Steve MartinStephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor, musician and composer born in Waco, Texas and raised in Orange County, California. Early yearsMartin worked at the Bird Cage Theater in Knott's Berry Farm and at the Magic Shop at Disneyland as a teenager, where he developed his talents for magic, juggling, playing the banjo and creating balloon animals. Martin majored in philosophy at California State University, Long Beach, but dropped out. Nevertheless, his time there changed his life:
A girlfriend helped him get his first real job in 1967, as a comedy writer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, the show she was on as a dancer. Martin, along with the other writers for that show, won an Emmy Award in 1969. Martin also wrote for John Denver (a neighbor of his in Aspen, Colorado at one point) and The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. He then started performing his own material, sometimes as an opening act for groups such as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Carpenters, and sometimes appearing on camera:
He appeared at San Francisco's The Boarding House among other locations. He continued to write, earning an Emmy nomination for his work on Van Dyke and Company in 1975. Becoming a household nameIn the mid-1970s he made frequent appearances as a stand-up comedian on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. That exposure, together with appearances on NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL), led to his first of four comedy albums, Let's Get Small. The album was a huge success; one of its tracks, Excuse Me, helped establish a national catch phrase. His next album, A Wild and Crazy Guy, was an even bigger success reaching the number two spot on the chart, and spawning another catch phrase, this time based on an SNL skit where Martin and Dan Aykroyd played a couple of bumbling Czechoslovakian playboys. A top 40 hit King Tut, from the album, released in 1978, was backed by the Toot Uncommons (better known as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band). Both were million sellers. Both albums won Grammys for Best Comedy Recording in 1977 and 1978. In these and his two other albums, Martin's stand-up comedy was self-referential, sometimes self-mocking. It mixes philosophical riffs with sudden spurts of "happy feet", deft banjo playing with balloon depictions of concepts like venereal disease. His style is off kilter and ironic, and sometimes makes fun of stand-up comedy traditions. A typical gag might be interrupted for a sip from a glass of water, and just as he was about to speak again, he forcefully spits the water onto the floor. Movie careerBy the end of the 1970s, he had acquired the kind of following normally reserved for rock stars, with his tour appearances typically occurring at sold-out arenas filled with tens of thousands of screaming fans. But unknown to his audience, stand-up comedy was "just an accident" for him. His real goal was to get into film. Martin's first film was a short, The Absent-Minded Waiter (1977). The seven-minute long film was written by and starred Martin. The film was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Short Film, Live Action. In 1979, Martin wrote and starred in his first full-length movie, The Jerk, directed by Carl Reiner. The movie was a huge success, grossing $100 million on a budget less than a twentieth of that amount. The success of The Jerk opened more doors for him. Stanley Kubrick met with him to discuss him starring in an early, screwball comedy version of Traumnovelle (Kubrick later changed his approach to the material). He was executive producer for a prime-time TV series starring Martin Mull and a late-night series called Twilight Theater. It emboldened him to try his hand at his first serious film, Pennies From Heaven, a movie he was anxious to do because of the desire to avoid being typecast. To prepare for that film, he took acting lessons from the director, Herbert Ross, and spent months learning how to tap dance. The film was a financial failure; Martin's comment at the time was "I don't know what to blame, other than it's me and not a comedy." Martin was in two more Reiner-directed comedies after The Jerk: Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid in 1982, and The Man with Two Brains in 1983. In 1986, Martin joined fellow Saturday Night Live veterans Martin Short and Chevy Chase in Three Amigos!, which was directed by John Landis, and written by Martin, Lorne Michaels and Randy Newman. It was originally entitled The Three Caballeros and Martin was to be teamed with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. In 1987, Martin joined comedian John Candy in the John Hughes film, Planes, Trains and Automobiles. That same year, Roxanne, a film he cowrote, won him a Writers Guild of America award and more importantly, the recognition from Hollywood and the public that he was more than a comedian. Martin starred in the Ron Howard film, Parenthood in 1989. In 1999, Martin and Goldie Hawn starred in a remake of the 1970 Neil Simon comedy, The Out-of-Towners. Other workThroughout the 90s, after Tina Brown took over The New Yorker, Martin wrote various pieces for the magazine. They later appeared in the collection Pure Drivel. He appeared in a version of Waiting for Godot as Vladimir (with Robin Williams as Estragon). In 1993, Martin wrote the play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, which had a successful run in several American cities. In 2001, Martin hosted the 73rd Annual Academy Awards. In 2002, Martin adapted the Carl Sternheim play The Underpants, which ran Off-Broadway at Classic Stage Company. Art collectionMartin is also an avid art collector, particularly modern American art, and a trustee of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Martin's personal collection has at one time included the art of O'Keeffe, Twachtman, Diebenkorn, de Kooning, Kline, Twombly, Frankenthaler, Hopper, Hockney, Lichtenstein, and Picasso. Associations and membershipsMartin is a member of Mensa International. Bibliography
