Steve Martin got started as a zany and absurdist stand-up comedian in the 1970s, when his comedy albums like Let's Get Small (1977) were big hits; his punch line "Excuuuuse me" became a pop culture catch-phrase. He was also a favorite recurring guest host on Saturday Night Live for many years. In the 1980s he began starring in mainstream movie comedies like Parenthood (1989) and Father of the Bride (1991, co-starring Diane Keaton, with a sequel in 1995). He proved himself an able writer/director, with successes like Roxanne (1987, with Daryl Hannah), LA Story, (1991, with Sarah Jessica Parker) and Bowfinger (1999, with Eddie Murphy). Martin is known for his brainy versatility and continues to work in films, write plays (Picasso at the Lapin Agile), publish humorous essays in the New Yorker magazine, and write books like Shopgirl (2000, made into a 2005 movie starring Martin and Claire Danes). His other films have included the family comedy Cheaper by the Dozen (2003, and a sequel in 2005) and the slapstick remake The Pink Panther (2006, with Martin in the Inspector Clouseau role made famous by Peter Sellers). Steve Martin's other books include a memoir, Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life (2007), and the novel An Object of Beauty (2010).

Extra credit: Martin has appeared in four films directed by Carl Reiner, including The Jerk (1979) and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)... Martin hosted the annual Academy Award ceremonies in 2001 and 2003.