Julien’s Auctions shines spotlight on Steve Martin July 18

LOS ANGELES – Julien’s Auctions will present property from the collection of Steve Martin, an exclusive auction event celebrating the distinguished career of the actor and comedian, taking place Saturday, July 18, in Beverly Hills. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

All of Steve Martin’s proceeds from the auction will be donated to benefit the Motion Picture Home in honor of Roddy McDowall, the late legendary stage, film and television actor. For more info mptf.com.

On offer is the most comprehensive collection of Martin’s costumes and memorabilia ever assembled at auction from his films, television shows and specials, as well as awards, posters, musical instruments, magic props and personal items from one of Hollywood’s most revered comic geniuses and the acclaimed actor’s celebrated career spanning over five decades.

Stephen Glenn Martin was born Aug. 14, 1945, in Waco, Texas. He began his comedy career in the 1960s as a writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, where at the age of 23, Martin won an Emmy award in 1969 for writing and made his first television appearance on the show. In the 1970s, Martin made frequent appearances performing his stand-up comedy on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Saturday Night Live and toured in the nation’s top comedy clubs across the U.S. Martin became one of SNL’s most iconic stars with viewership jumping by a million viewers during his guest appearances. Martin is one of the show’s most successful hosts appearing on 27 Saturday Night Live shows and a 15 guest host.

Hollywood soon called and Martin made his acting film debut in the 1972 film Another Fine Mess. It was his starring role in the 1979 comedy film The Jerk that established Martin as a bona fide box office Hollywood star. Directed by Carl Reiner from a screenplay written by Martin and two other writers, the film was a smash hit, grossing over $100 million. In 1981, Martin starred in his first serious film role in 1981’s Pennies from Heaven and reteamed with director Reiner in three other hit comedy films: 1982’s Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, 1983’s The Man with Two Brains, and 1984’s All of Me, which is considered one of Martin’s most critically acclaimed performances.

A self-taught banjo player since the age of 17, Martin is also a Grammy Award-winning bluegrass musician and composer.

One of the top highlights of the auction will be the sale of one of Martin’s trademark three-piece white suits (estimate: $10,000-$20,000) worn during his sold-out stand-up comedy performances in the ’80s. He had two of his white suits custom-designed – the one on offer in this auction, and the other suit was donated to the Smithsonian Museum where it is currently on display.

Other highlights include film props such as Martin’s dental prop from the 1986 film Little Shop of Horrors, a heavyweight silvertone metal hammer engraved “Orin Scrivello D.D.S.; Martin’s signed script from the 1979 hit comedy film The Jerk (estimate: $3,000-$5,000); Martin’s awards including his People’s Choice Awards for Favorite Actor in a Comedy Motion Picture from 1992 and 1993 (estimate: $1,000-$2,000 each); a Gibson Mastertone banjo gifted to Martin by Queen Latifah, his co-star on the 2003 comedy Bringing Down the House (estimate: $2,000-$3,000); Martin’s stage-played 1976 Gibson Flying V solid-body electric guitar (estimate: $4,000-$6,000).

View top auction results on LiveAuctioneers here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/