Actor's legacy honoured in Brantford

A mural honouring the life and career of Phil Hartman is seen outside The Sanderson Centre For Performing Arts in Brantford, Ont. on Nov. 5, 2024. (Krista Sharpe/CTV News)

The legacy of a beloved actor and comedian has added some colour to downtown Brantford.

The City of Brantford recently unveiled a mural dedicated to voice actor, comedian, graphic designer and screenwriter Phil Hartman.

Some of Hartman’s best-known work includes Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz on The Simpsons, various roles on Saturday Night Live, Ranger John ‘Vicky’ Johnson in So I Married an Axe Murderer and Ted Maltin in Jingle All the Way. He is also credited with helping to create the character of Pee-wee Herman.

Hartman was born in Brantford and lived in the city for approximately a decade. He was inducted into the city’s Walk of Fame in 1997, posthumously added to the Canada Walk of Fame in 2012 and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2014.

Hartman’s death in 1998 shocked fans. He was shot and killed by his wife while he was sleeping. To acknowledge the circumstances of his death, a purple ribbon was included on the mural near his lapel as a tribute to victims of domestic violence.

The city commissioned DRIFT Mural Co. to create the mural that now adorns the side of The Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts on Dalhousie Street.

The mural includes several nods to his career including depictions of Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz, The Unfrozen Caveman, his childhood home and a selection of album covers he designed.

The artist also included a picture of a bicycle beneath Hartman’s portrait. Eagle-eyed viewers may notice the name ‘Mike’ has been added to the bike as a tribute to another well-known figure from the Brantford community, Mike On a Bike.

In a news release, Hartman’s brother praised the mural. “A beautiful tribute to someone who is missed by so many,” Paul Hartmann said. “Phil would be very proud and humbled by this fantastic mural.”

The city held an official event to celebrate the completion of the mural on Monday afternoon.