Undoubtedly, one of his generation’s greatest comedians, Steve Martin, has had a lot of success as an actor and comedian and has returned to the limelight with Only Murders In The Building. A man of many talents, Martin is also a writer, musician, and producer. He has received nominations and wins at prestigious awards, making him one of few actor-comedians to do so.
Martin is known for his ironic, offbeat, deconstructive humor style. Martin has inspired many comedian actors like Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and Conan O’Brien. Steve Martin is a legend both on and off TV screens. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about Steve Martin.
1. The Movies You Know Steve Martin From
Steve Martin has appeared in several popular movies and is one of Hollywood’s most famous actors. Martin played the lead role of Navin R. Johnson in the commercially successful comedy The Jerk (1979). In the 80s, he starred in Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), and Parenthood (1989).
In the 90s, Martin’s popular movies include L.A. Story (1991) and Bowfinger (1999). He was also in Father of the Bride and Cheaper by the Dozen film series. Martin also played the hilarious Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther and its sequel.
2. Steve Martin’s First Experiences Of Acting
At age 10, Martin sold guidebooks at Disneyland on weekends, working full-time during school breaks. On one of his days at work, he was captured in a background scene while filming Disneyland Dream, a short-subject film. Martin attended Santa Ana College, California, and took drama and English poetry classes. Martin participated in different comedies and theater productions. All of these were before he studied Philosophy at the University. He later switched to Theater after successfully transferring to the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1967.
3. Steve Martin Is An Award-winning Writer and Stand-up Comedian
Studying Philosophy at the university helped shape Martin’s unique writing, comedy, and acting style. In 1967, while at UCLA, his then-girlfriend Nina Goldblatt helped him secure a job as a writer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Two years into the job, Martin (alongside other writers on the show) was nominated and won an Emmy Award in 1969.
Martin’s first appearance on television was on the same show in 1968. Martin continued to write and soon earned a reputation. As a comedy writer, being a stand-up comedian was right up his alley. By the mid-70s, Martin was a frequent guest on top TV shows like The Muppet Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and Saturday Night Live. All of these led Martin to release comedy albums that were commercial successes and saw him sell out arenas as a stand-up comedian.
4. Other TV Shows Steve Martin Was In
Steve Martin is famous for his big screen work but has appeared in several television shows and productions. Martin’s first credited television debut was as Tex in the 1966 Dusty’s Attic. The next year, he played Simon the Pieman in an Off to See the Wizard episode. He played Brian Bogert in the 1974 Doc and Rusty DeClure in 1987 The Tracey Ullman Show.
Martin was a guest star on 30 Rock (2008) as Gavin Volure and played Charles-Haden Savage in the mystery comedy-drama Only Murders in the Building. Martin has appeared as himself on several TV shows. These include SNL, The Muppet Show, and Maya & Marty.
5. Steve Martin Is A Published Author
As a multi-talented entertainer, Martin has authored several books and plays. Martin’s first book was a collection of short stories and essays titled Cruel Shoes, first published in 1977. His first play was Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Some of Martin’s other novels and nonfiction include Shopgirl (2000), The Pleasure of My Company (2003), and Born Standing Up (2007).
6. Steve Martin Hosted The Academy Awards and SNL
Martin is ranked as one who has hosted the Academy Awards multiple times. The actor has hosted the Oscars three times, excluding the 92nd Academy Awards (which had no host), which he opened with comedian Chris Rock. Steve Martin hosted the 73rd and 75th ceremonies in 2001 and 2003. He co-hosted the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010 with Alec Baldwin.
Martin has been the host of Saturday Night Live 16 times. The first time he hosted the show was on October 23, 1976. Among SNL‘s Five-Timers Club, Martin is the first host to have hosted the show the fastest. It took him 546 days to host SNL five times.
7. Steve Martin Has Dated Career Co-workers
Martin dated his co-star, Bernadette Peters, during and after filming The Jerk and Pennies from Heaven. Martin was also romantically involved with Karen Carpenter and Mary Tyler Moore. However, Martin’s first wife was actress Victoria Tennant whom he married on November 20, 1986. They met as co-stars in All of Me (1984) and also starred together in L.A. Story (1991). The couple divorced in 1994.
Martin remarried seven years later, on July 28, 2007, to Anne Stringfield. Martin invited friends to his house for a party, surprising them with the wedding. Martin’s best man was SNL‘s producer, Lorne Michaels, with former Governor and Senator Bob Kerrey presiding over the wedding. The marriage produced a daughter in December 2012, Martin’s first child at 67 years.
8. Steve Martin Retired From Acting For A Decade
Martin was one of comedy’s most bankable actors for over four decades. After starring in the commercially successful rom-com It’s Complicated in 2009, Martin stepped away from film. Besides starring in smaller roles as a voice actor and in Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Martin retired from acting so that he could focus on his family and his music. A talented banjo player, in his time away, he released albums with skilled blues musicians and appeared on stage and TV playing the banjo.
However, he made his big comeback in 2021 with Hulu’s mystery comedy-drama Only Murders in the Building. The series has been a critical and commercial success for Hulu. The show’s ratings prove that Martin’s comedic influence stays evergreen.
9. The Nominations & Awards Steve Martin Has Received
Martin is an award-winning actor nominated and honored at some of film’s most prestigious awards. Martin was given an Honorary Academy Award in 2014 by the Academy Awards. The actor has received seven Golden Globes and two Tony Awards nominations. Out of his 11 Grammy Awards nominations, Martin has won 5 of them. He has also received 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning his first nomination in 1969 for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.
10. Steve Martin’s Work As A Producer
Martin is credited with having produced 19 film and television shows. Martin’s first work as a producer was in 1982 in the TV movie Twilight Theater. His first produced film was Three Amigos! in 1986. Having taken a break from acting, Steve Martin returned as a cast member and executive producer of the Hulu series, Only Murders in the Building.
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