Martin Short’s Daughter Katherine Short Dead at Age 42
Content warning: This story discusses suicide.
Martin Short is stepping away from work for the moment.
Hours after the Only Murders in the Building star’s rep confirmed to E! News that his daughter Katherine Short had died at the age of 42, his upcoming comedy show alongside Steve Martin was pushed back.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, Steve Martin & Martin Short’s show, originally scheduled for Friday, February 27th in Milwaukee, has been postponed,” the Pabst Theater Group wrote on its website Feb. 24. “Tickets will be honored for a future rescheduled date. We will be in contact with further news when it is available.”
Earlier in the day, the Inherent Vice actor’s rep confirmed with “profound grief” that Katherine—the daughter of Martin and his late wife Nancy Dolman—had passed away.
“The Short family is devastated by this loss and asks for privacy at this time,” the rep shared in a statement. “Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”
Katherine died by apparent suicide, law enforcement sources told TMZ, with the Los Angeles Police Department responding to her Hollywood Hills home on Feb. 24.
E! News has reached out to Martin for comment but hasn’t heard back.
More than a decade before, Martin—also dad to sons Oliver Short, 39, and Henry Short, 36, with Nancy—shared his perspective on grief following the 2010 death of his wife after her battle with ovarian cancer.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
“No one doesn’t have loss. No one doesn’t have pain,” he told Maclean’s Magazine in 2014. “You have to figure out—you know the sun will rise the next day, that the people closest to you will be preoccupied with the scratch on their car; that’s just the way life works.”
“If your natural orientation is to be happy, you have to then start developing tools to help you get back there,” Martin added. “You can’t go through loss and just shuck it off the next day, cause then you’re not dealing with it. If you break your leg, you’re in a cast. There’s no getting around that.”
Read on for a look at Martin’s family photos through the years.
Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
Family Man
Martin Short and his late with Nancy Dolman shared three kids: daughter Katherine Short (born Dec. 3, 1983) as well as sons Oliver Short (born April 29, 1986) and Henry Short (born Aug. 4, 1989).
The family had a night out at the Broadway opening night of the comedian’s Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me in 2006.
Joan Adlen/Getty Images
Dad & Me
Martin and Katherine joked around during a 1989 photo shoot.
Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images
Red Carpet Ready
Martin and Nancy, who married in 1980, took their daughter to the 1997 premiere of Jungle 2 Jungle.
Gregg DeGuire/WireImage
Eventful Day
The couple brought their youngest son Henry to the Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events premiere in 2004.
Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Hello, Halloween
While Martin kept it business casual, Katherine dressed up for Bette Midler‘s 60th birthday celebration on Halloween 2005.
George Pimentel/Getty Images
Father & Son
Martin shared a hug with his youngest son Henry at The Second City’s Take Off, EH! benefit in July 2017.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Golden Moment
The family hung out with Goldie Hawn during the Los Angeles premiere of The Producers in May 2003.
Frank ALBERTSON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Night Out
Martin was joined by Katherine and Oliver at Comedy Central’s Night of Too Many Stars benefit in October 2006.
Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images
Walk This Way
Martin unveiled his star on Canada’s Walk of Fame as his son Henry and niece Lena Dolman looked on.
James Devaney/WireImage
Late Night
Katherine was on hand to support her dad’s appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman in March 2006.
Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Film Fanatics
Martin and Henry attended the Santa Barbara International Film Festival premiere of You Had to Be There on Feb. 6, 2026.
Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic
Vanity Fair
Martin brought Katherine as his plus-one to Vanity Fair‘s Oscars after-party in 2011.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
Leave a comment