Discography
Filmography
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Martin is a member of Mensa International. Eddie Murphy's older brother, Charlie Murphy, is also an actor, best known recently for his appearances on Chappelle's Show. Martin's personal collection has at one time included the art of O'Keeffe, Twachtman, Diebenkorn, de Kooning, Kline, Twombly, Frankenthaler, Hopper, Hockney, Lichtenstein, and Picasso. Murphy claimed that he had just been driving through and she asked him for a ride home. Martin is also an avid art collector, particularly modern American art, and a trustee of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In 1997 a police officer stopped Murphy and found a transvestite prostitute in the passenger's seat. In 2002, Martin adapted the Carl Sternheim play The Underpants, which ran Off-Broadway at Classic Stage Company. Murphy was also a one-hit wonder in the 1980s with the single "Party All the Time". In 2001, Martin hosted the 73rd Annual Academy Awards. Doolitle, Shrek, Bowfinger). In 1993, Martin wrote the play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, which had a successful run in several American cities. His record since then has been hit and miss, with several big flops (Holy Man, Pluto Nash) and some hits (Dr. He appeared in a version of Waiting for Godot as Vladimir (with Robin Williams as Estragon). Murphy's career continued to slide until 1996, when he would make his comeback in comedies, starting with The Nutty Professor. They later appeared in the collection Pure Drivel. Richard Pryor had nothing good to say about the film or the star, which stunned Murphy, who had considered Pryor an idol. Throughout the 90s, after Tina Brown took over The New Yorker, Martin wrote various pieces for the magazine. Harlem Nights was savaged not only by the critics, but also by several of the actors in the film. In 1999, Martin and Goldie Hawn starred in a remake of the 1970 Neil Simon comedy, The Out-of-Towners. However, in the late 80's and early 90's, Murphy's fame was fading via a series of poor sequels, drab comedies, and ego-driven vehicles that the public avoided in droves. Martin starred in the Ron Howard film, Parenthood in 1989. He made vicious comments about gays and AIDS during his 80's standup routines, so vicious that some years later he apologized for the remarks. That same year, Roxanne, a film he cowrote, won him a Writers Guild of America award and more importantly, the recognition from Hollywood and the public that he was more than a comedian. His early comedy was racy, akin to Richard Pryor, whom Murphy says was the one "that wanted [him] to get into comedy." Characterized by excessive swearing and making fun of gays, singers, and others, Murphy became, in a sense, the Pryor of the 1980s. In 1987, Martin joined comedian John Candy in the John Hughes film, Planes, Trains and Automobiles. A perfect example of this is The Nutty Professor, a remake of the Jerry Lewis classic in which Murphy plays several members of the Klump family as well as Sherman Klump's arrogant alter ego, Buddy Love. It was originally entitled The Three Caballeros and Martin was to be teamed with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. In many of his films, he plays multiple roles in addition to his main character. In 1986, Martin joined fellow Saturday Night Live veterans Martin Short and Chevy Chase in Three Amigos!, which was directed by John Landis, and written by Martin, Lorne Michaels and Randy Newman. He is a versatile voice actor and voiced the donkey in the Shrek series and the dragon in Disney's Mulan. Martin was in two more Reiner-directed comedies after The Jerk: Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid in 1982, and The Man with Two Brains in 1983. Murphy later starred in many comedies including the Beverly Hills Cop series, Trading Places and Coming to America. The film was a financial failure; Martin's comment at the time was "I don't know what to blame, other than it's me and not a comedy.". His characters include a parody of Buckwheat from the Little Rascals and of Fred Rogers. To prepare for that film, he took acting lessons from the director, Herbert Ross, and spent months learning how to tap dance. Murphy began his comedy career at the young age of 19, as a performer on NBC's Saturday Night Live television show. It emboldened him to try his hand at his first serious film, Pennies From Heaven, a movie he was anxious to do because of the desire to avoid being typecast. Eddie Murphy (born Easter Monday April 3, 1961, Brooklyn, New York) is an African-American comedian and actor. He was executive producer for a prime-time TV series starring Martin Mull and a late-night series called Twilight Theater. Shrek 2, 2004, Donkey (voice). Stanley Kubrick met with him to discuss him starring in an early, screwball comedy version of Traumnovelle (Kubrick later changed his approach to the material). The Haunted Mansion, 2003, Jim Evers. The success of The Jerk opened more doors for him. Daddy Day Care, 2003, Charlie Hinton. The movie was a huge success, grossing $100 million on a budget less than a twentieth of that amount. Showtime, 2002, Trey Sellars. In 1979, Martin wrote and starred in his first full-length movie, The Jerk, directed by Carl Reiner. I Spy, 2002, Kelly Robinson. The film was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Short Film, Live Action. The Adventures of Pluto Nash, 2002, Pluto Nash. The seven-minute long film was written by and starred Martin. Shrek, 2001, Donkey (voice). Martin's first film was a short, The Absent-Minded Waiter (1977). Dolittle. His real goal was to get into film. Dolittle 2, 2001, Dr. But
