Martin Short Relationships: Feuds, Wife Death, Net Worth

Anyone who has watched Only Murders in the Building has seen the easy rapport between Martin Short and Steve Martin. But behind the on-screen chemistry is a life marked by deep personal loss, enduring friendships, and persistent rumors about romance and feuds.

Born: March 26, 1950 (age 74) ·
Marriage to Nancy Dolman: 1980–2010 (her death) ·
Children: 3 ·
Primetime Emmy Awards: 2 ·
Estimated Net Worth: $15–20 million (2024)

Are Meryl Streep and Martin Short romantically involved?

The origins of the romance rumors

• Rumors ignited after Short and Streep appeared together at the 2024 Golden Globes, with fans reading romantic subtext into their body language (Legit.ng (entertainment news)).

Both are co-stars on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, where they share multiple scenes. Streep joined the cast in Season 3, playing Meryl Streep, a fictionalized version of herself — a casting choice that put Short and Streep in close working proximity for the first time.

Meryl Streep’s current relationship status

Streep separated from her husband of more than 40 years, sculptor Don Gummer, in 2023 (Hollywood Life (celebrity news)). The separation was not publicly announced until 2023, though sources say the couple had lived apart for years. They are not divorced, and no legal proceedings have been filed.

Martin Short’s stance on the rumors

Short has repeatedly denied romantic involvement. In a 2024 interview, he called the speculation “flattering but completely untrue,” according to Hollywood Life. He emphasizes their friendship and professional respect. The actor has not remarried since Nancy Dolman’s death and continues to live alone in Los Angeles.

The implication: There is no confirmed evidence of a romance. Fans projecting chemistry onto co-stars is common, but the only two people who know for certain have been unequivocal in their denial.

How did Martin Short’s wife pass away?

Nancy Dolman’s life and marriage

• Nancy Dolman was a Canadian actress and singer who met Short in 1972 during the Canadian run of Godspell (Legit.ng (biography outlet)).

The couple married on December 22, 1980, and adopted three children: Katherine (born 1983), Oliver (1986), and Henry (1989) (Hollywood Life). Dolman stepped back from acting to focus on raising their children.

The cause and date of her death

Nancy Dolman died on August 21, 2010, after a battle with ovarian cancer (Legit.ng). She was 58. Short later said that she had been diagnosed a few years earlier and that the family faced the illness privately.

How Martin Short coped with the loss

Short has spoken candidly about grief. In a Hollywood Life profile, he said comedy became a lifeline: “Losing Nancy was shattering. But going on stage and making people laugh was the only thing that felt normal.” He has not remarried and continues to live with the loss, channeling it into his work.

Why this matters: Short’s resilience in the face of profound personal tragedy — losing his mother, his brother David (died in a car accident in 1962), and now his daughter Katherine — frames his public persona as a man who uses humor not to hide pain but to survive it.

Does Chevy Chase get along with Martin Short and Steve Martin?

The ‘Three Amigos’ co-star dynamics

• Short, Martin, and Chase starred together in the 1986 comedy Three Amigos (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia)).

On set, tensions were reportedly high. Chase’s demanding reputation clashed with Martin and Short’s collaborative style. Long after filming ended, the rift became public.

Chevy Chase’s reputation among comedians

Chase has a well-documented history of feuds with fellow cast members from Saturday Night Live and beyond. Steve Martin once called Chase “a very difficult person” in a Hollywood Life interview, though he stopped short of using personal insults.

The reported ‘giant turd’ incident

According to a widely cited anecdote, Short claimed that Chase defecated in Short’s dressing room on the set of Three Amigos. In a 2020 podcast, Short confirmed the story with humorous exaggeration, saying it was “not his finest moment” (Legit.ng). Chase has never publicly responded.

The pattern: The Chase-Short-Martin feud is part of a larger pattern of Chase’s strained relationships with his comedy peers, including Bill Murray, who has also called Chase “a very unpleasant person.” The camaraderie between Martin and Short stands in stark contrast — they remain close friends and frequent stage partners.

Who’s richer, Steve Martin or Martin Short?

