What to Know About Martin Short’s 3 Children, Katherine, Oliver and Henry
What to Know About Martin Short’s 3 Children, Katherine, Oliver and Henry
Francesca Gariano, Christopher RudolphTue, February 24, 2026 at 10:35 PM UTC
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Martin Short and family at the premiere of 'The Out of Towners' on March 29, 1999 in Hollywood, California ; Martin Short and his son Henry Short attend the premiere of 'Frankenweenie' on October 10, 2012 in London, England.
DAN CALLISTER Online USA Inc/Getty ; Ferdaus Shamim/WireImage
Martin Short and his late wife, Nancy Dolman, welcomed three children via adoption: Katherine, Oliver and Henry
They have remained mostly out of the spotlight, occasionally accompanying their dad to special events
In February 2026, the Short family announced Katherine's death at age 42
Martin Short is mourning the loss of one of his children.
The Only Murders in the Building star and Nancy Dolman, his late wife of 30 years, welcomed three children via adoption: Katherine, Oliver and Henry.
Nancy died in 2010 from ovarian cancer, and Short and their kids went on to honor her life with a celebration, as he shared on The Meredith Vieira Show in November 2014. In the years after Dolman's death, Martin opened up about how his children coped with the loss.
"It's been a tough two years for my children," Martin told The Guardian in October 2012. "This is the thing of life that we live in denial about, that it will ever happen to us or our loved ones, and when it does you gain a little and you suffer a little. There's no big surprise."
Despite Martin and Dolman having illustrious careers in the entertainment industry themselves, their daughter and sons weren't interested in doing the same.
"None of them wanted to go into show business, and I pushed them," Martin said during an appearance on Conan. "I wanted them to go into show business. I make them do laps in the morning and I go to the balcony with my coffee and say, 'Quitter! Do it again!' "
In February 2026, the Short family suffered another loss when it was announced that Katherine had died at the age of 42. "Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world," the family said in a statement to PEOPLE.
Here's what to know about Martin Short's three children.
Katherine Elizabeth Short
Katherine Short and Martin Short on February 27, 2011 Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic
Katherine Elizabeth Short was born on Dec. 3, 1983.
According to her website, she received a bachelor's degree in psychology and gender sexuality studies from New York University in 2006. Katherine earned her master's in social work from the University of Southern California in 2010.
As a first-year graduate student, Katherine interned at the pro bono law firm Public Counsel and then trained at the West L.A. Veterans Administration. When she finished her master's program, she was hired by UCLA's Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, where she worked for over four years before working at the dual-diagnosis outpatient program Camden Center.
Katherine worked in private practice as a licensed clinical social worker and worked part-time at the clinic Amae Health to provide community outreach, family support groups, peer support and psychotherapy. She was also involved with the charity Bring Change 2 Mind, which aims to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health.
While Martin did not divulge personal details about his daughter over the years, she appeared at several events with the former Saturday Night Live star.
In May 2003, Martin and Dolman brought their daughter to the afterparty for The Producers, posing with Goldie Hawn at the Hollywood Palladium. Years later, Katherine also attended Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project "Hulaween" event.
Katherine also accompanied Martin to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in February 2011, posing on the red carpet for several father-daughter snaps at the special event.
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Martin has largely kept his kids' lives private, but in February 2026, it was announced that Katherine had died at age 42.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that the call made from a Hollywood Hills home to the Los Angeles Fire Department on Feb. 23 was regarding a possible suicide.
"It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short. The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time," the family said in a statement.
Oliver Patrick Short, 39
Oliver Short and Martin Short on October 15, 2006 Frank ALBERTSON/Gamma-Rapho/Getty
Oliver Patrick Short was born on April 29, 1986.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he went to college at the University of Notre Dame, where he was the women's ice hockey coach and the men's snowboard captain. He graduated in 2008 with a degree in film and television production.
Though Oliver might not be in front of the camera, he has pursued a career behind the scenes in the industry. He previously worked as an executive assistant at Warner Bros. Pictures, which Martin confirmed in a 2012 interview with The Guardian.
He went on to work at Fox Sports, the MLB Network and NBC Sports, holding various different producing positions.
While not much else is known about Oliver, he previously appeared at industry events with his father over the years.
Martin, Dolman and their three children all attended the afterparty following the opening night of Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me in August 2006, with the family of five posing together at Tavern on the Green in New York City.
In October 2006, Martin, Katherine and Oliver were present at the Night Of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Benefit in N.Y.C., posing for a snap on the red carpet.
Henry Hayter Short, 36
Henry Short and Martin Short on July 18, 2017 in Toronto, Canada George Pimentel/Getty
Henry Hayter Short was born on Aug. 4, 1989.
Per his LinkedIn, Henry followed in his brother's footsteps and attended the University of Notre Dame. In college, he was a member of the men's water polo club team and the fishing club. He also served as the captain of the ski and snowboard club. He graduated from the university in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in finance.
That same year, Martin told The Guardian that Henry had been backpacking around Europe. He went on to start his career at the Royal Bank of Canada where he served as a managed solutions group consultant, before moving on to his role as an analyst. Today, he works as a veterinary assistant at the Malibu Coast Animal Hospital.
As a teenager, Henry attended events with both of his parents, including the 2004 premiere of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events with both Martin and Dolman. In October 2012, Henry went to the opening night of the BFI London Film Festival with Martin for the premiere of the actor's movie Frankenweenie. Henry was also at the Broadway opening night of Pippin with his dad in April 2013.
In recent years, Henry walked the red carpet with his father at the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards as well as the Take Off, Eh: An All-Star Benefit in July 2017.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
