Martin Short is a Canadian comedian, actor, writer, and producer who eventually acquired American citizenship. Short was born in Ontario, Canada, and received a bachelor’s degree in social work with the intention of working in the profession; nevertheless, his acting ability was recognised when he was put in his first play. Before moving to New York, he continued to work mostly as a television and radio actor-comedian.
Before gaining a part on the immensely popular show ‘Saturday Night Live,’ which made him a household name, Martin Short appeared on popular American television comedy shows. Shortly thereafter, he hosted his own wildly successful discussion and comedy shows. Short quickly realised he could also be a famous actor, and his filmography includes “Three Amigos,” “Innerspace,” and two “Father of the Bride” films.
Multiple times, despite his hectic schedule as a comedian and actor, Martin Short returned to the stage to perform in plays. Martin Short is without a doubt one of the most well-known comedians in Hollywood, and his appearances on Saturday Night Live are still remembered.
Early Life and About Family
Short was born on March 26, 1950, in Hamilton, Ontario, as the youngest of five children to concertmistress Olive Grace (1913–1968) and corporate executive Charles Patrick Short (1909–1970) of the Canadian steel corporation Stelco. His siblings and he were raised as Catholics. His older brothers were David (now deceased), Michael, and Brian, and his older sister was Nora.
Short’s father was an Irish Catholic immigrant from Crossmaglen, South Armagh, Northern Ireland, who stowed away during the Irish War of Independence and arrived in North America. The mother of Short was of English and Irish ancestry. She supported his early creative efforts. In 1962, when Short was 12 years old, his elder brother, David, was murdered in a vehicle accident in Montréal. His mother died of cancer in 1968, and his father died of complications from a stroke two years later.
Career and Achievements
Short intended to pursue a career in social work after graduating from McMaster University; however, he became interested in acting after being cast in the Toronto version of Godspell that same year. Paul Shaffer was the musical director; additional cast members were Victor Garber, Gilda Radner, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, and Andrea Martin. Short revealed in the documentary Love, Gilda that he and Gilda Radner dated intermittently over the aforementioned time period.
Subsequently, he was cast in numerous television programmes and plays, including the dramas Fortune and Men’s Eyes (1972). He worked only in Canada until 1979. In 1979, Short starred in the American sitcom The Associates, about a group of young, inexperienced Wall Street attorneys.
In 1980, he joined the cast of the Diana Canova and Danny Thomas sitcom I’m a Big Girl Now. Canova was offered the role due to her popularity as Corinne Tate Flotsky on ABC’s Soap. She left Soap just before Short’s new wife Nancy Dolman joined the cast.
Awards and Nominations
The decades-long career of Martin Short has been acknowledged by numerous award organisations. Short has been nominated for 12 Primetime Emmys and has won two, the first as a writer for “SCTV” in 1983 and the second as the host of the variety special “AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Mel Brooks” in 2014.
His most recent nomination was in 2020 for his guest appearance on “The Morning Show” on Apple TV+. For his work on the television series “Only Murders In The Building,” he has also been nominated for a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild award, and a Critic’s Choice Award. Short has been nominated for multiple Tony Awards for his Broadway career, winning in 1999 for his lead role in the musical “Little Me.”
Martin Short Family Background
His brother-in-law, Bob Dolman, is an Emmy-winning screenwriter. From 1980 until her death in 2010, he was married to Nancy Dolman, and he has three children named Katherine, Henry, and Oliver. Before he got married, he dated the comedian Gilda Radner.
Is He Gay or Straight?
When a celebrity is discovered to be single, fans and the media are quick to assume they are homosexual. This could not be further from the truth. Martin has been unmarried for a very long time, but this does not mean he is unattractive to women.
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Martin is not homosexual and has a straight sexual orientation. In truth, Martin had previously married. She was a Canadian comedic actress and singer by the name of Nancy Dolman, his gorgeous wife. The pair wed in 1980, when they were in their thirties.
However, Martin’s wife suffered from poor health for an extended period of time. Because of this, they could not even chance having a child.