If you only know Martin Short as the eccentric Oliver Putnam from Only Murders in the Building or the guy who trades barbed insults with Steve Martin on tour, you're missing the wildest part of the story. Most people think he just kind of "appeared" on Saturday Night Live in the mid-80s as a fully formed comedy genius.
Honestly? Not even close. Don't forget to check out our previous post on this related article.
The reality of young Martin Short is way more interesting—and a lot more tragic—than the "hyperactive funnyman" persona suggests. He didn't just stumble into comedy. He used it as a survival mechanism. He was a social work major who ended up playing a giant Visa card in a commercial before joining a theater cast that sounds like a fever dream of future legends.
The Hamilton Kid and the "Teflon" Quality
Martin grew up in Hamilton, Ontario, as the youngest of five kids. It was a boisterous Irish Catholic household where he was basically the "baby" who learned early on that being funny was a superpower. His mom, Olive, was the concertmaster for the Hamilton Philharmonic, and his dad, Charles, was a steel executive. If you want more about the background here, E! News provides an informative breakdown.
But here’s the thing people forget: by the time Martin was 20, he had lost almost his entire immediate family.
His eldest brother died in a car crash when Martin was 12. His mother died of cancer five years later. Then, when he was just 20, his father died from a stroke. It’s the kind of sequence that would break most people. Short has described himself as having a "Teflon quality" because he was met with so much fire so early. He didn’t become a brooding, dark comedian, though. He went the other way. He chose joy, almost as a defiant act.
He went to McMaster University originally planning to be a doctor. He switched to social work. He even worked in mental health services for a year after graduating. Can you imagine young Martin Short sitting across from you in a serious clinical setting? It feels impossible, but that empathy is exactly why his characters—even the annoying ones—always feel so human.
The 1972 Godspell Production: A Comedy Big Bang
In 1972, a production of the musical Godspell opened in Toronto. If you're a comedy nerd, this cast list is essentially the Old Testament.
- Martin Short
- Eugene Levy
- Gilda Radner (who Short dated for two years)
- Victor Garber
- Andrea Martin (who eventually became his sister-in-law)
- Paul Shaffer (as the musical director)
It was a total fluke that they were all in the same room. Short actually went to the audition because his college buddy Eugene Levy was going. He wasn't even sure he wanted to be an "actor" yet. But the show was a massive hit, running for nearly 500 performances.
During this era, young Martin Short was still finding his legs. He spent years doing random Canadian TV: a youth variety show called Right On, a guest spot on The Love Boat (playing a guy named Melvin), and a recurring role on The David Steinberg Show. He was working, but he wasn't "Martin Short" yet.
Why He Almost Didn't Join Second City
This is a weird detail: Short actually resisted joining the Second City improv troupe at first.
Most of his friends—John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy—were already there, but Short had a literal phobia of being "funny on demand." He didn't think he was an improviser. He finally gave in during 1977, taking over for John Candy in a revue called The Wizard of Ossington.
That's where the magic started. That's where young Martin Short invented Ed Grimley.
People think Ed Grimley was an SNL creation. Nope. He was born on the Second City stage as an unnamed parent in a sketch. The hair wasn't even supposed to be that way; it was another cast member, Peter Aykroyd (Dan’s brother), who joked that the hair should get higher every night. Short took the bait, greased it straight up like a lightning rod, and a legend was born.
SCTV and the "Replacement" Years
When SCTV (Second City Television) became a hit, Short wasn't in the original lineup. He didn't join until 1982. He was basically the "new guy" brought in to fill the massive void left by Catherine O’Hara, Rick Moranis, and Dave Thomas.
He didn't just fill it; he blew the roof off.
This was the peak of young Martin Short’s character work. He wasn't just doing "funny voices." He was doing weirdly specific, slightly uncomfortable satires of show business:
- Jackie Rogers Jr.: The cross-eyed Albino Vegas singer.
- Irving Cohen: The ancient, phlegmy Broadway songwriter who just wanted a "bouncy C."
- Nathan Thurm: The sweating, defensive corporate lawyer with the tiny cigarette.
If you watch those old SCTV tapes, you see a guy who is 100% committed. He never winks at the camera. He is the character. It’s why Dick Ebersol recruited him for Saturday Night Live in 1984. Short only stayed for one season, but it's widely considered one of the most important single-season runs in the show's history. He basically saved the show from cancellation by bringing his SCTV characters to a much bigger American audience.
The Misconception About "The Associates"
Before the big movie break with Three Amigos! in 1986, Short tried to be a traditional sitcom star. He moved to LA and starred in a show called The Associates (1979).
It was produced by the people behind Taxi and Cheers. It was supposed to be a massive hit. It was canceled after 13 episodes.
Most people assume this was a failure, but for young Martin Short, it was the bridge. It’s where he learned how the American TV machine worked. He followed it up with another short-lived sitcom, I’m a Big Girl Now, where he played a neighbor named Neal Stryker. He was essentially the "utility player" of late-70s television—the guy you hired when you needed someone who could be charming, slightly manic, and physically gifted all at once.
What You Can Learn From Short's Early Hustle
Looking back at the trajectory of young Martin Short, it’s clear that his "overnight success" took about 14 years of grinding in the Canadian theater and TV trenches. He didn't have a signature style initially; he was a sponge who absorbed everything from his peers.
If you want to dive deeper into his early work, here is how to actually find the good stuff:
- Hunt for SCTV "Channel" Episodes: Don't just watch the Best-Of clips. Watch the full episodes from the 1982-1984 era to see how he weaves characters through the entire "broadcast day."
- Track Down "The David Steinberg Show": This is where you see Short, Candy, and Levy working together before they were famous. It’s raw, weird, and very 70s.
- Read "I Must Say": Short’s 2014 memoir is genuinely one of the best-written celebrity autobiographies. He goes into detail about the loss of his family and how he built the "nine-category system" to stay happy.
The biggest takeaway from the early years of Martin Short isn't just that he was funny. It’s that he was resilient. He took the "fire" of his youth and turned it into a light that hasn't gone out for fifty years.
Next Steps for the Fan: To see the transition from his sketch days to his movie stardom, watch the 1985 Showtime special Martin Short: Concert for the North Americas. It's the perfect time capsule of his transition from "the guy on SCTV" to a legitimate Hollywood leading man. After that, look for his 1994 sitcom (also called The Martin Short Show)—it only lasted 8 episodes, but it features Jan Hooks and is a fascinating look at him trying to deconstruct his own fame.
