Steve Martin continues to defy expectations. He guides visitors through the timeless collections of the Frick, crafts satirical anti-anti-vax cartoons for The New Yorker, and stars in the global hit series “Only Murders in the Building” alongside Martin Short, Selena Gomez, and Meryl Streep. As he turns 80 on August 14th, the comedy legend shows zero signs of fatigue. “I’m perfectly at ease with old age. Actually, the hardest year for me was 77. I’m dyslexic and didn’t know if I was turning 77 or 70 times seven,” Martin quipped on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” while promoting his new anthology “Number Nine is Number Nine: Steve Martin Writes”. He joked about his octogenarian plans: “I’m going to start taking Ozempic and eating at McDonald’s three times a day. We’ll see who wins at the end.”
Born August 14, 1945, in Waco, Texas, and raised in California, Martin began by selling guidebooks at Disneyland and performing magic tricks. “Back then, I thought the hardest thing was making a rabbit disappear. Then I tried writing a good joke,” he recalled. Influenced by Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Jerry Lewis, and Woody Allen, Martin exploded onto the scene in the 1970s through cabaret clubs and the original “Saturday Night Live,” pioneering a surreal, nonsense humor blending visual gags, linguistic absurdity, and his faithful banjo. The ’80s and ’90s (by which time his hair had prematurely whitened) became his domain with films like “Roxanne,” “Parenthood,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” and “Father of the Bride.” He later stepped into Inspector Clouseau’s shoes for two “Pink Panther” films in 2006 and 2009.
Ever versatile and unexpected—effortlessly shifting from romantic comedy to road movies—Martin profoundly influenced comedians like Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert. His banjo playing transcends hobby; it’s a language, leading to Grammy-winning bluegrass albums. He’s also penned sharp-witted novels, stories, and screenplays. Decades pass, but his vitality endures. Since 2021, Hulu/Disney+’s “Only Murders in the Building” has returned him to the spotlight. Mixing mystery, irony, and melancholy perfectly, Martin, Short, and Gomez form an irresistible trio. At 80 (a father since 66 to his now 13-year-old daughter), this actor has no plans to stop: “I love the work. I love the silence between the laughs.”
Martin is living proof that comedy is an ageless art. His secret remains curiosity, which also fueled his passion for art. Starting with an Ed Ruscha print purchase in 1968 and cultivated alongside his second wife, Anne Stringfield, his collection grew to include works by Roy Lichtenstein, Pablo Picasso, David Hockney, and Edward Hopper’s “Hotel Window” (sold at Sotheby’s in 2006 for nearly $27 million). With this expertise, Martin recently guided viewers via video through the Frick Collection’s reopening in its historic Fifth Avenue mansion after extensive restoration.