40 Facts About Steve Martin That Are Leaving Fans With Some Big Questions
Who doesn’t love Steve Martin? With his wide grin, twinkly eyes and snowy hair — not to mention comedic mastery — he just puts a smile on your face, doesn’t he? But what you might not know is the beloved Hollywood funny man has a wealth of talents besides acting and comedy. What’s more, there are a few things about Martin that will surprise and even shock you. Want to know more about the “Wild and Crazy Guy?” Then read on folks!
40. He got into stand-up comedy by accident
Martin was a highly successful stand-up comedian before he became a movie star. But it wasn’t his original plan. The entertainer told Rolling Stone magazine in 1982 that “stand-up comedy was really just an accident. I was figuring out a way to get onstage.” He added, “As I got into the movies, I was reminded, ‘Hey, this is really why I got into show business.’”
39. He was a cheerleader in high school
Back when he was growing up in California, Martin attended Garden Grove High School, where he was a cheerleader. Or as he put it in his yearbook, a “yellleader.” The star told Newsweek that he also made up his own cheers, but one particular chant of “Die, you gravy-sucking pigs,” wasn’t very well received!
38. He is a serious art collector
Martin took an interest in paintings from a young age and bought his first professional piece at just 21. He’s since gone on to build quite the collection. So much so that in 2001 he allowed some of it to be exhibited at a Las Vegas gallery. And proving how seriously he takes his art, the star told Rolling Stone, “I’m not willing to say dumb things about it.”
37. He got his first job thanks to an ex-girlfriend
It was all down to ex-girlfriend Nina Goldblatt that Martin scored his first job in comedy. In the 1960s Goldblatt was a dancer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and passed on some of Martin’s writing to the chief scribe, Mason Williams. He loved the Roxanne star’s stuff so much that he paid him personally. And Martin scored his first Emmy Award for the show’s writing, at just 23 years old. Wow!
