Martin Short met Gilda Radner in a 1972 Toronto production of Godspell alongside Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Short and Radner dated during the production<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Short also met his future wife, Nancy Dolman, during Godspell, where she was Radner\u2019s understudy<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Martin Short recalls Gilda Radner being warm, funny and instantly likable.<\/p>\n
Short, 76, reflected on meeting the late Saturday Night Live star in a 1972 production of Godspell while chatting with David Letterman<\/a> and Paul Shaffer<\/a> at the Netflix Is a Joke Presents: This Better Be Funny with David Letterman event on Thursday, May 7.<\/p>\n “Godspell had opened off-Broadway and become a huge hit, so they were mounting a Toronto production,” Short explained. “I was still in university. Gilda Radner was there. Eugene Levy. Andrea Martin. Victor Garber.”<\/p>\n He noted that the “callbacks were chaos \u2014 like American Idol. Hundreds of people, and somehow we all got cast together.\u201d<\/p>\n Cast of 1972’s ‘Godspell’ Short told Letterman that none of the would-be stars knew each other beforehand, and they were \u201cjust kids.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe were just thrilled to be out of school and doing something creative,” Short shared.<\/p>\n When asked about his relationship with Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989 at age 42,\u00a0the Emmy award winner said she was \u201cexactly as wonderful as you\u2019d hope.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvery woman wanted to be her best friend and every guy wanted to date her because she was just hilarious and alive and warm,” Short shared. “The first rehearsal, she came over and said, \u2018Hi, I\u2019m Gilda. I\u2019m really excited to meet you.\u2019 She was instantly funny.”<\/p>\n Martin Short and wife Nancy Dolman During that same production, however, Short also met his future wife, Nancy Dolman<\/a>, as she was cast as Radner\u2019s understudy.<\/p>\n “She was an incredible singer. Huge talent,” Short said of Dolman.<\/p>\n In 2024<\/a>, the Only Murders in the Building actor opened up to Ted Danson about the entanglement between him and the two women.<\/p>\n Danson asked if he ever had a \u201cglimmer in your eye\u201d for Dolman before they got together, and while Short said he thought she was \u201cout of my league,\u201d he added that he also \u201cloved Gilda.\u201d<\/p>\n He and Radner \u201calways were breaking up,\u201d he remembered. Once Short felt like he and Radner were broken up for good, he made plans to play tennis with Dolman.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember Gilda phoning up and saying, \u2018You’re with Nancy\u2026 we’re supposed to get back together,’ \u201d he confessed to Danson. \u201cIt was fast. One day. One day, I was single. That’s crazy.”<\/p>\n Martin Short and wife Nancy Dolman in 1989 Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for PEOPLE’s <\/strong>free daily newsletter<\/strong><\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n Short and Dolman went on to get married in 1980. In 1985, they adopted three children: Katherine, Oliver, and Henry. However, Dolman died in 2010 from ovarian cancer<\/a>. They were married for 36 years.<\/p>\n In February 2026, the Short family announced that Katherine had died<\/a> at the age of 42.<\/p>\n![\"Cast](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6080fd6f2cdc6c8d69dbb96ebc42a089.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Credit: Steve Russell\/Toronto Star via Getty<\/p>\n![\"Martin](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/32e3b427bb2c511f12998d52a0d0a12c.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Credit: Ron Galella, Ltd.\/Ron Galella Collection via Getty<\/p>\n![\"Martin](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/925dc4040fc3b523b1e2675ddbdbf12e.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Credit: Ralph Dominguez\/MediaPunch via Getty<\/p>\n