A Wild And Crazy Retiree: Steve Martin Won’t Seek Out New Roles After ‘Only Murders In The Building’ Wraps
Charles-Haden Savage will act no more.
And neither will his portrayer, Steve Martin, reportedly. Martin told The Hollywood Reporter that his role in Only Murders in the Building will be his last. Probably.
“When this television show is done, I’m not going to seek others,” Martin says. “I’m not going to seek other movies. I don’t want to do cameos. This is, weirdly, it,” said the 76-year-old comedian.
Martin began his career on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967-1969), for which he earned his first Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy, Variety or Music in 1969. In the mid-1970s, Martin made a name for himself with his absurd, gonzo stand-up style on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and was a frequent host in the early days of NBC’s Saturday Night Live.
From there he dove into acting, appearing in offbeat comedies like The Jerk (1979), Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982), The Man With Two Brains (1983), Three Amigos (1986), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), Roxanne (1987), Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels (1988), L.A. Story (1991), and Bowfinger (1999). He also appeared as the patriarch in the Father of the Bride movies and Parenthood (1989).
Martin also plays the banjo, and has won five Grammy Awards (two for his comedy albums and three more for his bluegrass music). Add that to his Honorary Academy Award, and he’s almost an EGOT; Martin was nominated for a Tony for writing the book and music for Broadway’s Brightstar.
Martin has a book due out soon about acting, called Number One Is Walking: My Life in the Movies and Other Diversions,. It’s a collection of anecdotes accompanied by illustrations from frequent collaborator Harry Bliss.
Now airing its second season, Only Murders In The Building stars Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as amateur true crime podcasters. The show, which is based on an idea Martin dreamed up years ago, racked up 17 Emmy noms in its first season, including two for Martin as a producer and an actor.
Martin and OMITB co-star Martin Short are currently touring nationally in an act called You Won’t Believe What They Look Like Today! As busy as Martin has been over his long and varied career, the article quotes Short as saying “I think Steve has learned the joy of collarboration. All through his stand-up life, he was by himself. Now, when he has success, he can celebrate with someone. And when something bombs, he can really laugh about it — as opposed to just being alone with it.”
Martin admits that this last hurrah may be the start of a career winding down. “My wife keeps saying, ‘You always say you’re going to retire and then you always come up with something,’ ” said Martin. “I’m really not interested in retiring. I’m not. But I would just work a little less. Maybe.”