Martin was born on August 14, 1945, in Waco, Texas, to Mary Lee (née Stewart; 1913–2002) and Glenn Vernon Martin (1914–1997), a real estate salesman and aspiring actor. He has an older sister named Melinda.
With a heritage comprising English, Scottish, Welsh, Scots-Irish, German, and French descent, Martin grew up in Inglewood, California, with his sister, before moving to Garden Grove, California, where he was raised in a Baptist family.
Martin was a cheerleader at Garden Grove High School. One of his earliest memories includes seeing his father serving drinks onstage as an extra at the Call Board Theatre on Melrose Place. During World War II in the United Kingdom, Martin’s father appeared in a production of Our Town with Raymond Massey.
Despite expressing affection through gifts like cars and bikes, Martin’s father was stern and emotionally distant. He was proud but critical, and Martin later recalled feeling mostly hatred towards his father during his teenage years.
At 78 years old, Steve Martin has confirmed that the recent rumors about him are true. Whatever path he chooses, his fans are here to support him.
After a six-decade-long illustrious career, iconic actor and comedian Steve Martin seemed ready to retire. However, the success of the new show, Only Murders in the Building, which earned him three Emmy nominations, led to a revival of his career. This resurgence included a stage performance, a new book, and various other projects, but now, he is genuinely easing into retirement.
Martin’s career skyrocketed when he joined the “Saturday Night Live” ensemble. His exceptional acting skills and quick wit made him a regular presence on television, providing humor to millions of fans. Throughout his career, Martin has collected numerous awards and appeared in a vast array of films, including classics like ‘Pink Panther,’ ‘Cheaper by the Dozen,’ and ‘Father of the Bride.’
While most people retire in their sixties, Martin not only continued to work on projects and films but also embraced fatherhood for the first time at 67 when he and his wife Anne Stringfield welcomed their daughter in 2012.
Reflecting on his decision to retire, Martin stated, “There comes a point in your career when audiences can’t wait to see you… At this stage of my career, I’m the one who has to make the effort to show up.”
Regarding his show Only Murders in the Building, which he created with John Hoffman and stars alongside Selena Gomez and Martin Short, Martin told Variety, “I’m very happy with my character not growing. They always say, ‘What’s the arc of the character? What does he learn?’ Once you get to 75, there’s not a lot left to learn, there’s only more mistakes. So I don’t worry about those things. [It’s about] being true to the character. If Marty Short is true to Oliver, and I’m true to Charles, then we can’t go wrong. They’re real people.”
He added, “When this television show is done, I’m not going to seek others. I’m not going to seek other movies. I don’t want to do cameos. This is, weirdly, it.”
Few can claim a career as outstanding as Steve Martin’s. Saying farewell to Hollywood with a win is perhaps the best kind of goodbye.