Martin Short Height: How Tall Is He Really?
Martin Short height is 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm).
The Canadian-American comedian, actor, and singer is most commonly listed at this figure. Some sources round down to 5 ft 6 in, so treat the number as a close approximation rather than an official measurement. His size has never limited a career built on elastic physical comedy and outsized characters.
Quick Facts
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Martin Hayter Short |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm), approximate |
| Weight | About 150 lb (68 kg), approximate |
| Date of Birth | March 26, 1950 |
| Age | 76 (as of October 2026) |
| Birthplace | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian-American |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Profession | Comedian, actor, singer, writer, producer |
| Shoe Size | Not officially confirmed; commonly estimated at US 8 |
Early Life & Background
Martin Short was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the youngest of five children in a family of Scottish and Irish descent. His father, Charles, worked as an executive at a steel company, and his mother, Olive, was a violinist who played with the Hamilton Symphony Orchestra. The household was musical and lively, and the future comedian learned early that an audience could be won over with a good impression.
Tragedy arrived young. His older brother David died in a car accident when Short was a teenager, and both his mother and father died in the years that followed, before he turned twenty. Short has spoken about how humor became both a refuge and a way of engaging with the world during that stretch.
He attended Westdale Secondary School and went on to McMaster University, where he earned a degree in social work in 1972. Theater drew him more than a conventional career path, though, and he joined a Toronto production of the musical Godspell. The cast included future comedy heavyweights such as Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, and Victor Garber. That production launched a network of collaborators that would shape his professional life for decades.
Career Journey / Timeline
1970s: Toronto stage beginnings. After Godspell, Short worked steadily in Toronto theater and television, building a reputation as a versatile performer who could handle both singing and sketch comedy.
1982 to 1984: SCTV. Short joined the cast of the Canadian sketch show SCTV for its later seasons. There he developed Ed Grimley, the awkward, hair-gelled man with a fixation on pinball and the phrase “I must say.” Grimley became his first signature character.
1984 to 1985: Saturday Night Live. Short spent a single celebrated season on SNL, bringing Ed Grimley and the oily lounge singer Jackie Rogers Jr. to a national audience. The season established him in American comedy.
1986 to 1991: Film breakthrough. He starred in Three Amigos alongside Steve Martin and Chevy Chase in 1986, then headlined Innerspace in 1987. In 1991 he played the frazzled wedding planner Franck Eggelhoffer in Father of the Bride, a role he reprised in the 1995 sequel.
1990s: Range and Broadway. Short appeared in Mars Attacks!, Jungle 2 Jungle, and many family films, while expanding into theater. He won a Tony Award in 1999 for his work in the Broadway revival of Little Me.
2000s: Jiminy Glick. His satirical talk-show character, a rumpled and clueless celebrity interviewer, led to Primetime Glick and several specials. The role showed off his gift for improvisation with famous guests.
2010s: Stage, memoir, and voice work. Short published his memoir, I Must Say, in 2014 and continued performing live shows and voice roles in animation.
2020s: A late-career peak. Only Murders in the Building, which debuted in 2021 with Steve Martin and Selena Gomez, brought him a new generation of fans and multiple Emmy nominations. A Netflix documentary about his life followed in 2025, reflecting on a career that stretches across more than five decades.
Physical Appearance in Detail
At roughly 5 ft 7 in (170 cm), Martin Short sits a little below the average height for an adult man in North America, which is around 5 ft 9 in. His build is lean and wiry, and his weight is often cited near 150 pounds. That compact frame is a tool as much as a trait: he moves with the loose-limbed energy of a stage veteran, and his posture shifts instantly between characters.
His most recognizable features are his expressive face and mobile eyebrows. His eyes are blue, and his naturally brown hair has turned a distinguished silver in recent years. The wide, rubbery grin and exaggerated expressions have helped him land comic beats without a single word.
His offscreen style is polished and tailored. He is often seen in sharp suits, pocket squares, and carefully chosen accessories, a look that nods to his showbiz heritage and the old-school entertainers he admires. Onscreen, he transforms completely: Ed Grimley’s high-waisted pants and towering pompadour, or Jiminy Glick’s padded costume, are as much part of the comedy as the writing. That adaptability makes his real-life dimensions almost irrelevant to how audiences perceive him.
Martin Short Height Compared to Other Comedy Stars
Short’s most frequent comparisons come from his collaborators and contemporaries. Standing next to Steve Martin, his partner in several projects, the difference is striking, which has become part of their on-screen chemistry in Only Murders in the Building. The visual contrast of a tall, deadpan straight man and a smaller, hyperactive foil is classic comedy architecture.
