Steve Martin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Martin
Martin in 2017
Birth name	Stephen Glenn Martin
Born	(1945-08-14) August 14, 1945 (age 79) Waco, Texas, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up film television music books
Education	Santa Ana College California State University, Long Beach University of California, Los Angeles
Years active	1966–present
Genres	Improvisational comedy musical comedy physical comedy sketch comedy word play satire
Subject(s)	American culture current events pop culture
Spouse	Victoria Tennant ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 1994)​ Anne Stringfield ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	1
Signature
Musical career
Genres	Bluegrass folk revival pop country musical comedy
Instruments	Banjo vocals
Labels	Rounder Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Edie Brickell Earl Scruggs Martin Short Steep Canyon Rangers

Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is a super talented American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician. He's famous for his funny movies, TV shows, and music. Steve Martin has won many awards, including five Grammy Awards for music and comedy, an Primetime Emmy Award for TV, and even an Honorary Academy Award for his amazing film career. He also received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2005, which is a big deal for comedians!

In the 1970s, Steve Martin became one of the most popular stand-up comedians in the U.S. He performed his unique, silly, and sometimes absurd comedy routines to huge crowds. Later, he starred in many classic movies like Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), and the Father of the Bride films (1991–1995). He also played family dads in movies like Cheaper by the Dozen (2003–2005).

More recently, Steve Martin has been touring with his friend, comedian Martin Short. They even had a Netflix special called Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life in 2018. In 2021, he helped create and starred in the TV show Only Murders in the Building with Martin Short and Selena Gomez. This show has been a big hit and earned him several awards nominations.

Steve Martin is also a talented writer. He wrote the stories for the Broadway musicals Bright Star (2016) and Meteor Shower (2017). He's played the banjo since he was young and often includes music in his comedy. He has released several music albums and has won three Grammy Awards for his music.

Early Life and First Jobs

Steve Martin as a senior in high school, 1963

Steve Martin was born on August 14, 1945, in Waco, Texas. His dad was a real estate salesman and wanted to be an actor. Steve grew up in California with his older sister, Melinda.

One of his first jobs was at Disneyland when he was just 10 years old. He sold guidebooks and worked full-time during summer breaks. He loved visiting the Magic shop on Main Street, where he learned cool tricks. By 1960, he was so good at magic, juggling, and making balloon animals that he got a paying job at the Magic shop in Fantasyland!

After high school, Steve went to Santa Ana College to study drama and English poetry. He also performed in comedies with friends. Later, he studied philosophy at California State University, Long Beach. He even thought about becoming a professor! His philosophy classes helped him think differently about comedy. He realized he could make people laugh by being unexpected and twisting jokes.

In 1967, he moved to UCLA and changed his major to theater. He started performing in local clubs at night. When he was 21, he decided to leave college to focus on his comedy career.

Becoming a Star in Comedy

Writing for TV

In 1967, Steve Martin got a job writing for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. He was only 23 years old when he won an Emmy Award for his writing in 1969! He also wrote for other TV shows like The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.

Stand-up Comedy Days

In the mid-1970s, Steve Martin became a regular on popular TV shows like The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Saturday Night Live (SNL). When he appeared on SNL, the audience grew by a million viewers! He became one of the show's most popular hosts. He's hosted SNL 16 times, which is a lot! On the show, he made the "air quotes" gesture famous.

His TV appearances led to hit comedy albums. His first album, Let's Get Small (1977), helped make "Excuse Me" a national catchphrase. His next album, A Wild and Crazy Guy (1978), was even bigger, selling over a million copies. "Just a wild and crazy guy" became another of his famous lines. This album also had the song "King Tut", which became a top-20 hit! Both albums won Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Recording.

Steve Martin's stand-up style was unique. He often made fun of comedy itself. He would say things like, "Hello, I'm Steve Martin, and I'll be out here in a minute." His shows became so popular that he needed to perform in huge stadiums. To make sure everyone could see him, he started wearing a special white suit, which became his trademark.

Steve Martin stopped doing stand-up comedy in 1981 to focus on movies. He felt he had done everything he wanted to do with that style of comedy. He didn't return to stand-up for 35 years!

Return to Stand-up

In 2016, Steve Martin started performing live comedy again, sometimes opening for Jerry Seinfeld. He also went on a national tour with Martin Short and the Steep Canyon Rangers. This tour led to their 2018 Netflix special, Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life, which was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards.

Movies and TV Shows

Martin in 1982

By the late 1970s, Steve Martin was as popular as a rock star, but his real dream was to make movies.

His first big movie role was in a short film called The Absent-Minded Waiter (1977), which was nominated for an Academy Award. He then took a serious acting role in Pennies from Heaven (1981). He took acting lessons and learned to tap dance for the film.

