How much is Martin Short Worth? Martin Short Net Worth in 2026
Martin Short’s net worth is estimated at $40 million as of October 2026. Short is a Canadian-born comedian and actor who came up through The Second City, SCTV and Saturday Night Live, and who is now one of the busiest stars on streaming. The biggest driver of the wealth is a career that has paid steadily for five decades, topped lately by a lead role on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.
| Net worth | $40 million (our estimate) |
|---|---|
| Estimated annual income | Roughly $5 million a year (our estimate, driven by the Hulu series, touring and hosting work) |
| Born | March 26, 1950, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (age 76) |
| Country | Canada |
| Known for | Sketch comedy, Father of the Bride, Primetime Glick, and Only Murders in the Building |
| Main income sources | Television salary, touring, film and voice work, Broadway, hosting fees, book royalties |
How Martin Short built it
- Trained in sketch comedy. He came up through The Second City, SCTV and Saturday Night Live.
- Worked steadily across media. Film, voice work, Broadway, hosting and touring have paid him for five decades.
- Took a streaming lead late. He stars in Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, renewed for a sixth season.
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Get the Alux appHow much is Martin Short worth in 2026?
We estimate Martin Short’s net worth at about $40 million. It is an estimate: he has no public company, and neither the studios nor his representatives publish contract terms.
Public guesses sit between roughly $30 million and $50 million, which is a wide spread for someone who has worked this long. The main reason is that most of the money arrived in small, steady pieces rather than one big sale. There is no brand to cash out and no catalog to auction, just a very long list of paid jobs.
Our figure leans on three things. First, the widely repeated but unconfirmed pay of about $600,000 per episode on Only Murders in the Building, which would put a 10-episode season near $6 million before agent and tax costs. Second, the live shows with Steve Martin, which have run since 2015 and include a Netflix special. Third, a long film and voice record that includes the Father of the Bride movies and a children’s series as the Cat in the Hat. We choose the middle to upper part of the public range because he has also worked as an executive producer on the Hulu show, which usually pays better than acting alone.
Martin Short in 2026: what they have been working on
- Late 2025: Hulu renewed Only Murders in the Building for a 10-episode sixth season, with filming moving to London for the first time. Short is expected to return as Oliver Putnam.
- 2025: Short became host of ABC’s revival of Match Game in June, taking over from Alec Baldwin.
- 2024: He brought back his talk-show character Jiminy Glick for a guest spot on a late-night political show and guest-hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live.
- 2024: He appeared in the Saturday Night Live Christmas special, forty years after his season on the show.
- Ongoing: Live dates and television appearances with Steve Martin, whose 2018 Netflix special earned four Emmy nominations.
How Martin Short makes money
- Television salary: Only Murders in the Building is the largest current stream. Reported per-episode pay of about $600,000 is not confirmed by Hulu or Short.
- Hosting: Match Game for ABC adds a separate weekly paycheck. Rates are not public.
- Live touring: The shows with Steve Martin sell theaters in many cities. Gross figures are not published, so we count this as a meaningful but unquantified stream.
- Film and voice work: Residuals and new fees from comedies, family films and the Cat in the Hat series.
- Stage and books: Broadway runs including Little Me and Fame Becomes Me, plus royalties from his 2014 memoir I Must Say.
- Executive producer fees: Credit on Only Murders in the Building brings fees and a say in the show, though terms are private.
What Martin Short teaches (and what to take from it)
Build characters you can reuse. Ed Grimley, Irving Cohen and Jiminy Glick showed up in sketches, then on their own show, and decades later on late-night television. A strong, specific creation keeps earning. This week, write down one distinct way you solve problems or present ideas at work and give it a name, so people know what to bring you.
Treat your forties and fifties as the middle, not the end. His best-paid stretch of television came after he turned 70. The pattern is to keep adding new formats rather than repeat one. Try this today: pick one format you have never tried (a talk, a newsletter, a pitch) and book a date for a first rough attempt.
Pair up with someone whose skills differ from yours. The partnership with Steve Martin turned two solo careers into a touring act and a hit series. Partnerships widen the audience for both people. By Friday, message one person whose strengths cover your weak spots and propose a small joint project with a deadline.
Stay trained for the next job. His start in improvisation at The Second City gave him a skill set that carried over to stage, sitcoms, talk shows and game shows. Core craft transfers. Within seven days, spend 10 minutes a day practicing the one skill that every job in your field depends on, whether that is writing, speaking or selling.
Career timeline
- 1971: Graduates from McMaster University in Ontario with a degree in social work.
- 1972: Early stage work includes the Toronto production of Godspell.
- 1977: Joins The Second City in Toronto.
- 1982: Appears on SCTV, creating Ed Grimley and Irving Cohen.
- 1984: Joins Saturday Night Live for its tenth season.
- 1991: Stars in Father of the Bride, followed by a sequel in 1995.
- 1999: Wins a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for Little Me.
- 2001: Starts Primetime Glick on Comedy Central.
- 2006: Opens the one-man Broadway show Fame Becomes Me.
- 2014: Publishes his memoir I Must Say.
- 2015: Begins touring with Steve Martin.
- 2021: Starts Only Murders in the Building on Hulu.
- 2025: Becomes host of Match Game on ABC.
Early life and background
Martin Hayter Short was born on March 26, 1950, in Hamilton, Ontario, the youngest of five children. He attended Westdale Secondary School and earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from McMaster University in 1971.
Instead of a social-work career he moved into acting, working on commercials and stage productions before joining The Second City in Toronto. That training led to SCTV and then to New York. In 2019 he received the Order of Canada.
Martin Short net worth FAQ
What is Martin Short’s net worth?
Martin Short’s net worth is estimated at $40 million as of October 2026. Public estimates run from about $30 million to $50 million.
How much did Martin Short make from Only Murders in the Building?
His per-episode pay is not confirmed. A widely repeated figure is about $600,000 an episode, which would be near $6 million for a 10-episode season. Treat that as an estimate.
How does Martin Short make money?
Mainly from television pay, hosting, touring with Steve Martin, film and voice roles, and stage work.
How old is Martin Short?
Martin Short was born on March 26, 1950, which makes him 76 years old.
What is Martin Short known for?
He is known for sketch comedy on SCTV and Saturday Night Live, the Father of the Bride films, his character Jiminy Glick, and Only Murders in the Building.
How is Martin Short’s net worth estimated?
We build it from reported television pay, touring, film and stage work over five decades, then compare it with public estimates. It is an approximation.
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How we estimate net worth
Our estimates are based on public reporting, company valuations, and deal and earnings figures all compiled in an internal valuation model. They are approximate, and figures change over time as new information emerges.
Last updated: October 2026.