Martin Short's most memorable roles

Saturday Night Live is all well and good. However, north of the border, Canada had its own sketch comedy show that was just as good. That would be Second City Television or SCTV. The show was a jumping-off point for some of the biggest names in comedy. We’re talking about John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, and, of course, Short. While Short was only on from 1981 through 1984, this is where he first brought us characters like Ed Grimley.

Short actually left SCTV for SNL, though he was only there for one season. It was the weird 1984-85 season after Eddie Murphy when Lorne Michaels wasn’t running the show and they brought in Short, Christopher Guest, and Billy Crystal for just one year. Still, Short was there, even if he often did his SCTV characters.

Of all the Short characters, Jiminy Glick may be the best. The showbiz hanger-on is an oddball and a terrible interviewer. Primetime Glick was built around Glick interviewing celebrities in character. The celebs would try their best to play along with Short as Glick, but they often couldn’t help but laugh at Short’s genius.

Short is a hilarious man, but he’s tried his hand at drama on occasion. Perhaps the foremost example of this is Damages, a serious FX show that won Glenn Close an Oscar. Short was only on one season and 13 episodes, but it got him and Damages plenty of attention.

Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat is a famed character who has been played by a few different folks. Mike Myers, for example, did a nightmarish take on the mischievous feline. For this PBS education show, Short voiced the titular Cat in the Hat for a whopping 80 episodes. A generation of kids surely grew up hearing Short’s voice in this character.

John Mulaney’s sitcom didn’t fully work. However, it was funny and had its positives. Perhaps it would have gotten more than 13 episodes in a different era. The show had quite the cast, including Elliott Gould, Short, and Lou Cannon, the bombastic game show host that is Mulaney’s boss on the show.

Martin Short and Maya Rudolph feel like the kind of old-school showbiz professionals who would host a variety show. Unfortunately, they weren’t in their heyday in the ‘60s and ‘70s. And yet, they tried. Maya & Marty was an attempt at a variety show in 2016. It only lasted six episodes, but we’re glad they got to do it.

We move from TV shows to movies. Three Amigos was actually Short’s first starring role, and he got to work alongside two massive stars in Steve Martin and Chevy Chase. The comedy is silly and fun, and Short stands as an equal to these two showbiz luminaries. It’s also the beginning of the fruiting pairing of Short and Martin.

The following year, Short got to have an arguably even bigger role in Joe Dante’s sci-fi comedy Innerspace. In this film, Dennis Quaid plays a scientist who shrinks down to a microscopic size. He then accidentally ends up in the body of Short. That means Short has to handle a big comedy load of basically acting against nobody and having to come across as crazy. Short can go broad, but he can also be a pseudo-straight man.

Short is a talented performer, but he’s at his best as himself in sketch comedy or minor, broad roles akin to sketch comedy. His stint as a leading man in movies didn’t last super long. At the peak of the attempt to turn Short into a movie star, he was in Pure Luck, a solid enough film where he did his best alongside Danny Glover.

Speaking of broad, memorable small roles. Steve Martin is shouldering the load in Father of the Bride as the hectored dad of the bride-to-be as the family prepares for her wedding. Short is along for the ride as Franck Eggelhoffer, a bizarre German wedding planner. Martin plays the straight man, which he does well, while Short gets to be as goofy as possible.

This time, it’s Short as the straight man. He plays the patriarch of a family who ends up in the circle of the titular Captain Ron, played by Kurt Russell. The film has What About Bob? vibes, with Short in the Richard Dreyfuss part. Short gets to play frantic and frazzled, and he and Russell turn this into a solid if unspectacular ‘90s comedy.

Clifford is insane. It’s the kind of movie people either hate or write 5,000-word odes about. Clifford has extremely devoted fans, but it was a flop at the time. Short plays an impish, perhaps malevolent, 10-year-old. No, really. Short, who was born in 1950, plays a young boy. He torments Charles Grodin. Short and Grodin are geniuses. If you can get on their wavelength, you’ll really enjoy this truly bizarre film.

Mars Attacks! has an incredible cast. A young Natalie Portman! Jack Nicholson in two roles! Tom Jones as himself! Short is in the film, playing a smarmy, unctuous press secretary. He does well playing a cad, though he does not have a happy ending in this anarchic comedy.

We won’t pretend this is a good movie. Even the first Santa Clause film isn’t a work of art. However, this one has to be up there in terms of Short's memorable roles. Short joins the franchise to play Jack Frost. He is the film's highlight, to the extent the movie has one.

Short is back working with Tim Burton, who directed him in Mars Attacks! This film is a feature-length remake of the short film that became Burton’s first calling card. It’s an animated film, but Short gets to play three roles, including as young Victor Frankenstein’s father.

Short is only in Paul Thomas Anderson’s lyrical, dense adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel, but he makes a big impact. He plays Rudy Blatnoyd, a pervy, amoral dentist. His performance is all sweaty energy and barely concealed insanity. In a movie with a bunch of notable names and fun performances, Short stands out. Remember, it’s not groovy to be insane.

Ultimately, this feels like the perfect vehicle for Short. Also, for Martin. It’s the two long-time friends hanging out, ragging on each other, and just doing comedy as themselves. The Netflix special is a filmed version of their touring show that really captures what makes these two so great together. We could watch Martin and Short playing off each other forever.