Steve Martin: The Magic Years [Hardcover]

Morris W. Walker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2001

This book documents the wild and crazy years the author spent growing up with the superstar of comedy, Steve Martin. No one could better chronicle Steve's enchanted life than his oldest friend, Morris Walker. You will re-live the times that Steve Martin himself refers to as 'The best years of my life!' as well as all of his accomplishments since then. These are the adventures of two young boys who were dedicated to comedy as a way of life since the day they met in the 6th grade. From Steve's earliest days as the class clown through his struggling years on the road to his phenomenal success as a stand-up comic, movie star and producer - they were as inseparable as loving brothers and became best friends for life. Every chapter is filled with wild and crazy antics, laughter, warmth and more comedy. Followers of Steve's brilliant career will love this book because it is not only an authoritative firsthand account, but it is written in a humorous style that demonstrates the warmth and generosity of spirit that few Hollywood personalities are ever able to exhibit. Readers and fans will admire Steve Martin even more as they learn about his early days working at Disneyland to his first job as a writer on "The Smothers Brothers Show" to becoming the highest paid comedian in the country, starring in over 25 great films. As re-told in "Steve Martin: The Magic Years", his enchanted life has been an epic adventure in the history of American film and entertainment.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Martin, famous comic of films and TV, had no limitations after his career took off in the late 1970s. This applies as well to most of his youthful years, as related by Walker, who was Martin's best friend from the age of 13. These class clowns were notorious for pratfalls, water balloons, and pranks. Some of this is not funny to hear about, but it documents Martin's apprenticeship in his craft. A few youthful escapades are hilarious, like hanging a bogus painting spattered with bird droppings in an art museum. Walker also had a short career as the comedian's sideman in magic shows. Observed as a star, Martin is a warm, generous friend, rather bland, with no problems of drugs, alcohol, finances, or sex (only one marriage, no children, and an unexplained divorce). Narrator Barrett Whitener has an odd habit of occasional but annoying short pauses, not allowing all the sentences to flow to the end. Recommended mainly for Martin's fans and budding comics.
-Gordon Blackwell, Eastchester, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Review

"Finally, a book about me! I loved this book and fell deeply in love with the central character!" -Steve Martin

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: S.P.I. Books (February 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561719803
• ISBN-13: 978-1561719808
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,247,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Insubstantial bio from a hanger-on, June 13, 2001

By 

R. Riis "rriis" (NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Steve Martin: The Magic Years (Hardcover)

Walker is a long-time close friend of Steve Martin, which certainly qualifies him to write a book of this sort, but unfortunately he seems more concerned with dropping his own name into the story at every turn than in illuminating Martin's life and work in any substantial way. Some of the facts of Steve Martin's early days are interesting, but the thread gets lost once Martin becomes famous. You can sense his (Martin's) moving beyond Walker's circle (probably for good reason), and a suggestion of Walker's need to hang on. There is a very interesting book waiting to be written about this gifted and brilliant comedian/actor/writer, but this is definitely not that book.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A poor book on a good subject, February 14, 2002

By 

David Watkins (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Steve Martin: The Magic Years (Hardcover)

First, let me start off by saying that I am a HUGE Steve Martin fan and that I had very high hopes for this book. I had never seen a bio on Steve Martin before, and when I saw that this was more about how he got started with comedy and magic, I was really excited.

But half-way through the book, I found myself bored and confused. For example, the author starts off one chapter by saying that Steve Martin makes a lot of money (he seems almost obsessed with the subject of money and how much of it Mr. Martin makes) and then a few paragraphs later, says how "Steve doesn't like to discuss money". Then only a few paragraphs later talks about how much it costs Steve Martin to live each year ($... million he says)...then says how private Steve Martin is about his money. All of these contradictions within a few paragraphs of each other.

Also, we all realize that the author and Steve Martin were good friends growing up...we don't need to hear about it every other paragraph. It's as if the author feels like he needs to prove it to us every page...like we don't belive him or something. This man has something to prove and we as readers have to pay for it. I got the feeling that the author had been telling these stories at parties for the past 20 years and no one belived that he knew Steve Martin so to get back at them, he wrote a book and put a big picture of the two of them on the back cover.

All this being said, there are some good stories, and if you can get past the author, the subject matter is very interesting.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Buyer Beware, May 23, 2001

By 

Dan M. (Great Neck, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Steve Martin: The Magic Years (Hardcover)

After 50 pages is was apparent that this one trick pony should not have been allowed in the show. I know that's harsh, but fans will want more substance from a so-called insider who builds his effort around childhood pranks and high school clowning. His perceived present impressions of Martin are derived from 'dozens of letters' that are rarely if ever cited. Also difficult to read are the author's implied contributions to the development of Steve's talent with mock protestations of his own implication.

A more focused approach would have presented the material only in the context of that time period instead the author writes with broad strokes and thus sacrifices credibility by claiming to have insight on the present Mr. Martin.

There is a story here; it's just not presented well. No doubt, the author and Martin have a definite bond--one that would have made a nice photo essay for Vanity Fair.

(Take away half a star for amateur publishing.)