but only lasted a few years.

Conan O'Brien was a one-time "SNL" writer who has hosted late-night shows for many years in the USA.

Howard Stern helped define the term "shock jock" on his controversial New York City radio show. He took his act to late-night TV for a few years in the USA.

Answer: Frank Sinatra

The name of this 1990s skit was called "The Sinatra Group". My favorite one was when Sting played a surly Billy Idol who was irritated by the Sinatra character. In the funny climax, Sinatra (Hartman) tells his "friends" Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, played by Mike Myers and Victoria Jackson, to take care of Billy Idol, who was played very well by Sting.

Answer: Bill Clinton

Ah, the irony of life! As I am composing this quiz today, a few hours ago Monica Lewinsky finally broke her silence about her affair with Bill Clinton.

The most popular Clinton "SNL" skit was the one when Clinton was out for a jog with US Secret Service and stopped by a McDonalds restaurant. While there, he ate a ton of junk food while talking politics with the people.

Phil Hartman also portrayed President Ronald Reagan acting as a mastermind behind contra affairs and other questionable political moves.

Answer: Barbara Bush

It was comical to watch Hartman in a frumpy frock as Barbara Bush moving into the White House having it out with a mean-spirited Nancy Reagan (Jan Hooks) who doesn't want to leave her domain.

The other answers above were other First Ladies with their surname changed to Bush. Nancy is Nancy Reagan, Hillary is Hillary Clinton, and Rosalynn is Rosalynn Carter, President Jimmy Carter's wife.

Answer: Frankenstein

Hartman's Frankenstein was first featured in a skit about an interview show called "Succinctly Speaking" on December 19, 1987. He was joined by Tonto (Jon Lovitz)and Tarzan (Kevin Nealon) on the show hosted by Kathleen Fulmer (Nora Dunn). The three are truly succinct! The highlight of the skit is at the end when the subject of fire comes up and Frankenstein gets upset and utters that classic succinct line "fire bad!" Hartman fights the urge to break up with laughter as his character continues to repeat the line "fire bad" while breaking through a wall.

Hartman's tragic death was a shock. Known as a genuinely nice guy, his distraught and drugged-up wife shot him at their Encino, California home, then killed herself a few hours later. "Entertainment Weekly" writer Dan Sierson wrote shortly after his death, that Hartman was "the last person you'd expect to read about in lurid headlines in your morning paper" and " a decidedly regular guy, beloved by everyone he worked with". Phil is surely missed.