“Marty, Life Is Short” Trailer Drops — First Look Has Fans Talking
Netflix has released the first trailer for ‘Marty, Life Is Short’, a feature documentary about comedy legend Martin Short, and it is already shaping up to be one of the most emotionally rich films of the year.
Described as the definitive documentary on the beloved comedian, the film blends classic career clips with fresh interviews and star-studded, never-before-seen home movies. It is directed by Lawrence Kasdan, the writer-director behind ‘The Big Chill’ and ‘Body Heat’, and executive produced by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard through their Imagine Documentaries banner.
The documentary traces more than 50 years of Short’s career, from his early days on SCTV and ‘Saturday Night Live’ through to his film work and Broadway success. Friends and collaborators including Steve Martin, Eugene Levy, Tom Hanks, and the late Catherine O’Hara all appear, offering their personal reflections on what makes Short such a singular figure in entertainment.
In the trailer, Levy says, “In this business, in the world of comedy, there’s nobody faster, there’s nobody smarter, and there’s nobody funnier.”
The trailer for ‘MARTY, LIFE IS SHORT’ has been released.
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) May 2, 2026
Premiering May 12 on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/49O2QwBx2c
The film also carries significant emotional weight given the timing of its release. Catherine O’Hara, one of Short’s closest and most long-standing friends, passed away earlier this year, and her interview was filmed before her death, meaning her appearance in the documentary takes on a poignant, posthumous quality.
Short himself has faced extraordinary personal loss throughout his life, including the deaths of his parents, his wife Nancy in 2010, and his daughter Katherine earlier this year.
Short’s beloved alter ego Jiminy Glick also makes an appearance in the trailer, quipping with characteristic absurdity, “Well, they’re making a documentary on everyone.” It is the kind of moment that captures exactly why Short has endured for so long, finding the laugh even in the middle of something sincere.
The documentary is produced by Sara Bernstein, Meredith Kaulfers, Christopher St. John, Justin Wilkes, and Blair Foster. ‘Marty, Life Is Short’ premieres globally on Netflix on May 12. For anyone who has grown up watching Short and wondered what has kept him going through decades of both triumph and devastating loss, this film looks like it will provide some profound answers.
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