Steve Martin

Born: 14 August 1945 Birthplace: Waco, Texas Best Known As: The comedian who once said "Excuuuuuse me!" 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), and appeared in four films directed by Carl Reiner. 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). He's known for his brainy versatility and continues to work in films, writes plays (Picasso at the Lapin Agile), and publishes humorous essays in the New Yorker magazine.