Martin, Steve (1945-…), is an American comedian, actor, writer, and musician. He became popular for his likeable personality and his versatility as an actor. He has won praise in roles ranging from broad comedy (exaggerated, often physical, comedy) to romantic comedy to drama. Martin was the recipient of a 2013 honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement and contributions to the motion-picture industry.
Stephen Glenn Martin was born on Aug. 14, 1945, in Waco, Texas. He grew up in southern California. Martin briefly studied philosophy at California State University at Long Beach. He then transferred to the University of California at Los Angeles and earned a degree in theater arts. Martin began his show-business career writing comedy for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” on television in the late 1960’s. He also wrote for other TV shows and began to perform. He was a guest host on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” and a frequent guest star on “Saturday Night Live.” Martin won Grammy Awards for his comedy albums Let’s Get Small (1977) and A Wild and Crazy Guy (1978).
Martin made his motion-picture debut in The Absent-Minded Waiter (1977). He became a star in the comedy The Jerk (1979). His other movies include Pennies from Heaven (1981), Three Amigos! (1986), Roxanne (1987), Planes Trains and Automobiles (1987), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), Parenthood (1989), L.A. Story (1991), Father of the Bride (1991), Sgt. Bilko (1996), The Spanish Prisoner (1998), Bowfinger (1999), Bringing Down the House (2003), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), The Pink Panther (2006), It’s Complicated (2009), and The Big Year (2011). Martin voiced the character Captain Smek in the animated feature Home (2015). In addition, he wrote or helped write some of the films in which he appeared. He is a creator and star of the TV series “Only Murders in the Building,” which began in 2021.
Martin wrote the play Picasso at the Lapin Agile (1993), a philosophical comedy. Cruel Shoes (1979) and Pure Drivel (1998) are collections of Martin’s short comic writings. Martin wrote the short novels Shopgirl (2000) and The Pleasure of My Company (2003), and the full-length novel An Object of Beauty (2010). He starred in a motion-picture adaptation of Shopgirl released in 2005. Martin wrote the children’s books The Alphabet from A to Y with Bonus Letter Z! (2007) and Late for School (2010). He also wrote the memoir Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life (2007).
Martin is an accomplished musician. He plays the banjo. With Earl Scruggs and other musicians, Martin shared a Grammy Award for best country instrumental performance, for the musical composition “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” (2001). Martin also won a Grammy for best bluegrass album, for The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo (2009). With American singer and songwriter Edie Brickell, Martin shared a Grammy for best American roots song, for “Love Has Come for You” (2013). Martin also collaborated with Brickell on the Broadway play Bright Star (2016).
