Was Steve Martin a Cast Member on SNL? The Comedian's Long History with the Show
Martin has a 48-year history with Saturday Night Live.
When you think of classic moments from Saturday Night Live's earliest days, a handful of familiar faces immediately jump to mind. There's the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players — Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Chevy Chase, and Laraine Newman — as well as Bill Murray, who joined the cast in Season 2. And then there's Steve Martin, whose history with the sketch show is, in many ways, more involved than any of the original cast's. But was Steve Martin ever a Saturday Night Live cast member himself?
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Before taking the Studio 8H stage for the first time in 1976, Martin was an up-and-coming comedian, performing onstage and writing for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. But his work on SNL is what first propelled Martin to stardom, placing him in front of a massive live audience.
"The impact was tremendous," Martin said in the 2015 documentary Live From New York! "Just, overnight, it was the hottest show in the country, no doubt, at the hottest moment."
From his "King Tut" performance and playing Georg Festrunk opposite Aykroyd in "Two Wild & Crazy Guys" to his December 10, 2022 co-hosting stint with Only Murders in the Building costar (and Season 10 cast member) Martin Short, Steve Martin's comedic contributions have had an enduring impact, and we can only hope to see him again in SNL Season 50.
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Was Steve Martin ever in the Saturday Night Live cast?
No. Steve Martin has appeared on SNL 35 times (and counting) in total — he hosted three times during Season 3 alone! — so if you'd assumed he was in the cast, it's understandable.
How many times has Steve Martin hosted SNL?
He's hosted an astounding 16 times — one less than the person who's hosted the most SNL episodes of all time, Alec Baldwin.
Here's every episode Steve Martin has hosted. Stream them on Peacock anytime.
Season 2
October 23, 1976
February 26, 1977
Season 3
September 24, 1977
January 21, 1978
April 22, 1978
Season 4
November 4, 1978
Season 5
October 13, 1979
May 17, 1980
Season 12
December 6, 1986 (Co-Hosting with The Three Amigos costars Chevy Chase and Martin Short)
Season 13
October 17, 1987
Season 14
May 20, 1989
Season 17
December 14, 1991
Season 20
September 24, 1994
Season 31
February 4, 2006
Season 34
January 31, 2009
Season 48
December 10, 2022 (Co-Hosting with Martin Short)
