PEOPLE-STEVE MARTIN / AFI AWARD American Film Institute honors Steve Martin with career spanning award

Record ID: 165451

  • Title: PEOPLE-STEVE MARTIN / AFI AWARD American Film Institute honors Steve Martin with career spanning award
  • Date: 5th June 2015
  • Summary: ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** STEVE MARTIN AND MARTIN SHORT TALKING TO REPORTERS SOUNDBITE (English) AFI LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT STEVE MARTIN, SAYING: "It's a big deal, I mean, here we are on Hollywood Boulevard where I walked when I was 16, when I was 15." MARTIN SHORT: "You don't have to tell those stories remember." STEVE MARTIN: "Yeah, I was 15 years old, I had a learner's permit and I could drive up and go to the magic stores, book stores, there were a lot of book stores around and there was a lot of magic shops, did I say that, yeah, and now to be standing here on the grounds of this beautiful theater, next to the Chinese Theatre, which was so important where all the stars put their handprints in, anyway, I'm just overwhelmed, but having a good time." COMEDIAN TINA FEY POSING FOR PHOTOS ACTOR DAN AYKROYD TALKING TO REPORTERS SOUNDBITE (English) ACTOR DAN AYKROYD, SAYING: "I'm glad that the AFI is reaching back to youth here, today, relatively speaking and there has never been a bigger contributor to entertainment than Steve if you look at his, he is a polymath, I mean, he is a playwright, an author, a standup, a movie star, a screenwriter, a television, a founder of SNL, founder of the Blues Brother, he started the Blues Brothers because he asked us to open for him." COMEDIAN SARAH SILVERMAN ON THE RED CARPET SOUNDBITE (English) COMEDIAN SARAH SILVERMAN, SAYING: "I've learned that an audience can see you sweat and you can be as smart as you want, but none of that matters when you're on stage. He is brilliant, but he is aggressively silly and that's what it is, he makes comedy art." ACTOR STEVE CARELL WALKING THE RED CARPET JACK BLACK TALKING TO REPORTERS STEVE MARTIN AND MARTIN SHORT TALKING TO REPORTERS SOUNDBITE (English) LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT STEVE MARTIN, SAYING: "I didn't plan it that way, but it turned out to be very important and significant, so I wasn't just an actor waiting on a script, you know I could really create things, make music and really live a full life that I liked." PEOPLE WALKING ON THE RED CARPET
  • Embargoed: 20th June 2015 13:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAEAR7G0NFCGCRJYDCZ88C2DBZU
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Steve Martin was saluted by his industry peers Thursday (June 4) when he was awarded with the 43rd American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award.
    Stars from the film industry and fellow comedians hit the red carpet in Hollywood to honor the award-winning actor, screenwriter, playwright, producer, banjo player and bestselling author.
    Among those on hand were Martin Short, Steve Carell, Sarah Silverman and Jack Black.
    Martin, born in Waco, Texas and raised in Southern California, rose through the ranks of comedy from performing magic at Disneyland to becoming a writer for "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" in 1969, for which he won an Emmy award. Martin rose to fame in the late 70's through his stand up comedy that filled stadiums like a rock star.
    He then entered film, starring in 1979's "The Jerk," "Father of the Bride" "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," "Roxanne" and the "Father of the Bride" remakes. He was given an honorary Oscar for his achievements in entertainment in 2013. He has hosted the Oscars three times.
    Appearing as a regular guest in "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" on NBC also helped him become one of the early cast members of the popular "Saturday Night Live" in 1975.
    He is also an accomplished pianist and banjo player, winning five Grammy awards for the comedy and bluegrass categories.
    Martin has repeatedly stated that his career wasn't planned and on the evening of the AFI Life Achievement Award he remembered his early years in Hollywood.
    "It's a big deal, I mean, here we are on Hollywood Boulevard where I walked when I was 16, I had a learner's permit and I could drive up and go to the magic stores, book stores and now to be standing here on the grounds of this beautiful theater, next to the Chinese Theater, which was so important where all the stars put their handprints in, anyway, I'm just overwhelmed , but having a good time," said Martin, a three-time host of the Academy Awards.
    Throughout the years, Martin has been a key figure for standup comedians and artists he has embraced.
    "He is brilliant, but he is aggressively silly and that's what it is, he makes comedy art," said Silverman.
    Canadian actor Dan Aykroyd, who was in the original "Saturday Night Live" cast and one half of "The Blues Brothers" said, "there is never been a bigger contributor to entertainment than Steve. If you look at it, he is a polymath, I mean, he is a playwright, an author, a standup, a movie star, a screenwriter, a television, a founder of SNL, founder of the Blues Brother, he started the Blues Brothers because he asked us to open for him."
    Martin's other plaudits and achievements include, bestselling author, a Grammy award for America roots song for his bluegrass collaboration with Edie Brickell for "Love Has Come for You," and a Kennedy Center Honor.
    The AFI Life Achievement Award to Steve Martin will air in a special broadcast on Saturday, June 13 on TBS.
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