See Martin Short's Life and Career in Photos as the Beloved Actor Turns 75!

03/26/2025 08:00 AM

The award-winning actor has been making fans laugh for more than five decades — here's a look back at some his best moments in celebration of his birthday

Celebrations are in order for Martin Short!

The award-winning comedian kicked off his career on the stage and screen with roles in Godspell, Three Amigos! and on season 10 of Saturday Night Live, is celebrating his 75th birthday on March 26, 2025.

Outside of show business, Short is also dad to three kids — Katherine, Oliver and Henry — whom he shares with his late wife Nancy Dolman.

From his early days in the theater to starring in Only Murders in the Building and everything in between, here's a look back at some of Martin Short's biggest moments of the last five decades.

Martin Short's Early Days

Martin Short was bornon March 26, 1950 in Ontario Canada. Though he showed signs of becoming a performer from a young age, Britannica notes, it wasn't until his college classmates, including Eugene Levy, encouraged him to really pursue the craft.

Martin Short in 'Godspell'

One of his first professional roles would come in a 1972 production of Godspell in Toronto which also featured comedians Andrea Martin, Levy and Gilda Radner — who he was dating at the time.

It was during this production that he'd also meet his future wife Nancy Dolman, as she was hired as Radner's understudy. He and Dolman began dating after he and Radner called it quits, following a series of other breakups, he revealed on an episode of Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson & Woody Harrelson podcast.

Martin Short and Second City

In 1977, Martin joined Toronto Second City, where the likes of Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Joe Flaherty, Andrea Martin and Dave Thomas (seen here with Short in the 1980s) also found early comedy success.

Short would go on to join Second City TV (SCTV) before joining the cast of Saturday Night Live.

Martin Short on 'Saturday Night Live'

Short was part of the Saturday Night Live cast for only one season, when he joined the sketch comedy show for season 10 in 1984. That cast included fellow comedic geniuses Billy Crystal, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Christopher Guest.

In the years since, Short has come back to host the show on several occasions and made it to the prestigious Five-Timers Club in December 2024.

Martin Short Appears in 'Three Amigos'

In 1986, Short starred alongside Steve Martin and Chevy Chase in Three Amigos! The movie was not only a milestone in his career, but it's also where he and Martin met for the first time and kicked off their decade-spanning friendship.

"We were on the set of Three Amigos!, and he did something, and I just had this feeling like, 'That,'" Martin told PEOPLE of his first impression of Short. "As a comedian, you appreciate people who are funny, and he just had it."

Martin Short and Nancy Dolman's Marriage

Short and Dolman (seen here in 1986) tied the knot in 1980 and were married for 30 years before she died in 2010 from ovarian cancer.

In 2019, Short opened up about the loss of his wife in a cover story with AARP the Magazine.

"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," he says of their three shared children Henry, Oliver and Katherine.

Martin Short Becomes a Dad

Short and Dolman welcomed their first daughter, Katherine (above) in 1983. Later, their family grew with the addition of son Oliver in 1986 and again with Henry in 1989.

Martin Short Wins a Tony Award

Over the course of his career, Short has taken home several awards including the 1999 Tony Award for his performance in Little Me.

Little Me was his second Broadway role. He first appeared on the Great White Way in 1993's The Goodbye Girl.

Martin Short's Decades-Long Friendship with Steve Martin

After meeting on the set of Three Amigos!, Short and Martin quickly hit it off.

"Often, you make a film and you never see the other actors again," Short told PEOPLE in 2022 of their time on the movie together. "We were having dinners and vacationing together right away, and then [Steve and I] made three other films together."

More than three decades later, the two are still dear friends and continue to work together on Only Murders in the Building.

"Steve and my friendship is tied around a concept of ongoing laughter — and respect for each other and love for each other — but laughter," Short told PEOPLE last year.

Martin Short Takes the Stage ... Again

More than 20 years after his Broadway debut, Short was back on stage for his show Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me which ran from the summer of 2006 until January 2007.

Martin Short's Family

In 2006, Short was joined by his wife and three kids to help celebrate the opening night of Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me.

Years later, Short opened up about the sweet way him and the kids honored Dolman after passed away.

"(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," he said on a 2014 appearance on The Meredith Vieira Show.

"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 in 'Only Murders in the Building'

Short was reunited with Martin in 2021 for Only Murders in the Building, which wrapped its fourth season in October 2024. The show, which also stars Selena Gomez as 1/3 of their mystery-loving posse, has featured a star-studded cast including the likes of Meryl Streep, Jane Lynch, Eva Longoria and Jesse Williams.

Martin Short Today

For his work in Only Murders, Short won his first ever SAG Award in 2025 for outstanding male actor in a comedy series, though was absent from the ceremony after contracting COVID at the SNL50: The Anniversary Specialin New York City.

A fifth season of Only Murders began production in March and will include "another big fun mystery the writers have been cooking up," executive producer Dan Fogelman told TheWrap.

Until then, Short celebrates his 75th birthday on March 26, 2025!