Who was Martin Short's late wife, Nancy Dolman? The former actress shared thirty long years of marital life with him before leaving for the heavenly abode.
Martin Short is one of the most loved actors in Hollywood, who has been entertaining the audience for decades now. With films like Three Amigos, Innerspace, Three Fugitives, Father of the Bride, Captain Ron, Clifford, Father of the Bride Part II, Mars Attacks!, Jungle 2 Jungle, Mumford and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause and many more, Martin crafted a spectacular name for himself in the entertainment world.
Matin Short has had a remarkable career trajectory, but his personal life saw many highs and lows. He lost his daughter, Katherine Short, as she committed suicide in February 2026. But this wasn’t the only shock of his life. Decades before Katherine, Short had to learn to live with the agony of losing the love of his life, his wife, Nancy Dolman.
Martin Short’s wife, Nancy Dolman, was a fellow actress who appeared on a recurring primetime TV series, Soap, where she played the role of 'Annie Selig Tate'. She was already an established star when she met Martin. Nancy was also a part of the Canadian television series, Custard Pie. Not just this; her roles in It's a Living and Family in Blue were also loved by the audience.
Martin Short met Nancy Dolman during the Toronto production of the musical Godspell in 1972. It was love at first sight for Martin, who was smitten by Nancy’s beauty. When Martin met Nancy for the first time, he was already dating Gilda Radner. During a 2024 appearance on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson & Woody Harrelson podcast, Short recalled how he thought that Dolman was ‘out of my league’, and noted that he also ‘loved Gilda.’
Soon, Martin Short broke up with Gilda Radner, and he made the first move towards Nancy Dolman. He asked her out on a tennis date, which marked the beginning of their whirlwind romance. Martin and Nancy got married in 1980, nearly eight years after their first meeting. Martin Short and Nancy went on to start a family, adopting three children: Katherine Elizabeth in 1983, Oliver Patrick in 1986, and Henry Hayter in 1989.
Unlike their star parents, the three kids didn’t pursue acting. Katherine pursued a career in social work, Oliver works behind the scenes in the film industry, and Henry became a veterinary assistant at the Malibu Coast Animal Hospital.
In 2007, Nancy was diagnosed with ovarian cancer after she suspected she had a hernia. Friends said Dolman was determined to live during the last few months of her life. Martin once revealed that when Nancy got sick, she had a positive approach towards the disease and stated that she could fight it. However, in 2010, Nancy passed away after a tough fight with cancer.
Nancy’s death devastated Martin as he single-handedly raised their kids. In a 2019 interview with AARP, Short shared candid insights into his lesser-known life and the initial struggles of raising his three children after losing Nancy. Stating how he continued to keep her alive, Martin revealed:
“Our marriage was a triumph. So it’s tough. She died in 2010, but I still communicate with her all the time. It’s ‘Hey Nan,’ you know? How would she react to this decision or that, especially regarding our three kids?”
It has been 16 years since Nancy’s demise, but Martin has never gotten married again. According to him, his marriage to Nancy was extraordinary, and he still feels her presence and influence in his daily life, which can't be diminished. Previously, during an appearance on The Meredith Vieira Show in 2014, Martin Short revealed a peculiar wish of Nancy that he fulfilled. Speaking about the same, he shared:
“(Nancy) had once said to me, ‘I don’t want a funeral, and I don’t want a memorial. Throw a party, or not.’ She just was so irritated that she was losing this battle; she didn’t want to think about it. So I just followed her wishes. We went up, we had a party with about 30 close friends and family. She was cremated. The kids and I went into a boat, we sprinkled the ashes into the water, and we jumped into the ashes.”
Martin Short is currently rumoured to be dating Meryl Streep. Meryl and Martin’s relationship reportedly transitioned from a decade-long friendship to romance while filming Season 3 of the Hulu series, Only Murders in the Building, in 2023. It was in 2015 when the duo met for the first time at the Broadway show, It's Only a Play, in which he was starring. Martin was a widower at that point, but he did not have a romantic relationship with Meryl, as she was married to sculptor Don Gummer.
It was only after Meryl's divorce in 2023 that rumours of her romance with Martin started making rounds. The speculation was sparked by their numerous high-profile outings. In August 2024, they were seen holding hands at the Only Murders in the Building Season 4 premiere. In 2024, both the actor’s representatives denied his dating rumours. But in March 2025, Page Six reported that Meryl and Martin had moved beyond friendship and were happy as "boyfriend and girlfriend," but noted they have no plans to marry.
What do you think about Martin Short’s late wife, Nancy Dolman and their three-decade-long marriage?
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