Martin Short Net Worth

Martin Short is a Canadian-American actor, writer, and comedian who started off his career on stage and screen in the 1970s and is still going strong five decades later. And yet, with his diminutive stature and effervescent personality, it sometimes seems like he has hardly aged at all.

Martin Short is a Canadian-American actor, writer, and comedian who started off his career on stage and screen in the 1970s and is still going strong five decades later. And yet, with his diminutive stature and effervescent personality, it sometimes seems like he has hardly aged at all.

If you’re wondering about Martin Short’s net worth, you need to look no further. I’ll take you through the star’s finances, career history, and even the details of his personal life so you can learn all you want to know about him. His list of achievements, unlike his name, is long and distinguished, so we’d better get started!

Martin Short Net Worth

It should come as no surprise that this screen legend has made most of his money from his acting career. Starting with small parts on stage and TV, and even in ads, in his home country of Canada, Short earned a meager income as an actor throughout the 70s. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to allow him to survive and continue on his career path.

Big breaks came for him in the 80s when he won parts on American TV shows. He is well-known for joining the cast and writing team for SCTV and then subsequently spending a year on the cast of Saturday Night Live. These opportunities started to pay much better, and Short also made a name for himself as a writer and a comedic actor.

Filling his roles with energy and edge, he was in demand for roles big and small in movies and other TV projects. He even made a cartoon based on one of his characters, had his own sketch show, and hosted a talk show for a couple of years. He has also gained income from his work as a writer. He wrote sketches for SCTV and, of course, contributed as a writer to his own shows, whether based on characters or representing himself.

Martin Short’s net worth is currently estimated at $50 million.

Though it hasn’t been a huge part of Short’s income, he has also acted on Broadway and won awards for his performances. He has also put on multiple one-man shows and has also toured on a stage show with his good friend Steve Martin.

In addition to actual acting, Short has also lent his voice to a number of animated characters. This has also paid him some big bucks and has added to his personal fortune. He has also written a book of memoirs that sold well and added to his income and fame.

Short is currently the star of a TV show on Hulu, and his career continues to go on strong, even as he navigates his 70s.

Early Life and Education

Martin Hayter Short was born in Canada, in the city of Hamilton, Ontario to be exact, on the 26th of March, 1950, which makes him currently 73 years old. His parents, Charles Patrick Short and Olive Grace Hayter were involved in incredibly different careers. His father was a steel company executive, while his mother was the first chair violinist for the local symphony orchestra. This might explain where he got both his artistic side and also his head for business.

Martin had four siblings, three older brothers, and one older sister. That made him the baby of the family and may have also contributed to his ability to entertain and also seek attention.

Early Life and Education

The family also experienced some severe tragedies during Martin’s youth. When Martin was just 12, his older brother, David, was killed in a car crash. When Martin was 18, his mother died suddenly of a heart attack, and two years later, his father died from a stroke. Life insurance ensured that the family was still alright financially, but it was a period of struggle for Martin emotionally.

In high school…

Marty Short (as he was known then) was an active member of his school’s band and also worked on his yearbook committee. He attended Westdale Secondary School in Hamilton, where he also joined in theater productions, kicking off his love of acting.

However, his mother’s death gave him something of a wake-up call, and he decided to put his stage dreams aside and aim for a serious career. For that reason, he enrolled in Hamilton’s McMaster University and studied social work. He graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Social Work in 1971.

Martin Short’s Long Career

While he studied at university, he still acted and even wrote sketches as a hobby. And while he fully intended to become a social worker, life had other ideas for his talents.

Early Years

In 1971, he auditioned on a whim for a part in the Toronto production of the musical Godspell. And he got it! The musical was a big hit and also helped to launch the careers of some pretty big names in show business. These included Dave Thomas and Eugene Levy, both of whom had been at McMaster with Short, as well as actor Victor Garber and musical director Paul Schaffer.

Early Years

It also included Andrea Martin, who would later become Short’s sister-in-law, and the immortal Gilda Radner, with who Short had a romantic relationship. On top of all those huge names, Short also met his future wife, Nancy Dolman, with the production – but she was Radner’s understudy at the time!

From this point on, Short changed his career objectives and believed wholeheartedly that he had what it took to become a professional performer. For the rest of the 70s, he appeared on stage and on Canadian TV, playing mostly serious dramatic parts. However, in 1979 and 1980, he broke out into the American market, acting in two sitcoms The Associates and I’m A Big Girl Now.

