It's too bad there is probably a whole generation that only knows Steve Martin as an actor in a few decent comedies and a bunch of family movies.

He was a really groundbreaking standup, and influenced every comedian that has come after him. As much as I love Murray, there's really no comparison when in comes to their influence on comedy.

Side effects. Really funny Steve Martin bit:



My favorite side effect - "may cause stigmata in Mexicans"

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I would put Robin Williams over both, to be honest. May sound crazy at first but, think about it. He's had a better standup career than Murray, and a better film career than both.

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Murray was never a stand-up. He came up through Second City and then National Lampoon Radio Hour (and that Howard Cossell mess of a show) prior to SNL.

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True. That's why, body-of-work-wise, I think you have to put Williams over Murray, and at least on part with Martin.

Williams blows away Martin in the dramatic category, and goes toe-to-toe with him in comedic roles. And he holds his own in the stand-up category.

Don't forget Williams was a liberal, so you can't like him either.

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Don't forget Williams was a liberal, so you can't like him either.

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I lost a lot of respect for him when he died, but his comedy is great.

I don't give a flying **** about an actors politics, beliefs or personal life. Bill Cosby may be a rapist POS and can burn in Hell but I'll always love the Cosby Show.

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I would put Robin Williams over both, to be honest. May sound crazy at first but, think about it. He's had a better standup career than Murray, and a better film career than both.

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Murray was never a stand-up. He came up through Second City and then National Lampoon Radio Hour (and that Howard Cossell mess of a show) prior to SNL.

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True. That's why, body-of-work-wise, I think you have to put Williams over Murray, and at least on part with Martin.

Williams blows away Martin in the dramatic category, and goes toe-to-toe with him in comedic roles. And he holds his own in the stand-up category.

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Here's the thing on Williams. Folks don't like to talk about it because of his recent death, but he was not very respected in the comedian community because he was notorious for stealing jokes. That's a big no-no.

Another good one:


But I had, a couple of months ago, a very important experience in my life, and I'd like to share it with you. I went to France, and I visited the Cathedreal at Sharte, and, I had a very moving experience. If you've never seen it, it's a magnificent building, probably 400 years old, beautiful stained glass, and, I have to be honest with you, I was very, very moved. And as I was.. writing my name on it with a can of spray paint.. I thought of something I read about a year ago that has completely changed my life, and tonight I would like to share this with you. It's not often in literature that you come across a phrase or sentence that really means a lot to you, and I'd like to read it for you right now. [ pulls paper out of pocket ] "Apply to infested area."

You just never knew the direction the joke was going to come from.

Another good one.

Btw, his book, Born Standing Up gives some really great views into the job of a stand up comic.

The way great comedians can work so hard on a joke and the wording of a joke and still make it seem so natural is something. Norm McDonald tweets a lot about this. Mike Myers apparently just worked forever on his Wayne's world bits.

Bill is my choice as I like his subtle use of humor. Steve is very very good though.

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Bill Murray is a legend. Steve Martin is on the same level as Martin Short.

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Meh. Nah.

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I've got to give Bill Murray an edge here. True, Steve Martin has made some wonderful movies: L A STORY, PARENTHOOD, ROXANNE. He's also made movies that were steaming turds: FATHER OF THE BRIDE and THE PINK PANTHER come immediately to mind, and BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE almost comes under that umbrella. Watch these and you'll see a highly competent worker on an assembly line putting in an honest day's work and shutting his work station down at the end of the day.

Of course, Bill Murray did GARFIELD. Hey, anyone can make a mistake.

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Father of the Bride is a great movie

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Murray loses points for hipsters thinking Murray's best roles were in Wes Anderson films.

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So true

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If you wanna be that guy and say that fine, but his roles in Rushmore and The Life Aquatic are amazing. Steve Zissou is hilarious.

I do think Murray has done a better job transitioning from the early days. You can't keep making Caddyshack or the Jerk over and over again. I do think Murray has done better finding a niche outside that kind of movie.

I saw Martin at the height of his stand-up comedic fame. He was f'ing hilarious.

There's no question about it. Weighing their total bodies of work in comedy, Bill Murray wins in a landslide.

I just happened to catch "Tootsie" on tv recently and I had forgotten how hilarious and perfect Murray was in that movie.

If Murray is the lead in any movie it's a automatic no go just like DiCraprio. Hated every single sketch he was in on SNL, absolutely not funny. Martin wins by default.

In a pure dramatic role, I loved Martin's work in 'A Simple Twist of Fate'. Great spin on George Eliot's "Silas Marner". If you have never seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it.

There are at least 2 retards on this thread

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There are at least 2 retards on this thread

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Oh wow. We are doing much better than a normal texags thread then.

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For truth

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I saw Martin at the height of his stand-up comedic fame. He was f'ing hilarious.

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As someone else said, it's hard now to appreciate how big Martin was in the 70's. I wasn't born yet for most of it, but had older siblings and neighbors who helped me understand it.

To put it into perspective, people were actually trying to learn to play banjo and trying out at local comedy workshops, inspired by Martin.

Steve Martin by a mile, I've never understood the love of Bill Murray.

Martin

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RIP Harold Ramis

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Stripes is hands down one of my all time favorites. I don't know if Ramis and Murray were ever better alongside eachother than in Stripes.

Murray by a mile.