Comic who successfully made the transition from a zany stand-up act to ridiculous film comedies to dramatic film roles to leading man status.

Is an accomplished banjo player and appears playing the instrument in Earl Scruggs and Friends video for "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," for which he won a Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance. This makes him rare in that he has won Grammies for both comedy and music.

Stanley Kubrick liked his work in The Jerk (1979) and once considered having him play Bill Harford in Eyes Wide Shut (1999); the role that later went to Tom Cruise.

Dated Anne Heche.

Is a trustee of the Los Angeles Museum of Art, and collects the art of Georgia O'Keeffe, Richard Diebenkorn, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, Cy Twombly, Helen Frankenthaler, Edward Hopper, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, and Pablo Picasso.

Born at 5:54am-CWT

He is in the horn section of B.B. King's "In The Midnight Hour" music video.

Studied philosophy at California State University at Long Beach, and for a while, considered becoming a philosophy professor instead of an actor-comedian. He periodically spoofed his philosophy studies in his 1970s stand-up act, such as comparing Philosophy with studying Geology - "If you're studying Geology, which is all facts, as soon as you get out of school you forget it all, but Philosophy you remember just enough to screw you up for the rest of your life.".

Once had a job at Disneyland in the Magic Shop on Main Street, USA. He also worked for neighboring amusement park Knott's Berry Farm as a comedian in their "Birdcage Theatre." It was during these jobs that he honed his skills in live performance, such as improv comedy, banjo playing, juggling, and lassoing.

Graduated from Garden Grove High School in 1963. He attended Rancho Alamitos High School in the beginning of his high school career, but then Garden Grove opened. At that point he lived in the attendance area that went to Grove and had to start going there. He was also a cheerleader at Rancho and often did his King Tut dance.

Member of "Saturday Night Live" (1975)'s "Five Timers Club" by hosting 14 times (the most one person has ever hosted).

Contrary to popular belief, Martin was never a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" (1975). However, he holds the records for guest appearances (25) on the show (followed closely by Buck Henry), hosting (at 14 times, he sets the standard for the SNL "Five Timers Club"), and hosting in a single season (3). He is also the only person to have hosted a season premiere, a season finale, and a Christmas show.

Hosted the 75th Annual Academy Awards.

He is a fan of _"Monty Python's Flying Circus" (1969) (TV)_ . This led to him being the host/narrator of the documentary Parrot Sketch Not Included: Twenty Years of Monty Python (1989) (TV).

As a vegetarian, he made fun of hot dogs in his 1970s stand-up act; a joke about hot dogs appears on his 1979 album "Comedy Is Not Pretty".

His study of philosophy was a source of much of his material for his 1970s standup act.

Was listed as #50 in People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" List (2003).

Played the banjo in his guest appearance on the _"Muppet Show, The" (1976)_ .

Was voted Most Talented by his classmates at Garden Grove high school.

Chosen as #6 in Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time

Is skilled with a rope or lasso and did his own rope work in _¡Three Amigos! (1986)_ . He also plays the harmonica.

At his insistence, the 1987-1988 season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" (1975) (hosted by Martin) went on, despite the fact that there hadn't been a dress rehearsal. There was a fire in a nearby studio and the cast and crew were evacuated from Rockefeller Center just before dress rehearsal was scheduled to begin.

Was listed as a potential nominee on both the 2004 and 2007 Razzie Award nominating ballots. He was listed as a suggestion in the Worst Actor category for the films Bringing Down the House (2003) and Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), and in the Worst Supporting Actor category for his role in Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) on the 2004 ballot. He was suggested again three years later in the Worst Actor category on the 2007 ballot for his performance in The Pink Panther (2006), but he failed to receive any one of these nominations. He is still yet to be nominated for a Razzie Award.

Attended Lampson Intermediate School (now Ralston Intermediate) in Garden Grove, California.

Recipient of the 8th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2005, awarded by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Has worked with actor 'Eugene Levy' on four different films, Father of the Bride (1991), Father of the Bride Part II (1995), Bringing Down the House (2003) and Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005).

His performance as Navin Johnson in 'The Jerk' (1979) was ranked #99 among Premiere Magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Film Performances of All Time (2006).

Was considered for the role of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005).

Is a fan of "Doctor Who" (1963).

His performance as Navin Johnson in "The Jerk" (1979) is ranked #66 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

Says his favorite movie of his own is Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987).

A production of his play "The Underpants" was directed by Brian Barney for Bruka Theatre, Reno, Nevada, USA, in November 2005.

Is a member of Mensa, as are James Woods, Ben Rollins.

Like Weird Al Yankovic, did a satire sketch of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" music video on the "Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson.

Was on an episode of The Dating Game before he was famous in 1966. He won a date with an old friend name Marscha Walker with whom he had not seen in 3 years.

Lists British television (especially the comedies) as his biggest influence.

Fell into depression for a couple of months when his good friend John Candy died.

Appeared on the Dating Game twice in the late 1960s. He won both times and wore the same shirt and jacket.

Is a fan of the animated series Dave The Barbarian.

Went to the same College, Cal State Long beach as Frank Miranda.