Steve Martin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Steve Martin |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Martin in 2017
|
|
| Birth name | Stephen Glenn Martin |
| Born | August 14, 1945 Waco, Texas, U.S. |
| Medium |
|
| Education |
|
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Genres |
|
| Subject(s) |
|
| Spouse |
|
| Children | 1 |
| Signature |  |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
|
| Labels | |
| Associated acts |
|
Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and musician. He is famous for his work in movies, television, and music. He has won many awards, including five Grammy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. Martin has also received special honors like the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2005 and an Honorary Academy Award in 2013.
Martin first became known as a writer for the TV show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. In the 1970s, he became a very popular stand-up comedian. He performed his unique and silly style of comedy in front of huge crowds. He then became a movie star, appearing in films like The Jerk (1979), ¡Three Amigos! (1986), and Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987). He also played the dad in the Father of the Bride and Cheaper by the Dozen movies.
Since 2015, Martin has toured with his friend and fellow comedian Martin Short. In 2021, he co-created and starred in the comedy series Only Murders in the Building with Martin Short and Selena Gomez.
Martin is also a talented musician who plays the banjo. He has released several music albums and won Grammy Awards for his music and his comedy albums. He has also written books and plays, including the Broadway musical Bright Star.
Contents
Early Life and First Jobs
Stephen Glenn Martin was born on August 14, 1945, in Waco, Texas. His father, Glenn, was a real estate salesman who also wanted to be an actor. His mother was Mary Lee, and he has an older sister named Melinda. The family moved to California, where Steve grew up.
His father was often strict, and they didn't always have an easy relationship. One of Steve's first memories is of watching his father perform in a play.
When he was a teenager, Martin's first job was at Disneyland. He sold guidebooks and worked there for three years. In his free time, he visited the Main Street Magic shop. He learned magic tricks, juggling, and how to make balloon animals. He soon got a paying job at the Magic shop in Fantasyland.
After high school, Martin went to college and studied drama and English poetry. He also performed in a comedy group at Knott's Berry Farm. He later switched his major to philosophy. Studying philosophy made him think about comedy in a new way. He wondered what would happen if jokes had no punchlines. This idea helped shape his unique comedy style.
In 1967, Martin moved to UCLA to study theater. He started performing in clubs at night. At age 21, he decided to leave college to focus on his career.
Career
Stand-up Comedy
In 1967, Martin got a job as a writer for the TV show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. He and the other writers won an Emmy Award in 1969. He also wrote for other popular shows.
In the mid-1970s, he started appearing as a stand-up comedian on shows like The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Saturday Night Live (SNL). He became one of SNL's most popular hosts. Whenever he hosted, about a million more people would watch the show.
His TV appearances led to hit comedy albums. His album A Wild and Crazy Guy (1978) sold over a million copies. The title became one of his famous catchphrases. The album also included the hit song "King Tut". Both of his first two comedy albums won Grammy Awards.
Martin's comedy was different from other comedians. He mixed silly jokes with banjo playing and balloon animals. He often wore a white three-piece suit, which became his signature look. By 1981, he stopped doing stand-up comedy to focus on movies. He did not return to stand-up for 35 years.
In 2016, he started performing live comedy again with his friend Martin Short. They toured the country and released a Netflix special in 2018 called An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life.
Acting Career
Martin's main goal was always to be in movies. His first major movie role was in The Jerk (1979), which he also co-wrote. The movie was a huge success.
Famous Films of the 1980s
Throughout the 1980s, Martin starred in many popular comedies. He worked with director Carl Reiner on Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) and The Man with Two Brains (1983). His role in All of Me (1984) received great reviews.
In 1986, he starred with Chevy Chase and Martin Short in ¡Three Amigos!. He also played a villainous dentist in the movie musical Little Shop of Horrors. He then starred with John Candy in the classic comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987). The same year, he wrote and starred in Roxanne, which won him an award for his writing.
