Steve Martin
Born 1945 · Age 80
American comedian, actor, writer, producer and musician known for stand-up comedy, films, music (banjo), books and Broadway work. Winner of multiple Grammys, an Emmy, Mark Twain Prize, Kennedy Center Honor, Honorary Academy Award and AFI Life Achievement Award.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Waco, Texas
Stephen Glenn Martin born to Mary Lee (née Stewart) and Glenn Vernon Martin.
Family moves to Inglewood, California
Martin's family relocated from Waco to Inglewood when he was five.
Family moves to Garden Grove, California
Martin and his sister grew up in Garden Grove (Orange County) beginning around age 10.
Starts first job at Disneyland selling guidebooks
Worked selling guidebooks on weekends and full-time during summer; job lasted three years (1955–1958).
Hired at Disneyland Fantasyland Magic Shop
Took a paying job at the Magic shop (Fantasyland) in August 1960, learning magic, juggling and balloon art.
Enrolls at Santa Ana College
After high school Martin attended Santa Ana College, studying drama and English poetry.
Performs at Bird Cage Theatre and Knott's Berry Farm troupe
Participated in comedies and a comedy troupe at Knott's Berry Farm; honed early performance skills.
Enrolls at California State University, Long Beach (philosophy)
Studied philosophy at Long Beach State; influenced his comedic style (non-sequiturs, logic jokes).
Hired as writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Began professional TV writing career after Nina Goldblatt submitted his work to head writer Mason Williams.
Transfers to UCLA and switches to theater major
Transferred to University of California, Los Angeles and changed major to theater; soon began writing for TV.
First national television appearance
Made his first national TV appearance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
Writes for other TV variety shows
Wrote for The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, expanding TV writing credits.
Wins Primetime Emmy Award (writing)
Won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy/Variety for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
Small film role in Another Nice Mess
Early film appearance (small role) in Another Nice Mess (1972).
Frequent Tonight Show and SNL appearances; first hosts SNL
Became a high-profile stand-up TV guest; hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time, launching a long association.
Emmy nomination for Van Dyke and Company
Earned an Emmy nomination for writing on Van Dyke and Company.
Short film 'The Absent-Minded Waiter' nominated for Academy Award
Seven-minute short written by and starring Martin nominated for Best Live Action Short Film (Academy Award).
Releases comedy album 'Let's Get Small'
Album included the 'Excuse Me' routine; album went platinum and became a national cultural touchstone.
Wins Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording (Let's Get Small)
Received one of his early Grammy Awards for the comedy album Let's Get Small.
Releases 'A Wild and Crazy Guy' and single 'King Tut'
'A Wild and Crazy Guy' reached No. 2 on the U.S. sales chart and sold over a million copies; 'King Tut' reached No. 17 and sold over a million copies.
Wins Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording (A Wild and Crazy Guy)
Second consecutive Grammy for Best Comedy Recording.
Releases 'Comedy Is Not Pretty!' and tours large arenas
Continued high-profile stand-up career; shows drew stadium-size audiences, leading to unique stage trademarks (white suit).
Stars in and co-writes feature film 'The Jerk'
The Jerk (1979) directed by Carl Reiner was a major commercial success, grossing over $100 million on a ~$4 million budget.
Begins shifting focus from stand-up to film
Pursued film roles and acting lessons; sought to avoid being typecast after massive stand-up success.
Stops doing stand-up comedy
Martin ended his stand-up act (he would not return for 35 years) to concentrate on film work.
Stars in 'Pennies from Heaven' (financial failure)
Took a serious acting turn in Pennies from Heaven (1981); the film failed commercially, affecting his career trajectory briefly.
Stars in 'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid'
Collaboration with Carl Reiner continuing his film career in comedic/detective parody roles.
Stars in 'The Man with Two Brains'
Another Carl Reiner collaboration; continued presence as a leading film comic.
Joins Los Angeles County Museum of Art board of trustees
Began serving on LACMA's board of trustees (served 1984–2004).
Stars in 'All of Me' — critical recognition
All of Me (1984) became one of his most critically acclaimed performances to date.
Stars in '¡Three Amigos!' and 'Little Shop of Horrors'
Appeared in both the comedy ¡Three Amigos! (with Martin Short & Chevy Chase) and Frank Oz's Little Shop of Horrors.
Marries Victoria Tennant
Married actress Victoria Tennant (co-star in All of Me and later L.A. Story).
Appears in 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' and co-writes 'Roxanne'
Co-wrote and starred in Roxanne (a Cyrano de Bergerac adaptation) and appeared in John Hughes' Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Wins Writers Guild Award for 'Roxanne' (screenplay)
Received recognition from the Writers Guild of America for his work on Roxanne.
Appears in 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' and stage 'Waiting for Godot'
Starred opposite Michael Caine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and played Vladimir in Waiting for Godot at Lincoln Center.
Stars in 'Parenthood'
Played a family patriarch in Ron Howard's Parenthood.
USO Tour during Operation Desert Storm
Traveled to Saudi Arabia Oct 14–21, 1990 to entertain U.S. service members and sign autographs.
Releases and stars in 'L.A. Story' and 'Father of the Bride'
Wrote and starred in L.A. Story (1991) and starred in the popular Father of the Bride (1991).
First reading and staging of play 'Picasso at the Lapin Agile'
Play's first reading in Beverly Hills; then opened at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago (Oct 1993–May 1994) and toured to other cities.
Divorces Victoria Tennant
Martin and Victoria Tennant divorced (married 1986).
Appears in 'The Spanish Prisoner'
Took a darker role in David Mamet's thriller The Spanish Prisoner.
