Steve Martin

Guide Note

Steve Martin is a comedian, writer, musician and actor. Martin began his professional career as a stand-up comedian in the 1970s. Several appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and a writing stint on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour led to a cast spot on Saturday Night Live and the comedy albums Let's Get Small and A Wild and Crazy Guy, which borrowed the name of the Czechoslovakian playboy characters that he and Dan Aykroyd created for SNL.

Martin's parlayed his success on television into a prolific film career in which he starred and wrote in many of his own films including The Jerk, Roxanne and L.A. Story. In the early 90s, Martin's writing took a turn towards the stage and periodicals like The New Yorker, which published his short fiction. Martin published a handful of novellas and, in 2007, released a memoir Born Standing Up.

Martin is also know for playing the banjo, which he incorporates into much of his stand-up. Martin shared a 2005 Grammy with Earl Scruggs for his banjo-playing on the Foggy Mountain Breakdown.

Fast Facts

1. Born: August 14, 1945
2. Birthplace: Waco, Texas
3. Spouse: Anne Stringfield
4. Notable television: Saturday Night Live
5. Notable films: The Jerk, Roxanne, L.A. Story
6. Memoir: Born Standing Up
7. Novellas: Shopgirl, The Pleasure of My Company
8. Plays: Picasso at the Lapin Agile
9. Comedy albums: Let's Get Small, A Wild and Crazy Guy, Comedy Is Not Pretty
10. Awards: Kennedy Center Honor (2007), Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2005), Emmy Award (1969), Grammy Award (1978, 1979)
11. Known for his association with Disneyland, where he worked as a youth
12. Majored in philosophy at California State University
13. Avid art collector, particularly modern American art