It's been 30 years since Steve Martin (currently nominated for a whole lotta awards for his apparently equally awesome banjo-playing) got his first leading role in "The Jerk." So it is more than just that prematurely gray head of hair which has you thinking of Martin as a Hollywood lifer. Of course, there was life for the actor before the big-screen glory. In Martin's case, he started out as a writer and stand-up comic.

While the man who can dance like King Tut is clearly one of the most successful stand-ups-turned-actors we've ever seen, there are plenty of other big-time names with long careers that made the same jump. We want to know which of them is the best. And if we've missed any, let us know in the comments.