When Phil Hartman worked with Van Halen before ‘Saturday Night Live’
For his legendary status as a comedian, Phil Hartman has more than a few connections to the world of rock and roll. The man known for holding Saturday Night Live together as “the glue” throughout the 1980s and early 1990s actually got his start in show business as a graphic designer, having studied the art form during two different stints in college that were initially interrupted when Hartman dropped out to become a rock music roadie.
During his initial career as a graphic designer, Hartman wound up creating the logo for Crosby, Stills, and Nash that would later appear on their 1994 album After the Storm. Hartman found consistent work designing album covers for bands like Poco and America, but he still longed for a creative outlet beyond design.
He found his niche with the comedy group The Groundlings, the sketch comedy troupe originally founded in 1974. A year after establishing themselves, The Groundlings saw an enthusiastic Hartman begin to attend workshops. Hartman even offered to redesign the group’s logo and merchandise, which served as his way of eventually becoming a member of the troupe.
By the mid-1980s, Hartman had already co-created Paul Reuben’s iconic character Pee-wee Herman and appeared as a cameo in the 1985 film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. Still, Hartman was struggling to find consistent work, having to take voice-over jobs while trying to establish himself. It was there that Hartman wound up returning to the rock world in an odd way: by contributing voice-over to the music video for Van Halen’s ‘Hot For Teacher’.
In the video, Hartman provides the voice of Waldo, the anxiety-stricken nerd who gets tormented and eventually becomes rich by the video’s conclusion. Hartman’s work is really only heard during the video’s introduction, right before Waldo hops on the bus and goes to his first day of school. It was a small gig, even though ‘Hot For Teacher’ became one of the most notorious music videos on MTV.
It wouldn’t be until 1986 that Hartman would see his breakthrough in comedy. That year, he successfully auditioned for a role on Saturday Night Live, eventually landing the role of President Bill Clinton throughout the 1990s. Hartman’s career would be solidified by Saturday Night Live, but his entry into the entertainment business was originally through rock and roll.
Check out the ‘Hot For Teacher’ music video featuring Phil Hartman’s voice down below.
