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Martin Short might be recognized as one of the most gifted performers and cherished funnymen in America, but he is also a devoted father. The Only Murders in the Building actor has three kids: Katherine, Oliver and Henry, all of whom he adopted together with his deceased spouse, Nancy Dolman. Regrettably, Nancy died from ovarian cancer in 2010.
“The past couple of years have been difficult for my kids. This is the reality of life that we often deny, believing it won’t affect us or those we love, and when it does, you gain a little, and you endure a little. There is no real shock,” he shared with The Guardian back in 2012, discussing how his offspring were dealing with his wife’s passing.
Sadly, Martin suffered the loss of his eldest daughter, Katherine, in February 2026. She passed away at 42 years old.
Read on to discover more about Martin and Nancy’s children and their lives together.
Katherine Short
Martin Short and his daughter Katherine Short. (Alex Berliner/BEI/Shutterstock)
Katherine came into the world on December 3, 1983. Sources indicate she worked as a social worker at different points in her life. Even though she primarily maintained a discreet existence, she made appearances with her father on red carpets in the past. This included the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in 2011. She happily posed alongside him while looking stunning in a teal, strapless dress.
Katherine also made an appearance at the 2008 premiere of The Spiderwick Chronicles in Los Angeles, CA, and remained by her dad’s side for photographs throughout the evening. She looked fantastic at that event, sporting a navy blue, long-sleeved dress featuring a plunging neckline.
Regrettably, Katherine passed away at the age of 42 in February 2026.
Oliver Short
All three of Martin Short’s kids, including Oliver on the right. (Gregory Pace/BEI/Shutterstock)
Oliver is the second child of Martin and Nancy. He was born on April 29, 1986, and it was revealed that he worked as a senior associate producer at NBC Sports in 2019. Martin raved about him and his other children during a discussion with Conan O’Brien, disclosing that despite having “pushed” his children to enter show business, none of them were genuinely interested and instead pursued other remarkable careers.
Besides his father revealing his occupation on Conan’s talk show, Oliver has remained fairly private, similar to his other siblings. He has been seen on red carpets, notably the one for the opening night of Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, as depicted above, in New York in 2006.
Henry Short
Martin Short with his youngest son Henry. (Dave Allocca/Starpix/Shutterstock)
Henry is the youngest child of Martin and Nancy. He was born on August 4, 1989, and has maintained a low profile, except for his appearances at events with his famous dad. One significant event he attended with Martin was the premiere of the film Inherent Vice in New York in 2014. They both appeared stylish in black and white suits with ties and posed with smiles on the event’s carpet.