From ‘Wild And Crazy Guy’ to ‘Safe, Sensible And Sane’

Steve Martin and Alison Brown Crown Their Banjo Partnership With A Charming Album Steve Martin’s career transcends category and defies explanation. Over 50 years, he has: shared an Emmy Award writing for the Smothers Brothers TV show; filled arenas doing wacky, non sequitur comedy; hosted Saturday Night Live 16 times; starred in and/or written dozens of films from the surreal to the sentimental; written plays, musicals, essays and novels; and collected art with such expertise that he once sold an Edward Hopper painting for almost $27 million. Meanwhile, he’s earned top cultural accolades, including the Mark Twain Prize, the Kennedy Center Honors, and an honorary Oscar. Then, approaching his 80th birthday, Martin co-created one of the biggest hits of his life with the acclaimed cable series Only Murders In The Building. To channel some of his old bits, he might say, with his smarmy 1970s grin, “I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, STEVE, with all that success, h