Judd Apatow once threatened to share Steve Martin's address with Homes of the Stars

Judd Apatow once threatened to share Steve Martin's personal address with a company that runs tours of celebrity homes.

During a conversation for Interview Magazine, the filmmaker and producer explained that, as a child, his grandmother lived next door to the Cheaper by the Dozen star, and he couldn't resist trying to get an autograph.

"I'm 12. My grandmother lives in Beverly Hills," Apatow recalled. "So I visited her and she knew where Steve Martin lived. So anytime we went anywhere I said, 'Let's use Bedford.'"

"So one day we drove by and he was outside washing his car or something and I asked him for an autograph and he said, 'No, I don't sign autographs at my house,'" he continued. "And then I said, 'Well, will you sign it in the street?'"

When Apatow's comedy idol declined again to avoid others turning up at his home, the Knocked Up director decided to take matters into his own hands.

"So anyway, I go home and I write him this letter to be funny, but I am kind of annoyed," he said.

He then remembered writing, "Dear Steve, I'm your biggest fan, but you treat your fans like garbage. You wouldn't live in that house if I didn't buy all of your records and go to all your movies. So if you don't send me an apology, I'm going to send your address to Homes of the Stars and you're going to have tour buses passing by 24 hours a day."

Six months later, Martin sent Apatow an autographed copy of his book Cruel Shoes with an apology.

"To Judd, I'm sorry! I didn't realise I was speaking to the-underlined three times-Judd Apatow, 1980," his note read.