Steve Martin (1) (1945–)
Author of Shopgirl
About the Author
Steve Martin was born on August 14, 1945 in Waco, Texas. He studied at Long Beach State College. He has acted in such films as The Jerk; Roxanne; Planes, Trains and Automobiles; Bowfinger; Father of the Bride; Cheaper by the Dozen; and Shopgirl, which was adapted from a novel he wrote. He has won show more an Emmy for his comedy writing and Grammies for his comedy albums. He has made several appearances on The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live. He has written several books including Shopgirl, Cruel Shoes, Pure Drivel, The Pleasure of My Company, and An Object of Beauty. He also wrote a play entitled Picasso at the Lapin Agile and a memoir entitled Born Standing Up. During the 1990s, he wrote various pieces for The New Yorker. In 2002, he adapted the Carl Sternheim play The Underpants, which ran Off-Broadway at Classic Stage Company and in 2008, co-wrote and produced Traitor. In 2013 he published a memoir entitled Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life. This book tells the story of his beginnings as a magician and comedian at a young age and follows through his career lifetime. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: David Shankbone
Series
Works by Steve Martin
Picasso at the Lapin Agile and Other Plays: Picasso at the Lapin Agile, The Zig-Zag Woman, Patter for the Floating… (1996) — Author — 650 copies, 10 reviews
The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make That Ten. The Tweets of Steve Martin (2012) 110 copies, 12 reviews
The Out-of-Towners 4 copies
Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers Featuring Edie Brickell Live [CD/DVD Combo] (2014) 4 copies
Lets Get Small 3 copies
80s Comedy Collection (You Can't Hurry Love / My Chauffeur / From The Hip / Shanghai Surprise / Touch and Go / Date… (2012) 2 copies
An Object of Beauty: First Chapter 2 copies
Only Murders In The Building: Seasons 1-2 — Creator — 1 copy
Rhino Hi-Five: Steve Martin 1 copy
King Tut/Sally Goddin 1 copy
The Absent-Minded Waiter 1 copy
STEVE MARTIN - Grandmother's Song / Let's Get Small (45 RPM Vinyl) [Warner Bros. Records WBS 8503, 1977] (1977) 1 copy
Steve Martin: Live [VHS] 1 copy
Associated Works
Fierce Pajamas: An Anthology of Humor Writing from The New Yorker (2001) — Contributor — 727 copies, 6 reviews
Secret Ingredients: The New Yorker Book of Food and Drink (2007) — Contributor — 553 copies, 10 reviews
Best of The Oxford American: Ten Years from the Southern Magazine of Good Writing {anthology} (2002) — Contributor — 43 copies
Little Shop of Horrors: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986) — Preformer, some editions — 23 copies
Best Of The Muppet Show: Vol. 6: Steve Martin / Carol Burnett / Gilda Radner (2001) — Guest Star — 17 copies
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour: The Best of Season 3 (2008) — Writer, Performer, some editions — 12 copies, 1 review
Movie Marathon Collection: Steve Martin (Bowfinger / Parenthood / Housesitter / Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid / The Lonely… (2010) — Actor — 10 copies
Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind [2018 film] — Actor — 6 copies
4 Film Favorites: Classic Comedy (The Man Who Knew Too Little, The Man with Two Brains, Spies Like Us, Vegas Vacation) — Actor — 5 copies
True Crime [2021 Only Murders in the Building TV episode] — Actor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Martin, Steve
- Legal name
- Martin, Stephen Glenn
- Birthdate
- 1945-08-14
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Waco, Texas, USA
- Places of residence
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Education
- University of California, Los Angeles (theater)
Long Beach State University (philosphy)
Santa Ana College - Occupations
- comedian
actor
banjoist
art collector
art curator - Awards and honors
- Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2005)
Kennedy Center Honors (2007)
Honorary Academy Award (2013)
Grammy Award (5x)
Primetime Emmy Award (1969)
AFI Life Achievement Award (2015) - Short biography
- Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer.
Martin was born in Waco, Texas, and raised in Southern California, where his early influences were working at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm and working magic and comedy acts at these and other smaller venues in the area. His ascent to fame picked up when he became a writer for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and later became a frequent guest on The Tonight Show. In the 1970s, Martin performed his offbeat, absurdist comedy routines before packed houses on national tours. Since the 1980s, having branched away from stand-up comedy, he has become a successful actor, playwriter, pianist, banjo player, and juggler, eventually earning Emmy, Grammy, and American Comedy awards.
Members
Reviews
LIghtweight fun. The second half is mostly single panel cartoons that Martin and Bliss have been doing for a while. Hit rate on those is above average for me. The first half are brief anecdotes from Martin's movie career, with Bliss and Bliss' dog included as characters. Nothing earthshaking or hysterical but a few interesting backstories. His banjo career and Only Murders in the Building are out of scope and referenced just briefly.
Recommended if you are a fan of the mellow version of Martin or Bliss' cartoons.… (more)
Recommended if you are a fan of the mellow version of Martin or Bliss' cartoons.… (more)
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 64
- Also by
- 63
- Members
- 17,018
- Popularity
- #1,306
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 557
- ISBNs
- 319
- Languages
- 13
- Favorited
- 35
My sister recommended Shopgirl with the line, "How Steve Martin can be so convincingly inside the head of a 28-year-old female, I will never know." I found much to enjoy in this book. The spare dialog lends the story a very delicate quality. It's a thoughtful meditation on love and heartache.
Favorite quotes:
He never complicates desire by overthinking it, unlike Mirabelle, who spins a cocoon around an idea until it is immobile.
He doesn't understand the subtleties of slights and pains, that it is not the big events that hurt the most but rather the smallest questionable shift in tone at the end of a spoken word that can plow most deeply into the heart.… (more)