Steve Martin or Bill Murray?

13,852 Views | 105 Replies | Last: 8 yr ago by Bullmoose
Definitely Not A Cop
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Who do you pick. I'm talking about entire body of work. Both are absolute legends in comedy.
Brian Earl Spilner
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Madmarttigan
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Murray, never enjoyed Martin that much.
91_Aggie
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Steve Martin, easily.
CE Lounge Lizzard
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Aggie_Journalist
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Macarthur
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quote:
Steve Martin, easily.
Quincey P. Morris
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Murray. Love Steve Martin too though.
COOL LASER FALCON
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I'll say Murray, but I get the impression that it's hard to understand the cultural phenomenon that was Steve Martin unless you lived through it.
Quad Dog
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Tough choice. I'd probably choose Murray, but that is personal taste.
However, a guy like Murray exists because of Martin. His impact on comedy is huge. The A.V Club just posted this amazing guide to his work the other day.
http://www.avclub.com/article/beginners-guide-steve-martins-eclectic-groundbreak-223008
BMX Bandit
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Entire body of work has to be Murray.

For comedy only I still give him the edge. Hard to top:

Phil Connors
Venkman
Winger
Mr Blume
Spackler
Brian Earl Spilner
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Honest question about Steve Martin.

Every time I see the King Tut sketch, I fail to see the comedy in it. What exactly is so great about it that makes it such a "classic" SNL sketch? What is the humor that I'm not seeing/getting?
Definitely Not A Cop
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I have to go with Steve Martin. I think best cameo in movie history though has to be Bill Murray in Zombieland.
Macarthur
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They are both great, but I think what puts Martin over the top is his stand up work.
Duncan Idaho
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They are both great performers but if you are going by whole body of work, it has to be martin.

I don't think Murray is considered one of the best at his instrument and has won 2 Grammys for his music.

Plus there's his stand up, the jerk, his written works, etc

Murray is good but Martin is a true renaissance man.
aggiesq
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quote:
They are both great performers but if you are going by whole body of work, it has to be martin.

I don't think Murray is considered one of the best at his instrument and has won 2 Grammys for his music.

Plus there's his stand up, the jerk, his written works, etc

Murray is good but Martin is a true renaissance man.
yep. my gut reaction was murray, but martin's banjo probably puts him over the top for body of work. teh fact he can even hold his own in this group is telling

banjo

just comedy? murray.

redd38
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Steve Martin
BMX Bandit
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I didn't consider music
The Debt
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Murray loses points for hipsters thinking Murray's best roles were in Wes Anderson films.
powerbelly
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Martin for entire body of work.

Murray for movies.
Brian Earl Spilner
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He has nothing to do with that.
Bruce Almighty
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Martin is funnier but Murray has been in better movies.
GiveEmHellBill
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quote:
Every time I see the King Tut sketch, I fail to see the comedy in it. What exactly is so great about it that makes it such a "classic" SNL sketch? What is the humor that I'm not seeing/getting?
It's really a product of it's time.

I was a kid back then, but even I remember the cultural impact of the whole King Tut phenomenon. It was huge. And remember, this is wwaaayyyy back before the internet or really even cable television when it came to spreading information.

Martin was having massive success with his comedy tours (my brother had one of his live albums and I had it memorized) and one of the big parts of his live show was the King Tut song. Him performing it on Saturday Night Live for everyone to see (as opposed to hearing it on an album) was a pretty big deal. There's no way to compare it to anything these days because of Youtube and such.

It's considered a "classic" because of it's importance at that time. Martin was probably the biggest comedian in the world at that time and his appearances on SNL are still some of the best in the show's history. As a young kid, I saw him on it so much I thought he was a cast member.

And I still smile when I hear the line:
"Born in Arizona....Moved to Babylonia"

As for who I'd choose: Murray or Martin. I'd go with Martin, because he was a better comedic and dramatic actor, was a great writer and can play the banjo like a boss.
HtownAg92
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My initial thought was Murray, but thinking back, this is an impossible choice. Murray's more current work is better, but looking back at some of the "classics", they are pretty dead even.

Murray had Stripes, Ghostbusters, Meatballs, Scrooged, What About Bob?, Groundhog Day, Caddyshack, Rushmore....

Martin had The Jerk, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Parenthood...

Big Cat `93
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Both.
95_Aggie
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Martin
JRB78
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Martin also had Roxanne, one of my favorite movies. Its a very close call, but I pick Martin.
10andBOUNCE
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Martin for me. I even unashamedly enjoy him in Father of The Bride.
PLUM LOCO
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Steve was born in Waco and I saw him live at G.Rollie.

Martin by a long shot.
G Martin 87
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Martin is the correct choice. (But if I got sent to a desert island with a DVD player and a choice between only Steve Martin movies or only Bill Murray movies, I'd choose Murray.)
Sex Panther
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Bill Murray but I love both
The Debt
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Don't forget Three Amigos
The Debt
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This thread is moot.

Chevy Chase > these two
Sex Panther
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quote:
Honest question about Steve Martin.

Every time I see the King Tut sketch, I fail to see the comedy in it. What exactly is so great about it that makes it such a "classic" SNL sketch? What is the humor that I'm not seeing/getting?



At the time, there was a big King Tut traveling exhibition in America. It was a pretty big deal.

http://www.avclub.com/article/steve-martin-unearthed-majesty-king-tut-219774


I'm guessing it was a combination of Steve's popularity and just being such an over the top production on a silly and irreverent song about something that was a big cultural phenomenon at the time. The humor comes from how much he went for it and how much they put into it, despite it being so ridiculous.

Plus the song is catchy as hell.


But I wasn't even alive, so maybe someone else has more insight.
Bruce Almighty
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My favorite Steve Martin role is the dentist in Little Shop of Horrors
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