Steve Martin Has Lived A Life That's Even More Fascinating Than Any Of His Characters

In 1968, a young Steve Martin appeared on The Dating Game. At the time, he was a relatively unknown comedian writing for The Smothers Brothers. One of three contestants, his goal was to woo the daughter of Dean Martin, Deana - and he succeeded!

In answer to Deana's first question, "What's wrong with dating?" Martin answered, "Dating is wrong with dating. Dating is really the worst. You should meet like on a street corner or at a flat tire or in a sewer."

Deana ended up choosing Bachelor #2, Steve Martin, and the two were gifted a trip to Italy.

Most people have heard of a surprise birthday party, but not many have ever had the privilege of attending a surprise wedding. In 2007, Martin and his wife Anne Springfield managed to pull off this feat when the pair hosted a party with a star-studded guest list. 

Unsurprisingly, it was reported that everyone was left incredibly shocked when the couple walked out in wedding clothes. After the initial shock wore off, it’s believed the pair had a spectacular wedding. They definitely left an impression in the minds of the reported 75 guests who were in attendance.

Martin is best known for his comedic personality and phenomenal acting skills, but his passion and skill as a musician might not be popularly known. Under the surface of his charming persona and self-deprecating jokes is an old soul who has an incredible talent for playing the banjo. Many who have witnessed Martin playing the banjo have often stated that he is a bluegrass extraordinaire. In recognition of his superb banjo skills, Martin won a Grammy award for his debut album titled The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo.

In addition to winning a Grammy award, Martin has also impressively performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and he even toured with the Steep Canyon Rangers. Additionally, as a way to showcase those whose talent lies with the banjo, Martin and his wife launched The Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass award in 2008.

It’s no secret that many celebrities are often too busy to sign fan autographs despite how much they might want to. Martin was once incredibly overwhelmed with autograph requests that he came up with his own comedic solution: he had pre-signed autograph cards specially made, and he would hand these out to fans whenever they asked him for his autograph. However, this gimmick wasn’t as well-received as he had hoped. After only six months of handing out these pre-signed cards, he abandoned the idea. When asked about why he stopped, Martin stated:

I realized that when people ask for an autograph, what they really kind of want is a little encounter; to find out what you’re really like in 30 seconds.

Martin attended Long Beach State College in California where he majored in philosophy before transferring to UCLA to major in theater. In 1967, while he was still a student, Martin was already displaying his comedic talents. Martin, a student at the time, was commissioned by The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and signed a contract to write content for them. His comedic content was so well received that in 1969 he won an Emmy award. This early success placed Martin on the path to success, and over the next few years, he began writing for other comedy shows such as The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.

Comedic legend Martin has an incredibly interesting hobby. Since the age of 21, he has been an avid art collector and has numerous acclaimed works in his collection. He started his collection at 21 years old by purchasing a piece by the esteemed 19th-century American artist James Gale Tyler. 

The actor has repeatedly stated how he is an obsessive collector as he views art collecting as a soothing hobby that allows him to escape from his mundane thoughts. In 2001, after keeping his collection quiet for many years, Martin opened a small section of his private art collection for public viewing, much to his fans’ delight. Art critic James Mann commented that the collection was “a very sincerely assembled group of works. He admires what he buys and he has good quality on the whole of these artists.”