Martin Short is best known for his quick wit, infectious humor, and iconic performances in television and film.
From his days on SCTV to his work in Father of the Bride and Only Murders in the Building, Martin has become a household name.
However, behind the scenes, one of the most enduring and heartfelt parts of his life was his relationship with his late wife, Nancy Dolman.
She was his partner for over 30 years, during which time they adopted three wonderful children.
Nancy died in 2010 leaving her family heartbroken, but despite their loss, Martin continues to talk about the profound impact she had on their lives.
HELLO! takes a look at his family life. Here's what we know.
Who was Nancy Dolman?
Nancy was a talented Canadian actress and comedian, and had already established a successful career on the stage before she met Martin. She'd traveled the US and Canada in Jesus Christ Superstar in the '70s.
She was best known for her work on the popular television series Soap in which she portrayed the character Annie Selig Tate from 1980 to 1981.
Nancy went on to appear in 1981's It's a Living and 1982's Family in Blue.
A few years later, she took a step back acting to focus on family.
Love at first sight
Martin fell for his beloved wife after meeting on a Toronto production of Godspell in 1972. In his memoir 'I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend,' he said it was "love at first sight."
Martin was dating and living with SNL cast member Gilda Radner at the time, but admitted that when he first saw his future wife, he thought she was "so beautiful."
He and Gilda eventually split and while he believed Nancy was out of his league, Martin decided to ask her out on a tennis date after bumping into her at a restaurant the day after his breakup.
"It was fast," Martin said of his courtship of Nancy during an appearance on Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson & Woody Harrelson podcast. "One day, I was single. That's crazy."
The pair married in 1980.
Martin and Nancy's three children
They welcomed their three children – Katherine Elizabeth, Oliver Patrick, and Henry Hayter — via adoption. Katherine was born in 1983, Oliver in 1986 and Henry three years later.
Despite their parents' careers in the limelight, none of their kids followed in their footsteps.
Their daughter is a social worker, Oliver pursued a career behind the scenes in the movie industry and Henry is a veterinary assistant.
All three have walked the red carpet with their dad over the years and have a close bond with him.
Nancy's death
Nancy died of ovarian cancer in 2010 after 30 years of marriage to Martin.
Martin and their children were crushed by her death, but insists he still communicates with her to this day.
"It's 'Hey, Nan,' you know?" he explained to AARP. "How would she react to this decision or that, especially regarding our three kids. I believe that when people die, they zoom into the people that love them."
Martin — who called his marriage "a triumph" — previously shared how they honored Nancy after her death.
"[Nancy] had once said to me, 'I don't want a funeral and I don't want a memorial. Throw a party, or not,'" he said. "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's relationship with Meryl Streep
While co starring together in Only Murders in the Building, Martin and Meryl Streep ignited whispers of a romance, further by when they sat together at the Golden Globes in January 2024.
At the time, his rep told People the co-stars "are just very good friends, nothing more."
In March 2025, Page Six reported that they had been in a relationship for a year.