Hollywood is weird. Relationships there usually have the shelf life of an open carton of milk. But then you look at Martin Short and Nancy Dolman, and honestly, it’s like they were playing by a completely different set of rules. They were married for 30 years. Thirty. In showbiz years, that’s basically a century.
People always want to know the "secret sauce" for a marriage that survives the SNL grind and the Hollywood ego machine. But for Martin and Nancy, it wasn’t about some glossy PR strategy. It was about a bond that started on a stage in Toronto and somehow, through all the fame and the eventually tragic ending, never really broke. Even today, over a decade after she passed away, Marty talks about her like she’s just in the other room.
The Godspell Connection: Where it All Started
It’s 1972. Toronto. The musical Godspell is the hottest thing in town. If you look at that cast list now, it’s insane. You had Victor Garber, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, and Gilda Radner.
And then there was Martin Short and Nancy Dolman.
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Actually, it’s a bit messy. Marty was dating Gilda Radner at the time. Nancy was Gilda’s understudy. Talk about a "small world" situation that could’ve been incredibly awkward. Marty has admitted that he thought Nancy was stunning from the second he saw her, but he was with Gilda. They were the classic "on-again, off-again" couple.
Eventually, the "off" stuck.
When things finally fizzled with Gilda, Marty didn't wait around. He asked Nancy on a tennis date. It’s kinda charmingly low-key, right? No private jets, just some tennis rackets and 1970s gym shorts. He once told a story about their first night together—they were 24 and 22, and they checked into a hotel. Marty was in cutoff jeans and a T-shirt, trying to act all sophisticated. He told the desk clerk, "My wife and I would like a room, please." The clerk just burst out laughing. He knew they weren't married.
But they would be. In 1980, they tied the knot, and that was that.
Why Nancy Walked Away From the Spotlight
Nancy Dolman wasn't just "the wife." She was a performer in her own right. She had a recurring role as Annie Selig Tate on the sitcom Soap. She was funny, sharp, and had that same Canadian wit that launched the whole SCTV crew.
But in 1985, she did something almost unheard of in the industry. She walked away.
While Marty’s career was exploding—Three Amigos, Saturday Night Live, the whole bit—Nancy chose to retire from acting to raise their three children: Katherine, Oliver, and Henry. All three were adopted.
This is where you see the real dynamic of Martin Short and Nancy Dolman. They weren't competing for the spotlight. Nancy was his rock. She was the person who kept him grounded when the "Hollywood-ness" of everything got too loud. He called their marriage a "triumph." That’s a heavy word, but he meant it. They were a team.
Dealing with the Unthinkable: 2010
Life isn't a sitcom. In 2007, the family got the news that nobody is ever ready for. Nancy was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
They kept it incredibly private. That’s why, when the news broke that she had passed away on August 21, 2010, at their home in Pacific Palisades, it felt like a shock to the public. She was only 58.
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Marty has been very open about the aftermath. He described it like a plane that continues to fly with only one engine. You’re still moving, but everything feels off-balance. The night before she died, he told his youngest son, Henry, "This will make you stronger." He knew he had to keep the "united front" for the kids.
There’s this one famous, cringeworthy moment that happened a couple of years later. Kathie Lee Gifford was interviewing Marty on the Today show. She clearly hadn't checked her notes, because she started gushing about his "great marriage" and asking how Nancy was.
Marty didn't correct her. He didn't make her feel small or cause a scene. He just answered, "Madly in love," and moved on. He later said he didn't feel any malice toward her. He felt that in a way, she wasn't wrong. They were still in love.
How Marty Keeps Her "Alive" Today
If you’ve seen Martin Short recently on Only Murders in the Building, you see a man who still has that spark. But he’s also a man who lives with a ghost—a happy one.
He’s mentioned in several interviews, specifically with AARP The Magazine, that he still talks to "Nan." He’ll ask her, "What would you think of this?" or "How should we handle this with the kids?"
He believes that when people die, they "zoom into" the people who loved them. It’s not just a memory; it’s a presence.
A Few Things to Remember About Their Journey:
- The Adoption Path: They adopted all three of their children. Katherine Elizabeth (1983), Oliver Patrick (1986), and Henry Hayter (1989).
- The Canadian Roots: Both were born in Ontario. That shared Canadian sensibility—a mix of self-deprecation and sharp humor—was the glue.
- The "Party" Request: Nancy was so annoyed by the cancer and the "battle" of it all that she told Marty she didn't want a funeral. She wanted a party. So, they did exactly that. They had a celebration with 30 close friends, and then the kids and Marty took a boat out and jumped into the water as they scattered her ashes. It sounds wild, but it was exactly what she wanted.
Moving Forward (With Wisdom)
Watching Martin Short now, it's clear he's found a way to carry the weight without letting it crush him. He often credits his "perpetual optimism" for his survival. He’s said that you have to realize the sun will rise the next day, and people will still be worried about the scratch on their car. Life keeps going.
If you’re looking for a "lesson" from the story of Martin Short and Nancy Dolman, it’s probably that you should marry your best friend—the one you can play tennis with and who makes you laugh when you’re pretending to be a "grown-up" at a hotel desk.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check out Marty’s memoir: If you want the deep, unfiltered version of this story, read I Must Say: My Life As a Humble Comedy Legend. He goes into beautiful detail about Nancy.
- Support Ovarian Cancer Research: In honor of Nancy, many fans support organizations like the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA). It’s a way to turn a sad story into something that helps others.
- Watch "Soap": If you can find old clips or episodes, watch Nancy work. She was a fantastic comedic talent who deserves to be remembered for her craft, not just her marriage.
It wasn't a perfect Hollywood fairy tale, because those don't exist. It was better. It was a real, gritty, hilarious, and ultimately heartbreaking partnership that stood the test of time.