Top five films: Steve Martin

Steve Martin made his name on seminal American comedy show Saturday Night Live, riding on a wave of success along with other cast members including John Belushi, Dan Ackroyd, Chevy Chase and Bill Murray.

Now he's starring as dentist Frank Sangster in new comedy thriller Novocaine. With a film career spanning four decades, we take a look at Steve Martin's best - and worst - films.

1. All Of Me
A dying millionaire discovers she can have her soul moved into another body - but a series of goofs leaves lawyer Steve Martin as the unwilling host. After earlier disappointments at the box office, this is the movie that really broke Martin on the big screen, and deservedly so as he puts in a great comic turn as the man fighting to contain two seperate personalities in the same body.

2. The Man With Two Brains (1983)
Zany brain surgeon Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr falls for femme fatale patient Kathleen Turner - who turns out to be the wife from hell. Looking for comfort, he falls for a telepathic brain in a jar - and discovers that a new brain transplantation technique could make all his dreams come true...if he can find a body to put his new love into. Light but hilarious, with a great performance from Turner.

3. Bowfinger (1999)
After a few years in the wilderness starring in mediocre rom-coms, Martin returned to form after joining forces with Eddie Murphy. Martin stars as Hollywood's worst film director, out to panhandle tinseltown's biggest star (Murphy) into his latest film. A welcome comeback full of madcap antics.

4. The Jerk (1979)
Navin grew up as the adopted son of a black family. But he's white. Martin pulls off a great performance as the idiot who decides to see what the rest of the world has in store for him - but gets exploited by everyone and their mother along the way in this rags-to-riches-to-rags tale.

5. Roxanne (1987)
Martin showed he could do romance as well as comedy when he played opposite Daryl Hannah in this update of the classic tale of Cyrano de Bergerac. As large-nosed fireman C.D. Bales, Martin falls in love with Hannah from afar - and helps his friend to try and woo her instead.

Honorable mentions should also go to Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), Parenthood (1989) and Little Shop of Horrors (1987) - where he first cut his teeth playing a dentist.

When it comes to picking Martin's lowest ebb, it's a toss-up between two remakes. Father of the Bride (1991), where Martin does his take on isn't a terrible film, but it's notable as the beginning of his early 90's slump that saw lamentable MOR comedies like Housesitter, Leap of Faith and Father of the Bride II.

But the award for worst Steve Martin film must go to Sgt Bilko (1996), the dire Phil Silvers remake that earned Martin a whopping $7 million - but bombed at the box office, and deservedly so. Paying tribute to your heroes is one thing - tarnishing their memory is quite another.