Big Movie Roles

In the 1980s, Steve Martin starred in many comedies. Some of his most famous roles include:

• All of Me (1984), where he played a lawyer whose body is taken over by a ghost.
• ¡Three Amigos! (1986) with Martin Short and Chevy Chase, where they played silent film stars mistaken for real heroes.
• Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) with John Candy, a hilarious road trip comedy.
• Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) with Michael Caine, where they played con artists trying to trick a rich woman.
• Parenthood (1989), where he played a loving but stressed dad.

In the 1990s, he continued to star in hit films:

• L.A. Story (1991), a romantic comedy he also wrote.
• Father of the Bride (1991) and its sequel (1995), where he played a dad dealing with his daughter's wedding.
• Bowfinger (1999) with Eddie Murphy, a funny movie about making a film.

In the 2000s, he starred in more family-friendly comedies:

• Bringing Down the House (2003)
• Cheaper by the Dozen (2003) and its sequel (2005), where he played a dad with a very large family.
• The Pink Panther (2006) and The Pink Panther 2 (2009), where he played the clumsy Inspector Clouseau.

Recent TV Work

Martin with David Letterman at the Peabody Awards in 2016

Since 2020, Steve Martin has been starring in and producing the popular Hulu comedy series Only Murders in the Building. He co-created the show with John Hoffman and stars alongside his long-time friend Martin Short and Selena Gomez. This show has been a big success and has earned him many nominations.

Writing Books and Plays

Steve Martin is also a talented writer. His first book was Cruel Shoes (1979), a collection of funny short stories. He has also written for The New Yorker magazine.

He wrote two novellas, Shopgirl (2000) and The Pleasure of My Company (2003). Shopgirl was even made into a movie starring Steve Martin himself! In 2007, he published his memoir, Born Standing Up, which tells the story of his stand-up comedy career.

Plays for the Stage

Martin at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival

In 1993, Steve Martin wrote his first full-length play, Picasso at the Lapin Agile. It's a comedy about a fictional meeting between Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein. The play was very successful and performed in many cities.

He also wrote the musical Bright Star with Edie Brickell. It opened on Broadway in 2016 and was praised for its beautiful country and bluegrass music. It was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Steve Martin himself was nominated for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score.

His next play, Meteor Shower, also opened on Broadway in 2017. Critics found it very funny!

Music and Banjo Playing

Martin playing with the Steep Canyon Rangers in Seattle in November 2009

Steve Martin started playing the banjo when he was about 17 years old. He learned by slowing down bluegrass records to figure out each note. The banjo was a big part of his stand-up comedy act in the 1970s. He even had his band, "The Toot Uncommons," play on his hit song "King Tut."

In 2001, he played banjo on a new version of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" with Earl Scruggs, a famous banjo player. This recording won a Grammy Award!

In 2009, Steve Martin released his first all-music album, The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo. It featured other stars like Dolly Parton and won a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. He also started touring with the Steep Canyon Rangers, a bluegrass band.

Collaborations and Awards

Steve Martin at MerleFest in 2010

Steve Martin has collaborated with singer Edie Brickell on several music projects. Their album Love Has Come for You (2013) won a Grammy Award for Best American Roots Song. They also released another album together called So Familiar in 2015.

Steve Martin loves bluegrass music so much that he created the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass in 2010. This award gives $50,000 to talented bluegrass performers and helps them get more recognition.

Personal Life

Steve Martin has been married twice. He was married to actress Victoria Tennant from 1986 to 1994. In 2007, he married writer Anne Stringfield. They have one daughter, who was born in 2012.

He is also a big art collector. He has collected works by famous artists like Pablo Picasso and David Hockney. He even helped organize an art exhibition in 2015.

Steve Martin has tinnitus, which means he hears ringing in his ears. He says it's from years of listening to loud music and performing for noisy crowds.

Who Inspired Steve Martin?

Steve Martin has said that he was inspired by many great comedians and actors. Some of his comedy heroes include Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Jack Benny, and Jerry Lewis. He also admires Jerry Seinfeld, calling him one of his "retro heroes."

Steve Martin's unique and funny style has influenced many comedians and writers today, including Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Conan O'Brien, and Jon Stewart.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Discography

Albums

Singles

Music Videos

Stand-up Specials

• Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life, 2018

Other Video Releases

• Steve Martin-Live! (1986, VHS; includes short film "The Absent-Minded Waiter and footage from a 1979 concert)
• Saturday Night Live: The Best of Steve Martin (1998, DVD/VHS; sketch compilation)
• Steve Martin: The Television Stuff (2012, DVD; includes content of Steve Martin-Live! as well as his NBC specials and other television appearances)

See also

In Spanish: Steve Martin para niños