unknown to his audience, stand-up comedy was "just an accident" for him. Dr. By the end of the 1970s, he had acquired the kind of following normally reserved for
rock stars, with his tour appearances typically occurring at sold-out arenas filled with tens of thousands of screaming fans. The Klumps, 2000, Sherman Klump/Buddy Love/Grandma Klump/Mama
Klump/Papa Klump/Young Papa Klump/Ernie Klump/Lance Perkins. His style is off kilter and ironic, and sometimes makes fun of stand-up comedy traditions. Bowfinger, 1999, Kit Ramsey/Jeff Ramsey. It mixes philosophical riffs with sudden spurts of "happy feet", deft banjo playing with balloon depictions of concepts like venereal disease. Mulan, 1998, Mushu (voice). In these and his two other albums, Martin's stand-up comedy was self-referential, sometimes self-mocking. John Dolittle. Both albums won Grammys for Best Comedy Recording in 1977 and 1978. Dolittle, 1998, Dr. Both were million sellers. Dr. A top 40 hit King Tut, from the album, released in 1978, was backed by the Toot Uncommons (better known as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band). Metro, 1997, Scott Roper. His next album, A Wild and Crazy Guy, was an even bigger success reaching the number two spot on the chart, and spawning another catch phrase, this time based on an SNL skit where Martin and Dan Aykroyd played a couple of bumbling Czechoslovakian playboys. The Nutty Professor, 1996, Sherman Klump/Buddy Love/Lance Perkins/Papa Klump/Mama Klump/Grandma Klump/Ernie Klump. The album was a huge success; one of its tracks, Excuse Me, helped establish a national catch phrase. Vampire in Brooklyn, 1995, Maximillian/Father Pauley/Guido. That exposure, together with appearances on NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL), led to his first of four comedy albums, Let's Get Small. Beverly Hills Cop III, 1994, Axel Foley. In the mid-1970s he made frequent appearances as a stand-up comedian on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The Distinguished Gentleman, 1992, Thomas Jefferson Johnson. He continued to write, earning an Emmy nomination for his work on Van Dyke and Company in 1975. Boomerang, 1992, Marcus Graham. He appeared at San Francisco's The Boarding House among other locations. Another 48 Hrs., 1990, Reggie Hammond. He then started performing his own material, sometimes as an opening act for groups such as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Carpenters, and sometimes appearing on camera:. Harlem Nights, 1989, Quick. Martin also wrote for John Denver (a neighbor of his in Aspen, Colorado at one point) and The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. Coming to America, 1988, Prince Akeem/Clarence/Saul/Randy Watson. Martin, along with the other writers for that show, won an Emmy Award in 1969. Eddie Murphy Raw, 1987, Eddie Murphy. A girlfriend helped him get his first real job in 1967, as a comedy writer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, the show she was on as a dancer. Beverly Hills Cop II, 1987, Axel Foley. Nevertheless, his time there changed his life:. The Golden Child, 1986, Chandler Jarrell. Martin majored in philosophy at California State University, Long Beach, but dropped out. Beverly Hills Cop, 1984, Axel Foley. Martin worked at the Bird Cage Theater in Knott's Berry Farm and at the Magic Shop at Disneyland as a teenager, where he developed his talents for magic, juggling, playing the banjo and creating balloon animals. Best Defense, 1984, Landry. Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor, musician and composer born in Waco, Texas and raised in Orange County, California. Eddie Murphy Delirious, 1983, Eddie Murphy. Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003). Trading Places, 1983, Billy Ray Valentine. Cheaper by the Dozen (2003). 48 Hrs., 1982, Reggie Hammond. Bringing Down the House (2003). Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch (2002, TV). Novocaine (2001). Fantasia 2000 (1999) host. Bowfinger (1999). The Out-of-Towners, (1999). The Prince of Egypt (1998, voice). The Spanish Prisoner (1997). Bilko (1996). Sgt. Father of the Bride Part II (1995). Mixed Nuts, (1994). A Simple Twist of Fate (1994), also written by Martin. Leap of Faith (1992). HouseSitter (1992). Grand Canyon (1991). Father of the Bride (1991). Story (1991), also written by Martin. L.A. My Blue Heaven (1990). Parenthood (1989). Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988). Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987). Roxanne, (1987), also written by Martin. Little Shop of Horrors (1986). ¡Three Amigos!, (1986), also co-written by Martin. All of Me (1984). The Lonely Guy (1984). The Man with Two Brains (1983) also co-written by Martin. Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) also co-written by Martin. Pennies from Heaven (1981). The Jerk, (1979) also co-written by Martin. The Muppet Movie (1979). Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, (1978). Sgt. The Absent-Minded Waiter (1977) (short). The Steve Martin Brothers (1981). Comedy is Not Pretty! (1979). A Wild and Crazy Guy, (1978). Let's Get Small (1977). The Pleasure of My Company (2003). The Underpants: A Play (2002). Shopgirl (2001). Pure Drivel (1998). Story and Roxanne: Two Screenplays (1997). L.A. Picasso at the Lapin Agile and Other Plays: Picasso at the Lapin Agile, the Zig-Zag Woman, Patter for the Floating Lady, Wasp (1996). Cruel Shoes (1979). Johnny Cash and Friends in 1976. The Smothers Brothers Show in 1975, and. The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour from 1972 to 1973,. The Ken Berry Show in 1972,. Ray Stevens Show in 1970,. |