Phil Hartman

Phil Hartman, "Small Soldiers" (1998)

The family action comedy "Small Soldiers" was released just a month and a half after the famed "Saturday Night Live" comedian was slain by his wife, Brynn. Some shots of Hartman's character being held at gunpoint by action figures were ... morecut as a result. A few of these resurfaced on DVD among the deleted and extended scenes. Most are lost forever. The plot uses violent killer toys as fodder for humor. The press questioned if it was inappropriate not to push back the release date, but DreamWorks and Universal went forward on schedule. The movie earned back its investment, but received mixed reviews. (Sandra Johnson/Retna Ltd.)