Guest stars on 'The Simpsons' and voices in 'The Prince of Egypt'
Guest-starred with U2 on The Simpsons' 200th episode and voiced Hotep in The Prince of Egypt (1998).
Writes and stars in 'Bowfinger' and appears in 'The Out-of-Towners'
Co-wrote and starred with Eddie Murphy in Bowfinger; starred with Goldie Hawn in The Out-of-Towners.
Publishes novella 'Shopgirl'
Published the novella Shopgirl which he later adapted into a film.
Hosts the Academy Awards (solo)
Hosted the Oscars ceremony in 2001 (first solo Oscars hosting gig).
Wins Grammy (Best Country Instrumental Performance) for 'Foggy Mountain Breakdown' appearance
Played banjo on Earl Scruggs' remake; recording won the Grammy Award in 2002.
Stars in 'Bringing Down the House' and 'Cheaper by the Dozen' (box office hits)
Both films each earned over $130 million at U.S. theaters, boosting Martin's box-office standing.
Purchases painting believed to be Campendonk (later discovered forged)
Bought a painting for ≈€700,000 and later sold it for ≈€500,000; subsequently discovered to be a forgery (connected to Beltracchi ring).
Film 'Shopgirl' premieres at Toronto International Film Festival
Martin wrote, starred in and adapted his novella Shopgirl into a film which premiered at TIFF Sept 2005.
Receives Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
Awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (prestigious recognition in comedy).
Sells Edward Hopper's 'Hotel Window' at Sotheby's
Sold Hopper painting (1955) for $26.8 million at auction (Sotheby's).
Publishes memoir 'Born Standing Up'
Memoir of his stand-up career; Time magazine named it one of Top 10 Nonfiction Books of 2007 (No. 6).
Marries Anne Stringfield
Married Anne Stringfield (former New Yorker staffer) in a surprise ceremony at his Los Angeles home.
Receives Kennedy Center Honors
Awarded a Kennedy Center Honor for contributions to American culture.
Co-writes/produces film 'Traitor'
Co-wrote and produced the film Traitor (starring Don Cheadle).
Releases album 'The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo'
First all-music album; featured Dolly Parton and other guests; marked a shift towards serious banjo work.
Wins Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album (The Crow)
The Crow won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album at the 2010 Grammys.
Creates Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass
Established a prize including US$50,000 cash and performance opportunities to reward banjo/bluegrass artists.
Tours and records with Steep Canyon Rangers ('Rare Bird Alert')
Collaborated extensively with the Steep Canyon Rangers; tour and 2011 album Rare Bird Alert.
Becomes a father (daughter born)
Martin and Anne Stringfield welcomed their daughter in December 2012; Martin became a first-time father at age 67.
Receives Honorary Academy Award
The Academy awarded Martin an Honorary Award recognizing his contributions to film and comedy (honor conferred 2013/2014 depending on source).
Releases 'Love Has Come for You' with Edie Brickell
Collaboration album blending bluegrass and songwriting; title track later won Best American Roots Song Grammy.
Title track 'Love Has Come for You' wins Grammy (Best American Roots Song)
The collaboration with Edie Brickell won a Grammy for the title track.
Begins national comedy/bluegrass tours with Martin Short and Steep Canyon Rangers
Embarked on a recurring touring partnership with Martin Short; blended comedy and music on tour.
Receives AFI Life Achievement Award
Honored with the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award in 2015.
Staged national tour and low-key return to stand-up (opened for Jerry Seinfeld)
In 2016 made a low-key return to live comedy (10-minute set opening for Seinfeld) and toured with Martin Short and Steep Canyon Rangers.
Play 'Meteor Shower' premieres (Old Globe) and later Broadway transfer
Meteor Shower premiered Aug 2016 at Old Globe Theatre and opened on Broadway Nov 29, 2017; starred Amy Schumer on Broadway run.
Broadway debut of 'Bright Star'
Bright Star (book by Steve Martin; music co-written with Edie Brickell) debuted on Broadway March 24, 2016; received five Tony nominations; Martin received Drama Desk Award and other accolades for the score.
Netflix special 'An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life' released
Special with Martin Short (from 2016 tour) released on Netflix in 2018; received four Primetime Emmy nominations; Martin received two writing/music nominations.
Begins syndicated comic panel 'Bliss' with Harry Bliss
Started collaboration on the single-panel syndicated cartoon Bliss (writer) with cartoonist Harry Bliss.
Appears in short 'Father of the Bride, Part 3(ish)'
Reprised role as George Banks in a short reunion piece released during the pandemic.
Co-creates and stars in 'Only Murders in the Building' (Hulu)
Co-created with John Hoffman; starred alongside Martin Short and Selena Gomez; series premiered in 2021 and earned multiple Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe nominations and a Peabody nomination.
Only Murders in the Building earns award nominations
Series received three Primetime Emmy nominations, two Screen Actors Guild nominations, a Golden Globe nomination and a 2021 Peabody Award nomination.
Co-hosts Saturday Night Live with Martin Short (Selena Gomez appears)
Martin and Martin Short co-hosted SNL together in 2022 with guest appearance by Selena Gomez.
Publishes illustrated autobiography 'Number One is Walking' (with Harry Bliss)
Released an illustrated autobiography in collaboration with cartoonist Harry Bliss.
Plays banjo on Kelly Clarkson's 'I Hate Love' promotional single
Featured as banjo player on a track from Clarkson's album Chemistry (released as promotional single June 2, 2023).
Continues touring and cultural activities
Continued national touring activities with Martin Short and music collaborators; remained active in art curation and philanthropy.
Public profile and continuing honors (ongoing)
Maintains active career with Only Murders in the Building continuing, ongoing music and occasional public appearances; widely reported estimated net worth in the broad celebrity range.
Key Achievement Ages
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