Actor Martin Short has spoken publicly for the first time about the death of his daughter Katherine earlier this year. According to CNN, the comedian described the loss as a “nightmare” for his family while discussing the new Netflix documentary about his life. Katherine Short died by suicide in February at age 42, following what he said was a long struggle with serious mental health issues. The interview adds a deeply personal layer to the release of “Marty, Life is Short,” a film that looks back at his career and private life.
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Martin Short Speaks About Katherine’s Long Struggle
Short said his daughter had battled severe mental health challenges for years. “My daughter fought for a long time with extreme mental health, borderline personality disorder, other things, and did the best she could until she couldn’t. So Nan’s (Nancy’s) last words to me were ‘Mart, let me go’ and she was just saying ‘Dad, let me go,’” Short told CBS. His words linked the loss of Katherine to the death of his wife, Nancy Dolman, who died of ovarian cancer in 2010. He said both experiences shaped how he understands illness and grief.
Nancy Dolman’s Death Still Shapes His Perspective
The actor said the family’s pain has also brought clarity about the way mental illness should be discussed. He explained that mental health and cancer are both diseases and that, in some cases, those diseases can be terminal. That view has pushed him toward more open conversations around suicide and mental illness. Short said he felt a deep desire to support Bring Change to Mind, the nonprofit founded by actress Glenn Close. The group works to reduce stigma and encourage more honest public discussion around mental health.
New Netflix Documentary Honors Katherine and Catherine O’Hara
The new documentary arrives with a dedication that makes its personal stakes even clearer. As reported by CNN, “Marty, Life is Short” is dedicated to Katherine and also to Short’s close friend Catherine O’Hara, who died just weeks before his daughter. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, the film uses archive footage and behind-the-scenes material to trace Short’s long career in comedy and film. That professional story now sits alongside a portrait of private grief, resilience and the losses that have marked different periods of his life.
Childhood Losses Built His “Muscle of Survival”
Short also reflected on grief that began much earlier in life. By age 20, he had lost both parents and his older brother David, who died in a car crash. “What it developed in me is this muscle of survival and handling grief and a perspective on it and it stayed with me,” said Short according to CNN. He said he has never been in therapy, relying instead on writing and reflection. For him, accepting life’s limits is painful but necessary, and memory remains a way to stay connected to the people he has lost.
