Cassandra Peterson is remembering her late mentors, Phil Hartman and Paul Reubens, whom she wanted to be like in the entertainment industry. She gushed about them at the recent 50th-anniversary party of The Groundlings in Los Angeles, where she shaped her character as Elvira in the late ‘70s.
Elvira noted that both comedians became her teachers and eventually best friends. They are both so special to the actress that she keeps big portraits of them in her office, which she looks at every day.
Elvira reveals her dreams about Phil Hartman and Paul Reubens, whom she calls her mentors
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Elvira made a strange revelation about seeing her Groundlings alumni in her dreams. While holding back tears, she recalled her dream from one week ago, where she was holding hands and dancing with Phil, Paul, and John Paragon. They were the only ones in the huge ballroom doing the waltz and then she woke up sobbing.
She credited the Groundlings for her career, saying it was a life-changing experience being a part of them. There, she perfected her alter-ego, complete with her Valley girl voice and dark emo outfits. In 1988, she landed a fitting role in the classic Elvira: Mistress of the Dark.
What happened to Elvira’s mentors?
Elvira lost Paul and Phil to tragic incidents, with the latter dying first after he was killed by his wife in 1998. Phil Hartman was only 49 when his wife, Brynn, shot him while he slept and later killed herself. Their marriage was reportedly toxic as Brynn struggled with drug and alcohol abuse while Phil was always at work and busy.
Paul died in July at the age of 70 after battling cancer for years. The cause of his demise was ruled as acute hypoxic respiratory failure. His Pee-wee’s Playhouse co-star John also died from heart failure in 2021 at the age of 66.