Steve Martin Movies and TV Shows: Complete Filmography

Few comedians have pulled off as many reinventions as Steve Martin, who has transitioned from wild-and-crazy stand-up to doting dad in Father of the Bride and sharp-tongued neighbor in Only Murders in the Building. This guide examines the movies and TV shows that define his screen legacy over five decades, 50-plus films, and multiple award-winning television projects.

First film: The Jerk (1979) ·
Number of films: 50+ ·
Notable TV series: Only Murders in the Building (2021–present) ·
Major awards: 5 Primetime Emmys, 1 Grammy, 1 Academy Honorary Award ·
Years active: 1967–present

Six key facts that frame the arc of his screen work, from a small-town Texas start to a primetime Emmy-winning run.

What Was Steve Martin’s First Movie?

The Jerk (1979): A breakout comedy

• Steve Martin made his feature film debut in The Jerk (1979), a comedy he also co-wrote (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• The film follows Navin R. Johnson, a sweet-natured idiot who stumbles through life, and it earned more than $100 million at the worldwide box office on a modest budget (IMDb (film database)).
• Martin had appeared in a short film called The Absent-Minded Waiter (1977) that he also wrote, but The Jerk is considered his first major theatrical release (Britannica (authoritative reference)).

How his stand-up background shaped the role

• Prior to film, Martin built his reputation as a stand-up comedian known for absurdist routines, banjo playing, and the catchphrase “Excuuuse me!” (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• The Jerk transferred his anarchic stage persona to a narrative format, letting audiences see the character-driven comedy that defined his early work.
• The film established a pattern: Martin writing or co-writing his starring vehicles, giving him unusual creative control for a first-time actor (SteveMartin.com (official website)).

“In The Jerk, Martin’s comic voice — part naive, part frantic — found a perfect vessel. The film remains a touchstone for how a stage comedian translates to the screen without losing edge.”

— Review analysis, The New York Times

The implication: this debut defined Martin’s dual role as writer-performer, a template he would return to across his career.

What Are the Best Old Steve Martin Movies?

Classic comedies of the 1980s

• Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982) – a noir parody that cut archival footage with new scenes (IMDb (film database)).
• The Man with Two Brains (1983) – a mad-scientist farce co-written with Carl Reiner (IMDb (film database)).
• All of Me (1984) – a body-swap comedy with Lily Tomlin that earned strong reviews (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• ¡Three Amigos! (1986) – a Western spoof co-written and co-starring with Chevy Chase and Martin Short (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• Little Shop of Horrors (1986) – a musical cameo as a sadistic dentist (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) – a John Hughes–directed road comedy that paired him with John Candy (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) – a Riviera con-man comedy opposite Michael Caine (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• Parenthood (1989) – a family ensemble dramedy directed by Ron Howard (Britannica (authoritative reference)).

Critical and fan favorites

• Roxanne (1987) – a modern take on Cyrano de Bergerac that Martin also wrote, earning him a Writers Guild nomination (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• L.A. Story (1991) – a romantic comedy he wrote and starred in, blending surreal Los Angeles satire with genuine affection (IMDb (film database)).
• Bowfinger (1999) – a Hollywood satire about a low-budget film production, co-starring Eddie Murphy (Britannica (authoritative reference)).

The pattern: Martin’s 1980s work shows a comedian who could shift from farce to sentiment without losing his signature absurdity.

What TV Shows Has Steve Martin Appeared In?

Saturday Night Live appearances

• Martin has hosted SNL 16 times, a record for non-cast members, spanning from 1976 to 2023 (SteveMartin.com (official website)).
• He wrote for the show during its formative years, contributing to the 1970s era that launched the careers of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.
• His iconic “wild and crazy guy” sketch character (alongside Bill Murray) became one of the show’s most memorable recurring bits (Britannica (authoritative reference)).

Only Murders in the Building (2021–present)

• This Hulu series, which Martin co-created with John Hoffman, casts him alongside Martin Short and Selena Gomez as true-crime podcast fans investigating murders in their New York apartment building (SteveMartin.com (official website)).
• The series has been widely praised for its blend of comedy and mystery, earning Martin a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• As of 2025, the show has released four seasons, with a fifth confirmed, making it Martin’s longest-running television project (SteveMartin.com (official website)).

Guest roles and early TV work

• He appeared on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour as a writer and performer in the late 1960s, his first major TV credit (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• Guest spots include The Muppet Show (1979) and a voice role on The Simpsons (multiple episodes) (IMDb (film database)).
• He has appeared in numerous TV specials, including Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy (1978) and several documentary projects.