Compared with the general population, Short is only a couple of inches below average, which means he blends in comfortably in a crowd. Among Hollywood leading men, he is on the shorter side, but comedy has always been more forgiving than action or drama when it comes to physical stature. All heights below are the commonly cited figures and are approximate.
| Figure | Height (ft/in) | Height (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Short | 5 ft 7 in | 170 cm |
| Steve Martin | 6 ft 2 in | 188 cm |
| Chevy Chase | 6 ft 4 in | 193 cm |
| John Candy | 6 ft 2 in | 188 cm |
| Eugene Levy | 5 ft 9 in | 175 cm |
| Selena Gomez | 5 ft 5 in | 165 cm |
How Height Shaped His Career & Public Image
In comedy, physical contrast is currency, and Short has used his stature smartly. Pairing a smaller performer with a taller partner creates an instant visual joke before anyone speaks. The Three Amigos trio, with Short alongside the much taller Steve Martin and Chevy Chase, played with exactly that dynamic, and the same pairing works today in Only Murders in the Building.
His build also fit his signature characters. Ed Grimley is a childlike, hyperactive man whose nervous energy reads more naturally on a slight frame. The character’s exaggerated hairstyle added vertical inches that became part of the gag, turning a modest height into a cartoonish silhouette.
Short’s size did not limit him in romantic or family roles either. In Father of the Bride, his Franck Eggelhoffer is a fussy, flamboyant presence who dominates scenes despite being among the smaller people on set. In the theater, where audiences judge a performer by energy and voice instead of dimensions, his height was never a factor in earning a Tony Award.
Most importantly, his stature steered him away from the conventional leading-man mold and toward character work, where he thrived. Comedy rewards distinctiveness over physical presence, and Short built an enduring brand on timing, wit, and versatility. His moderate height made him relatable rather than intimidating, which is a quality that suits both talk-show chats and sitcom ensembles.
What He’s Said About His Height
Martin Short rarely makes his height a central subject, but he has joked about it over the years as part of his self-deprecating style. He has been known to poke fun at his size alongside his much taller collaborators, especially when appearing with Steve Martin, where the height gap invites easy banter. In interviews and on talk shows, those jokes tend to be lighthearted asides rather than serious reflections.
His surname also provides endless material, and he has leaned into the wordplay in stand-up and live appearances. Hosts and co-stars often tease him about it, and he generally responds with good humor. Because he has never published an official measurement, the commonly cited 5 ft 7 in figure comes from entertainment databases and press profiles rather than from Short himself. Exact quotes vary by retelling, so the safest summary is that he treats the topic as a comic prop, not a sore point.
Personal Life Brief
Short married actress and comedian Nancy Dolman in 1980. The two met during the Toronto production of Godspell, and their partnership lasted three decades. Together they raised three children: Katherine, Oliver, and Henry. Dolman died in 2010 after a battle with ovarian cancer, a loss Short has discussed openly, including in his memoir and later interviews.
He has described family as the core of his life and often speaks warmly about his children and grandchildren. Though best known for comedy, he has also been vocal about grief and resilience, offering a more reflective side of his public persona.
Today, Short divides his time between acting, touring, and charity work. He holds dual Canadian and American citizenship and splits time between Los Angeles and other homes. He remains active with new seasons of Only Murders in the Building, live shows, and select film and television projects, proving that his career shows no sign of slowing in his late seventies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Martin Short tall for a man?
No. At 5 ft 7 in, he is a couple of inches below the average height for men in the United States and Canada. He stands closer to average than to short in most settings.
What is the Martin Short height in cm?
Martin Short height is approximately 170 cm. Some sources list slightly different numbers, such as 168 cm, so 170 cm is best treated as a close estimate.
How does Martin Short’s height compare to Steve Martin’s?
Steve Martin is commonly listed at around 6 ft 2 in (188 cm), which makes him roughly 7 inches taller than Short. The gap is a visible part of their onscreen partnership.
Has Martin Short talked about his height publicly?
He has joked about it in a casual, self-deprecating way, especially when appearing beside taller co-stars. He has never made it a major topic or released an official measurement.
What is Martin Short’s shoe size?
His shoe size has not been officially confirmed. Based on his height and build, it is often estimated at around US 8, but that figure is approximate.
Is Martin Short taller than Selena Gomez?
Yes. Gomez is usually listed at about 5 ft 5 in (165 cm), which puts Short a couple of inches taller. Footwear and posture can change the apparent difference in photos.
Does Martin Short’s height affect his acting?
Not in any meaningful way. His career is built on character comedy, singing, and improvisation, where timing and expression matter more than stature. If anything, his build suits the physical, high-energy style he is known for.
How tall is Martin Short compared to Eugene Levy?
Levy is commonly listed at about 5 ft 9 in (175 cm), so he is slightly taller. The two longtime friends and collaborators are close enough in height to appear almost level in many photos.
What is Martin Short known for besides his height?
He is known for characters such as Ed Grimley and Jiminy Glick, for his work on SCTV and Saturday Night Live, for films like Three Amigos and Father of the Bride, and for his Tony Award-winning stage work. In recent years he has also become a fan favorite through Only Murders in the Building.