Big Breaks – SCTV and SNL

While acting in Canada in largely dramatic roles, Martin Shorts’ friends invited him to join their improv group Second City in Toronto. He became a regular and developed his comedic style, which was, of course, wild, zany, and full of energy. This move really paid off because, in addition to their improvised performances, the group was also producing a TV show that would end up being huge.

Second City TV, or SCTV, was a fictional television station created to provide a platform for sketches related to news, game shows, and other TV shows. By 1982, it had been picked up by NBC, and Martin Short joined the writing and the cast that year. He was only on the show for two years, but it proved a launching pad for his career. He created some of his best-known characters for this show, including the oddball Ed Grimley, I must say.

In 1984, Martin Short was enough of a comedy start to be able to join the cast of the much-celebrated Saturday Night Live. While he spent only one season with SNL, he was a big hit on the show. He returned Ed Grimley to the screen and also developed a host of new characters. He was also known for his off-the-wall impressions of both men and women alike.

Flying Solo

After just a single season with the show, Short chose to leave SNL and concentrate on his own solo shows. At this point, he was a big enough name to attract huge audiences for his solo stage shows and stand-up act. This also gave him plenty of time to devote to his new family – he and his wife adopted three children after their 1980 marriage.

Movie Biz

By the mid-80s, Short’s name was still commonly seen in big lights, so it was natural that he would be romanced by the movie business. He was given a starring role, along with Chevy Chase and lifelong friend Steve Martin, as one of the Three Amigos in 1986. The next year, he starred in Innerspace and Cross My Heart.

Movie Biz

In 1989, he starred in Three Fugitives with Nick Nolte, and also took a supporting role in The Big Picture with Kevin Bacon (trivia!). The year 1991 saw him star in the police comedy Pure Luck alongside Danny Glover, and then join Steve Martin again in Father of the Bride. In 1992, he starred as an embattled father and husband in Captain Ron, and in 1994 he played the oddball title character in Clifford.

Other significant credits include reprising his role for Father of the Bride II (1995) and co-starring in Mars Attacks! (1996), A Simple Wish (1997), and Jungle 2 Jungle (1997). In fact, Short holds over 40 movie credits for his live action and voice acting roles over the years.

TV Shows

In addition to the many shows he has joined as a cast member or guest star over the years, Martin Short has also had five shows of his own.

His first was actually a cartoon. This was the animated The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley and starred Short, voicing the lead role of the character he created. It was on the air, though, for just 13 episodes in its first season.

The first live action show was an ill-fated 1994 sitcom called The Martin Short Show that was on the air for just two weeks before getting canceled. That was followed by a sketch comedy show that didn’t do much better in 1995, under the title The Show Formerly Known as the Martin Short Show.

Talk Show

However, he had somewhat better luck with his talk show, also called The Martin Short Show, which ran from 1999-2000. In this show, he entertained with sketches and characters, and also interviewed celebrity guests.

The last TV show that was all Martin Short’s own was actually the late-night talk show spoof Primetime Glick. For this show, Short played Glick, a character from his 1999 show, performing monologues and interviewing guests in the style of Leno and Letterman.

Talk Show

Stage Shows

While Short had become a major star of movies and TV, he also returned to stage work. One role in the Broadway musical The Goodbye Girl won him a Tony Award nomination in 1993. He won a Tony for his role in 1999’s Little Me, and in 2003 he was a hit in The Producers.

Following these cast appearances, Short switched to focus on a one-man show format. He produced his own show, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, from 2006 until 2014, acting in the roles of many of his famous characters and bringing celebrity guests up on stage.

Short has toured with longtime friend Steve Martin on many occasions. They’ve created touring shows in 2015, 2017, and 2021, and seem to also have plans to continue this work in the future. But for now, they’re both starring, alongside Selena Gomez, in the Hulu-produced and Emmy-winning TV program Only Murders in the Building.

TV Guest Spots and Voice Acting

Martin Short has been busy over the years, especially popping up as a guest star on many TV shows since the year 2000. He has played roles in everything from Curb Your Enthusiasm to the Simpsons to Law & Order: SVU.

He has also become a very highly sought-after voice for animated characters in TV, films, and even games. He has voiced the Cat in the Hat and Grampa Frump of the Addams Family. He’s also joined the productions of 101 Dalmations, Jimmy Neutron, Madagascar, and Frankenweenie, just to name a few.

Personal Life and Family

Martin Short is the widower of actress Nancy Dolman. They were married in 1980 and, as mentioned, adopted three children together, Oliver, Henry, and Katherine. The family lived in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of L.A. Short and also owns a summer home on Lake Rosseau in Muskoka, Canada.