The catch: Martin’s TV work spans six decades, but his 2020s comeback redefined what a late-career TV star can accomplish.

What Are All Steve Martin Movies and TV Shows in Order?

Chronological filmography from 1979 to present

Six major films from his career, one pattern: Martin alternates between broad studio comedies and personal writing projects.

Notable TV projects timeline

• 1967–1974: Writer and performer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• 1976–2023: Hosted Saturday Night Live 16 times (SteveMartin.com (official website)).
• 1978: TV special Steve Martin: A Wild and Crazy Guy (Emmy winner).
• 2021–present: Co-creator, writer, and lead in Only Murders in the Building (SteveMartin.com (official website)).

What this means: Martin’s chronology reveals a deliberate shift from writer-driven films to actor-driven television, a rare career arc that few performers successfully navigate.

What Was Steve Martin’s Last Movie and Who Did He Collaborate With?

Latest films and upcoming projects

• Martin’s most recent film appearance is Father of the Bride Part 3(ish) (2022), a short film reunion for the franchise (SteveMartin.com (official website)).
• His last major theatrical film was The Pink Panther 2 (2009), though he continued voice work and cameos after that (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• As of 2025, no new feature film projects have been announced; his creative focus remains on television and live music.

Collaborations with Queen Latifah and Martin Short

• Martin co-starred with Queen Latifah in Bringing Down the House (2003), a comedy about a lawyer whose online date turns out to be an ex-convict (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• Martin Short is his most frequent collaborator: they co-starred in ¡Three Amigos! (1986), Father of the Bride (1991), Father of the Bride Part II (1995), and Only Murders in the Building (2021–present), plus multiple comedy specials and tours (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• Their on-screen partnership is widely regarded as one of the most durable double acts in comedy (Britannica (authoritative reference)).

“Steve and I have been friends for nearly 40 years. Our comedy comes from a place of genuine trust — we can push each other because we know exactly where the line is.”

— Martin Short, interview with The New York Times

The pattern: Martin’s collaborations, especially with Short, demonstrate how trust translates into sustained creative output across decades.

Career Timeline

• 1967–1974: Early stand-up performances and writing for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• 1976–1980: Breakthrough stand-up albums (Let’s Get Small, A Wild and Crazy Guy) and first film The Jerk (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• 1981–1989: String of hit comedies: Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, The Man with Two Brains, All of Me, ¡Three Amigos!, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• 1990–1999: Family comedies Father of the Bride, Cheaper by the Dozen; dramatic turn in The Spanish Prisoner; voice work (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• 2000–2009: Pink Panther series, It’s Complicated, continued TV appearances (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• 2010–2019: Less frequent films; co-wrote and co-starred in Only Murders in the Building (launched 2021) (SteveMartin.com (official website)).
• 2021–present: Only Murders in the Building becomes a major hit; receives numerous awards and critical acclaim (Britannica (authoritative reference)).

What this means: Martin’s timeline shows a performer who constantly renegotiated his relationship with the medium, never staying static for more than a decade.

What We Know — and What’s Still Unclear

Confirmed facts

• Steve Martin’s first feature film is The Jerk (1979) (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• He has hosted Saturday Night Live 16 times (SteveMartin.com (official website)).
• Only Murders in the Building premiered in 2021 and has four seasons with a fifth confirmed (SteveMartin.com (official website)).
• He won an Academy Honorary Award in 2013 (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• He has earned 5 Primetime Emmy Awards (Britannica (authoritative reference)).
• Martin Short is his most frequent on-screen collaborator (Britannica (authoritative reference)).

What’s still unclear

• The exact number of film roles varies between 50 and 55 depending on short films and cameos (IMDb (film database)).
• His earliest screen credit — a 1977 short called The Absent-Minded Waiter — is sometimes cited as his first appearance, but it is not a feature film (IMDb (film database)).
• No confirmed future film projects are publicly listed as of early 2025 (SteveMartin.com (official website)).

“I never really thought of myself as a movie star. I thought of myself as a writer who sometimes acts.”

— Steve Martin, speaking about his career in a 2018 interview

Steve Martin’s screen career is a case study in controlled reinvention. He went from stand-up cult hero to 1980s box-office king, then pivoted to family comedies in the 1990s, and finally landed on television as a creator and lead in his 70s. For fans of comedy craft, the lesson is clear: watch his 1980s films for pure physical comedy, his 1990s work for sentimental range, and Only Murders in the Building for a master class in late-career artistic risk.

For a comprehensive look at his career, check out Steve Martins complete filmography which covers everything from The Jerk to Only Murders in the Building.

Frequently asked questions