Martin Short Was Never The Same After His Wife Nancy's Death
Martin Short met his wife Nancy Dolman back in 1972 when they were both working on "Godspell" in Toronto, according to Hello! magazine. In his 2014 memoir titled "I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend," Short described his meeting with his future wife as "love at first sight." The two wed in 1980 and went on to adopt three children: Katherine in 1983, Oliver in 1986, and Henry in 1989. Dolman, who was known for her role as Annie Selig Tate on "Soap," and Short complimented one another in a number of ways, both personally and professionally. They were the best of friends, which explains why Short's life was never the same following his wife's tragic death.
Years into her marriage to Short, Dolman was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in women, according to the American Cancer Society. In 2010, she died. "Sadly, we can confirm that Martin Short's wife did pass away," Short's rep Camille Kuznetzsaid told CNN at the time. "We do not have any other comment to make." After spending 30 years of marriage with his wife, Short was left devastated by the loss. Over the years, he has spoken out about how much he misses Dolman and how her death has changed him as a person.
Martin Short says his wife's death gave him the courage to take more risks
While Martin Short may be recognized as one of the funniest actors and comedians of our time, the love that he had for his wife is simply something that people don't experience every day. In 2019, Short sat down with AARP magazine for an interview, during which he talked about his wife. "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," Short said. He went on to explain how he has changed in the aftermath of her passing. "Her death emboldened me to take risks. With real tragedy, you become a little more daring. It's the yin to the yang: the positive part of life's dark side," he said.
Four years after Nancy Dolman's death, Martin wrote that he still considered himself married to her. In his memoir, he shared similar statements about talking with his late wife, considering her opinions, and still spending time with her. "Some nights, when I'm really missing her, I'll grab a rum and Coke at twilight and sit on the couch on our front porch, or perhaps upstairs, on the balcony off of our bedroom, with the Pacific Ocean in view," he wrote, adding that he's found comfort in their "talks."
Martin Short knows the show must go on
By no means has Martin Short been sitting at home feeling sorry for himself all of these years. In fact, he's still very much involved in comedy — and has done quite a few shows with his pal Steve Martin — and he's picked up a role in "Only Murders in the Building," a comedy-drama co-staring Martin and singer Selena Gomez. Beyond that, however, Short notes, "Not long after I finished university, I realized that success isn't just about your career. It's similar to a GPA: determined by the whole picture, not one course. So even if you're failing in one category, you can create a good, happy life if you shore up the other categories. And that's what I've tried to do" (via AARP).
In an interview on "The Meredith Vieira Show," Short revealed that celebrating his wife's life was very important to him — and to his three children. Following Nancy Dolman's death, Short gathered with a group of about 30 close family and friends at his lake house in Canada for a party. He said that he took his wife's ashes and sprinkled them into the lake. He and his kids then jumped into the ashes. Now, Short has the support of his three grown kids — who have accompanied him to many red carpets and other Hollywood-related events over the past decade or so — as he continues navigating his way through life without his partner.