A generation of fans may not realize that long before Steve Martin was a “serious actor,” he was a “wild and crazy guy” who did stand-up comedy wearing a white suit with a fake arrow through his head. If you’re looking for a memoir based on that part of his life, this isn’t the book for you.

Rather, NUMBER ONE IS WALKING focuses on the actor part of Martin’s long resume, encompassing some 40 movies and beginning with perhaps his seminal work in The Jerk. (“Number One” designates the star of the film and is used in communications between crew members.)

"Martin drops a few anecdotes about the filmmaking process in front of and behind the scenes, his co-stars, and the thrill and awe he felt working with the likes of Carl Reiner...Bernadette Peters, Lily Tomlin and Martin Short, among others."

The method Martin takes --- telling the stories through a series of cartoons by Harry Bliss, an internationally syndicated cartoonist who collaborated with him on A WEALTH OF PIGEONS --- is somewhat unusual and can come across as a bit precious in spots, especially when he addresses his comments to Bliss’ dog.

Martin drops a few anecdotes about the filmmaking process in front of and behind the scenes, his co-stars, and the thrill and awe he felt working with the likes of Carl Reiner (with whom he did four movies), Bernadette Peters, Lily Tomlin and Martin Short, among others. He also recalls his “chance” interactions with entertainment legends like Gene Kelly, Mike Nichols, Diane Keaton and Milton Berle.

Those tales account for just about half of the book. The “Other Diversions” part of the title consist of a series of single-panel cartoons, a cross between The New Yorker (no surprise, since Bliss is a contributor to that publication) and Gary Larson’s Far Side. Like those examples, they can be rather hit or miss.

It might have been more illuminating had Martin stuck to the traditional memoir in looking back over his big-screen oeuvre. One comes away feeling somewhat teased and wanting more. Let’s hope that a more detailed overview is somewhere in the future.