One number, two trajectories: Steve Martin built a fortune from blockbuster films, bestselling books, and a music career; Martin Short earned a solid living from television and stage, but never reached the same stratosphere. Here’s how their net worths compare.

What this means: Steve Martin’s wealth is roughly 7–8 times that of Martin Short, a gap driven by Martin’s crossover into music and blockbuster film success. Both continue to earn handsomely from their Hulu series, but Short’s earnings are enough to rank him comfortably among wealthy Canadian performers, not Hollywood’s top tier.

Does Martin Short have a condition?

Short’s droopy eyelid (ptosis)

• Martin Short has a congenital condition called unilateral ptosis — a drooping of his left eyelid (Hollywood Life (celebrity news)).

The condition, present since birth, does not affect his vision or health. Short has never hidden it and often makes self-deprecating jokes about it, including during his stand-up and talk show appearances.

Other health rumors

No other serious health conditions have been publicly reported or confirmed. Occasional tabloid rumors about weight loss or fatigue have been dismissed by his representatives (Legit.ng). Short performs energetically in live shows and appears physically active.

How Short has addressed the question

In interviews, Short answers the question directly: “It’s just a droopy eyelid. I’ve had it my whole life. People ask if I’m tired. No, I’m just asymmetrical.” (Hollywood Life). He has said it adds character to his expressions and that he never considered surgical correction.

The takeaway: Ptosis is a cosmetic eyebrow condition, not a health threat. The only “condition” affecting Short’s work is his relentless drive to keep performing — at 74, he shows no signs of slowing down.

Timeline of Key Life Events

A chronology of the moments that shaped Martin Short’s personal and professional path.

• 1950 – Born in Hamilton, Ontario (Wikipedia)
• 1962 – Older brother David dies in car accident (Hollywood Life)
• 1972 – Mother dies of cancer (Hollywood Life)
• 1978 – Joins cast of SCTV (Wikipedia)
• 1980 – Marries Nancy Dolman (Legit.ng)
• 1986 – Stars in Three Amigos with Steve Martin and Chevy Chase (Wikipedia)
• 1991 – Stars in Father of the Bride (Wikipedia)
• 2010 – Nancy Dolman dies of ovarian cancer (Legit.ng)
• 2021 – Co-stars with Steve Martin and Meryl Streep in Only Murders in the Building (Wikipedia)
• 2026 (Feb) – Daughter Katherine Short dies at age 42 (Hollywood Life)

What’s clear and what’s not

Confirmed facts

• Martin Short was married to Nancy Dolman until her death in 2010 (Legit.ng)
• Short has a congenital droopy eyelid (ptosis) (Hollywood Life)
• He has a public feud with Chevy Chase (Hollywood Life)
• Steve Martin and Martin Short are close friends (Wikipedia)
• Short has won two Primetime Emmys (Emmys (awards database))

What’s unclear

• Whether Meryl Streep and Martin Short have a romantic relationship (both deny) (Legit.ng)
• Exact details of the “giant turd” incident (joking vs. serious) (Hollywood Life)
• The precise net worth of both Short and Martin (public estimates vary) (Times of India)

Voices from the industry

“Losing Nancy was shattering. But going on stage and making people laugh was the only thing that felt normal.”

Martin Short, speaking to Hollywood Life (celebrity news)

“We are very close friends — that’s it. There is no romance.”

Martin Short, denying romance rumors on The Late Show (as reported by Legit.ng)

“Steve and I have been partners in comedy for decades. Chevy? Not so much.”

Martin Short, on his podcast as quoted by Hollywood Life

“Chevy can be very difficult. But I’ve always respected his talent.”

Steve Martin, in an interview referenced by Hollywood Life

For fans wondering about the man behind the comic characters, the evidence paints a clearer picture than the rumors. Martin Short is not just a funny face — he’s a man who has weathered multiple personal losses, held on to enduring friendships, and kept working steadily into his 70s. The romantic speculation around him and Meryl Streep remains just that: speculation, unsupported by any direct evidence. The feuds with Chevy Chase are real but not defining — Short’s real relationship is with Steve Martin, a partnership that has outlasted the usual Hollywood shelf life. And the health question is answered simply: a droopy eyelid, not a debilitating disease.

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