Family Movies in the 1990s
In the 1990s, Martin became known for playing father figures. He starred in Parenthood (1989) and the popular remake Father of the Bride (1991). He returned for the sequel, Father of the Bride Part II, in 1995. He also wrote and starred in the romantic comedy L.A. Story (1991).
In 1999, Martin starred with Eddie Murphy in the comedy Bowfinger, which he also wrote.
Success in the 2000s
Martin continued to have big hits in the 2000s. He starred in Bringing Down the House (2003) and Cheaper by the Dozen (2003). Both movies were very successful at the box office. He also played the villain in Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003).
He played the clumsy Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther (2006) and its sequel in 2009.
Recent Work
In recent years, Martin has appeared in fewer films. He voiced a character in the animated movie Home (2015).
In 2021, he returned to television in a big way. He co-created and starred in the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building with Martin Short and Selena Gomez. The show has been very popular and has earned him several award nominations.
Writing
Martin is a successful writer. He has written for The New Yorker magazine and published several books. His books include the funny collection Cruel Shoes and the novels Shopgirl and An Object of Beauty. He also wrote a memoir called Born Standing Up.
He has also written plays. His first play was Picasso at the Lapin Agile (1993). It imagines a meeting between the artist Pablo Picasso and the scientist Albert Einstein.
Martin wrote the story and co-wrote the music for the Broadway musical Bright Star (2016). The musical received five Tony Award nominations. He also wrote the comedy play Meteor Shower, which was on Broadway in 2017.
Music Career
Martin started playing the banjo when he was about 17. He taught himself by slowing down bluegrass records and picking out the notes. The banjo was a big part of his stand-up comedy act in the 1970s.
In 2009, he released his first all-music album, The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo. It won a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. Since then, he has toured and recorded with the bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers.
He has also collaborated with singer Edie Brickell. Their album Love Has Come for You (2013) won a Grammy Award. They have released other albums together and toured across the country.
In 2010, Martin created a special award called the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. The award gives money and recognition to talented bluegrass musicians.
Personal Life
On November 20, 1986, Martin married actress Victoria Tennant. They were in the movies All of Me and L.A. Story together. They divorced in 1994.
On July 28, 2007, Martin married writer Anne Stringfield. The wedding was a surprise for the guests, who thought they were just coming to a party. In 2012, their daughter was born, making Martin a father for the first time.
Martin is also a serious art collector. He has been collecting art since 1968. His collection includes works by famous artists like Pablo Picasso and Edward Hopper. He has even helped organize art exhibitions for museums.
Awards and Honors
Martin has won many awards for his work in comedy, acting, writing, and music.
- Academy Awards: Honorary Award (2013)
- Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series (1969)
- Grammy Awards: Five awards for both his comedy and music albums.
- Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2005)
- Kennedy Center Honors (2007)
- AFI Life Achievement Award (2015)
Discography
Albums
| Album | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard 200 |
US Bluegrass |
||||
| Let's Get Small | 1977 | 10 | — |
|
Comedy |
| A Wild and Crazy Guy | 1978 | 2 | — |
|
|
| Comedy Is Not Pretty! | 1979 | 25 | — |
|
|
| The Steve Martin Brothers | 1981 | 135 | — | ||
| The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo | 2009 | 93 | 1 | Music | |
| Rare Bird Alert (with Steep Canyon Rangers) |
2011 | 43 | 1 | ||
| Love Has Come for You (with Edie Brickell) |
2013 | 21 | 1 | ||
| Live (with Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell) |
2014 | — | 1 | ||
| So Familiar (with Edie Brickell) |
2015 | 126 | 1 | ||
| The Long-Awaited Album (with Steep Canyon Rangers) |
2017 | 189 | 1 | ||
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart. | |||||
Images for kids
-
Steve Martin in 1976
-
Martin with David Letterman at the Peabody Awards in 2016
-
Steve Martin at MerleFest in 2010
-
Martin in 2011
See also
In Spanish: Steve Martin para niños
