He may be known for his comedic chops and family romps such as Cheaper by the Dozen and Father of the Bride, but actor Steve Martin appears to have given it all up for something a little more refined.

While toiling away as Hollywood's funnyman for nearly five decades, the 70-year-old has become a serious art collector, and can now call himself an art curator after spearheading a current exhibition in Los Angeles.

The actor and Saturday Night Live alumni was already of the biggest "slashies" in the business, and has a long list of credentials an an author, playwright, comedian and Grammy Award-winning musician.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Texan-born star revealed art collecting is serious businesses among Hollywood stars, but denied he was responsible.

"I don't think Leonardo DiCaprio or Owen Wilson were at all influenced by me - they were influenced by the power of the current art scene and the great artworks being made," he said.

Martin is responsible for bringing the dreamy 1930s works of late Canadian painter Lawren Harris to United States for the first time in an exhibition at Los Angeles' Hammer Museum.

He spent more than two years traversing Canada and gathering paintings for the exhibition, reportedly much to the surprise of some star-struck waitresses at a Toronto truck stop.

Martin and he equally art-obsessed wife were reportedly having museum director Ann Philbin over for dinner in 2012 when one of Harris' paintings caught her eye.

"In that moment, I realised I had a secret wish," said Martin. "That Lawren Harris be better known in America."

When later asked by Philbin to help curate an exhibition of his works, Martin jumped at the chance.

"Harris is the only artist I could conceive of getting involved with as a curator, and this is a time my celebrity face might actually do the world some good," he said.

"I can't wait for the public to see this work - art people, all kinds of people. Even though some of them were painted 60, 85, 95 years ago, they are going to be seen afresh."