Success brought other demons, as it often does. His mother was his shining light while his father was critical, moody, and envious. Like many comedians, Steve Martin’s humor was born out of pathos and melancholy, partly innate and partly inflicted upon him by others. I knew it was a delight and an honor to see him perform live twice with the Steep Canyon Rangers (in Los Angeles and Eugene, Oregon.) But I knew nothing about his childhood and the years of paying his dues. I knew he played the banjo with great proficiency. I knew he once worked in the magic shop at Disneyland.

I knew Steve Martin was originally from Waco, Texas. These are worthwhile departures from his earlier films and he surrounds himself with cerebral, high quality actors in both. Recently I watched Shopgirl for the first time, with a screenplay written by Steve Martin based on his novella of the same name.

If you’ve never seen him in The Spanish Prisoner, see it. His depth and brilliance is equally apparent when he takes on serious film roles. The older I get, the more I appreciate Steve Martin’s brand of comedy, which has also matured. There was the unparalleled original Saturday Night Live cast and there were those who worked from a different direction, like Robin Williams, Andy Kaufman, and Steve Martin to name a few. If you grew up in the 1970s and 80s, you will remember a specific group of comedians that rose to fame during that time.

Steve martin standing up