Martin Short is a Canadian actor and comedian. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he has received several awards including two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Actor Awards, and a Tony Awards as well as nominations for four Golden Globe Awards.
Short won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series for his work on the Canadian sketch comedy series SCTV in 1983. He was nominated the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for his Comedy Central variety series Primetime Glick in 2003. Also known for his dramatic work he was Emmy-nominated for his roles in the NBC miniseries Merlin (1998), the FX legal series Damages (2010), and the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show (2020).
Since 2021, he has starred as Oliver Putnam in the Hulu comedy series Only Murders in the Building acting opposite Steve Martin and Selena Gomez. Short has earned two Actor Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2024. He has also earned nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, three Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy, and two Critics' Choice Television Awards for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.
On stage, he starred in the Neil Simon musical Little Me (1999) for which he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He was Tony-nominated for his performance in the Neil Simon comedy play The Goodbye Girl (1993).
Major associations Actor Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2021 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building (season one) Outstanding Male Actor in a Comedy Series 2022 Only Murders in the Building (season two) Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series 2023 Only Murders in the Building (season three) 2024 Only Murders in the Building (season four) Outstanding Male Actor in a Comedy Series 2025 Only Murders in the Building (season five) Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Critics' Choice Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Critics' Choice Television Awards 2021 Best Actor in a Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building 2024 https://variety.com/2025/film/news/critics-choice-awards-2025-winners-list-1236300265/
Emmy Awards Year Category Nominated work Result Primetime Emmy Awards1983 Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program SCTV Network 90 (episode: "Sweeps Week") SCTV Network 90 (episode: "The Christmas Show") SCTV Network 90 (episode: "Joe Walsh") SCTV Network 90 (episode: "Robin Williams, America") SCTV Network 90 (episode: "Towering Inferno") 1998 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Merlin 2003 Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety Program Primetime Glick 2010 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Damages (episode: "You Haven't Replaced Me") 2014 Outstanding Variety Special AFI Life Achievement Award: Mel Brooks 2018 Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special 2020 Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series The Morning Show (episode: "Chaos is the New Cocaine") 2022 Outstanding Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building (season one) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building (episode: "How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors?") 2023 Outstanding Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building (season two) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building (episode: "The Tell") 2024 Outstanding Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building (season three) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building (episode: "Ah, Love!") 2025 Outstanding Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building (season four) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building (episode: "Escape from Planet Klongo") 2026Outstanding Comedy Series Only Murders in the Building (season five) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy SeriesOnly Murders in the BuildingOutstanding Host for a Game ShowMatch GameDaytime Emmy Awards2000 Outstanding Talk Show The Martin Short Show Outstanding Talk Show Host 2011 Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 2021 Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy Only Murders in the Building Golden Globe Nominations: 'Licorice Pizza,' 'Squid Game,' 'West Side Story,' and More|IndieWire2022 2023 2024 2025
Tony Awards Year Category Nominated work Result 1993 Best Actor in a Musical The Goodbye Girl 1999 Little Me
Miscellaneous awards + Award Year Category Nominated work Result Canadian Screen Awards 2012 Best Actor in a Comedy Series I, Martin Short, Goes Home 2016 Best Performance in an animated program or series The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! 2017 2018 HCA TV Awards2022Best Actor in a Streaming Series, ComedyOnly Murders in the Building 2023 Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Saturday Night Live MTV Movie & TV Awards2022 Best Team Only Murders in the Building Satellite Award 1999 Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or TV Film Merlin 2011 Damages Writers Guild of America Awards2017 Comedy/Variety Sketch Series Maya & Marty
Theatre awards + Award Year Category Nominated work Result Drama Desk Awards 1993 Outstanding Actor in a Musical The Goodbye Girl 1999 Little Me 2007 Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me Outer Critics Circle 1993 Outstanding Actor in a Musical The Goodbye Girl 1999 Little Me Theatre World Award 1993 Theater World Award
Honours
Organizations Year Award Result Nelly Award 1982 Outstanding Writing for SCTV Comedy Network Queen Elizabeth II 1994 Made a Member of the Order of Canada Canadian Screen Awards 1995 Earle Grey Lifetime Achievement Award Banff Television Festival 1999 Sir Peter Ustinov Award Canada's Walk of Fame 2000 Star on the Walk of Fame McMaster University 2001 Honorary Doctor of Literature Queen Elizabeth II 2002 Golden Jubilee Medal 2012 Diamond Jubilee Medal Independent Spirit Awards 2014 Robert Altman Award for Inherent Vice Canada Post 2015 A stamp issued Canadian Screen Awards 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award Queen Elizabeth II 2019 Made an Officer of the Order of Canada
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