How did Steve martin get into acting?

After breaking into show business as a gag writer for Tom and Dick Smothers he began performing in nighthclubs and also played banjo on the side; he earned guest appearences on Johnny Carson's television series before making a significant alternation to his stand-up act in the early-1970s, dressing in all-white business suits and inserting greater parody of the conventions of stand-up comedy into his act. In 1976 he was hired to be a host on the nascent comedy series Saturday Night Live! on NBC and his performances earned the show notoriety and strong ratings, to where he became a semi-fixture on the series and began releasing comedy albums to strong acclaim. Acting followed his stand-up success in 1979 and has continued since.