Personal Life and Family

Sadly, Short’s wife Nancy died in 2010 after a battle with ovarian cancer, the disease which also claimed Gilda Radner many years earlier. Short has been active in campaigning and fundraising for research into a cure for this disease.

Alongside Short’s famous friend Steve Martin, he is also related to his former SCTV castmate, Andrea Martin, by her marriage to Nancy’s brother, Bob Dolman. I guess Martins just attract Martins!

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Ok, back to…

Martin Short Net Worth

Martin Short’s net worth is currently estimated at a cool $50 million. He is a huge name in show business, and at the age of 73, he’s still going strong and attracting attention and interest through his roles on stage and screen. He has over 40 movie credits to his name, has won Emmys and Tonys, and has been appointed to the Order of Canada, his home country’s second-highest honor.

He has been paid the big bucks over the years for his film roles and for his live shows. Audiences still love him, and while he has more than enough money to retire on, yet shows no signs of slowing down. This born entertainer simply loves what he does, so why would he ever stop doing it?

And the very best to him as he does!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Martin Short’s most famous role?

Martin Short has played many memorable characters over the years, but his most famous role is likely that of Franck Eggelhoffer in the “Father of the Bride” movies. Franck is an eccentric wedding planner who steals the show with his comedic timing and quirky personality.

What is Martin Short’s style of comedy?

Martin Short’s comedy style is a mix of physical humor, character work, and improvisation. He is known for his ability to create memorable characters and bring them to life on stage and screen.

Has Martin Short worked on Broadway?

Yes, Martin Short has appeared in several Broadway shows over the years. Some of his most successful shows include “Little Me,” “The Goodbye Girl,” and “Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me.”

Is Martin Short a Canadian or American citizen?

Martin Short holds both Canadian and American citizenship. He was born in Canada and later became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

What was Martin Short’s first big break in show business?

Martin Short’s first big break in show business came when he landed a role on the popular Canadian sketch comedy show “SCTV” (Second City Television).

What is Martin Short’s relationship with Steve Martin?

Martin Short and Steve Martin have been friends for decades and have worked together on numerous projects, including the comedy tour “An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life.” The two comedians share a love of humor and have a close, playful friendship.

Has Martin Short won any awards for his work?

Yes, Martin Short has won several awards for his work over the years. He has won a Tony award for his performance in “Little Me” and has been nominated for multiple Primetime Emmy awards for his work on television.

How did Martin Short cope with his wife’s death?

Martin Short has been open about his grief and how he has coped with his wife’s death. He has spoken about the importance of grief counseling and therapy, as well as the healing power of humor and laughter.

What is Martin Short’s net worth?

Martin Short’s net worth is estimated to be $40 million, as of 2021. He has earned his net worth through his successful career in television, film, and theater.

How many children does Martin Short have?

Martin Short has three children with his late wife, Nancy Dolman. He has two sons named Oliver and Henry, and a daughter named Katherine.

What is Martin Short’s most memorable moment on “Saturday Night Live”?

Martin Short had many memorable moments on “Saturday Night Live,” but one of his most memorable sketches was the “Synchronized Swimming” sketch. The sketch featured Short and Harry Shearer as two flamboyant synchronized swimmers who argue with each other during a competition.

What is Martin Short’s favorite role?

Martin Short has played many memorable roles over the years, but he has stated in interviews that his favorite role is likely Franck Eggelhoffer from the “Father of the Bride” movies.

Does Martin Short do any charity work?

Yes, Martin Short is an active philanthropist and supports many charitable causes. He is a strong supporter of the David Foster Foundation, which provides financial support to families who have children undergoing life-saving organ transplants.

What is Martin Short’s funniest movie?

Martin Short has appeared in many funny movies over the years, but his funniest movie is likely “Three Amigos,” which he co-starred in with Steve Martin and Chevy Chase. The movie is a comedy classic and features some of Short’s most memorable comedic work.

What is Martin Short’s favorite Steve Martin movie?

Martin Short and Steve Martin are good friends, and Short has been asked about his favorite Steve Martin movie in interviews. Short has said that his favorite movie of Martin’s is “Roxanne,” a romantic comedy that Martin starred in and wrote.

What advice would Martin Short give to aspiring comedians?

Martin Short has given advice to aspiring comedians in interviews, urging them to keep working hard and staying true to themselves. He has also stressed the importance of being kind and respectful to others in the entertainment industry.

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