Martin Short’s daughter Katherine’s cause of death revealed

Katherine was the eldest of the three children Martin adopted with his late wife, Nancy Dolman

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 800-273-TALK (8255).

Martin Short’s oldest child, Katherine Short, died by suicide, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed. She was 42.

According to the medical examiner, Katherine’s place of death was listed as her residence, and the cause was determined to be a “gunshot wound of [the] head.”

Katherine died on Monday, Fox News Digital confirmed.

Actor Martin Short and his daughter Katherine Elizabeth Short, seen in 2011. (Gregg DeGuire)

“It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short,” a family representative shared in a statement with Fox News Digital Tuesday.

“The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”

Following Katherine’s death, Short has postponed upcoming dates on his comedy tour with longtime friend and collaborator Steve Martin.

The duo’s live show, “The Best of Steve Martin and Martin Short,” was set to bring their signature banter to audiences in Milwaukee and Minneapolis this weekend.

Short had been scheduled to take the stage alongside his “Only Murders in the Building” co-star, but according to venue websites, the performances have been delayed.

Martin Short poses with wife Nancy Dolan and their children, Katherine Elizabeth and Oliver Patrick, for a portrait in 1989 in Los Angeles, California. (Joan Adlen)

The Riverside Theater in Milwaukee shared an announcement addressing the change.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances, Steve Martin & Martin Short’s show, originally scheduled for Friday, February 27th in Milwaukee, has been postponed. Tickets will be honored for a future rescheduled date. We will be in contact with further news when it is available.”

Hennepin Theatre Trust in Minneapolis also confirmed the update.

Comedians Steve Martin and Martin Short have rescheduled several of their shows following the death of Short’s daughter, Katherine. (Reuters)

Katherine was the eldest of the three children Short adopted with his late wife, Nancy Dolman. The couple shared three decades of marriage before Dolman died in 2010 after battling ovarian cancer.

Despite a career defined by laughter — from the iconic wedding planner Franck in “Father of the Bride” to his recent turn in the Emmy-winning series “Only Murders in the Building” — Short has never shied away from speaking about the private heartbreak that unfolded behind the scenes.

In the years after Dolman’s death, the comedian acknowledged that his children navigated a tumultuous time without their mother.

Henry, Katherine and Oliver Short are seen on the opening night of “Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me” on Broadway in 2006. (Robin Platzer)

“It’s been a tough two years for my children,” he told The Guardian in October 2012.

“This is the thing of life that we live in denial about, that it will ever happen to us or our loved ones, and when it does you gain a little and you suffer a little. There’s no big surprise.”

Nearly a decade later, he reflected on how grief evolves rather than disappears.

“It’s tough,” he told AARP in 2019. “I still communicate with her all the time. It’s ‘Hey, Nan,’ you know?”

He added, “I believe that when people die, they zoom into the people that love them. This idea that it just ends, and don’t speak of them — that’s wrong. That’s based on denial that we’re all going to die. So to me, she’s still here.”