In a recent revelation, it has come to light that Martin Short’s daughter, Katherine, shared a childhood bond with Nick Reiner, the son of Hollywood filmmaker Rob Reiner. This connection surfaced following a tragic incident involving Nick, who has been charged with the murder of his own parents, Rob Reiner and Michele. Nick has entered a plea of not guilty.
The heartbreaking news of Katherine Short’s suicide on Monday has brought to light her lifelong struggle with depression and mental health issues, challenges that Nick reportedly faced as well. Both families were part of the close-knit Hollywood community, with Martin Short and his late wife, Nancy Dolman, raising their children—Katherine, Oliver, and Henry—near the Reiners in Brentwood.
A source disclosed to the Daily Mail that the Shorts and the Reiners shared a deep friendship. “Martin and Rob were very close,” the insider revealed. “Their families spent holidays, celebrated birthdays, and enjoyed dinner parties together. The children were almost always in each other’s company, growing up side by side.”
The source further explained the unique bond between Katherine and Nick, noting that they connected over the shared experience of being raised in the shadow of their famous parents. “It was a connection they had because they both tried to overcome it, to find their own paths in life, which proved to be quite challenging. The pressures of being Hollywood offspring can often lead to unhappiness,” the source remarked.
“Martin and Rob were very close,” a source told the Daily Mail. “There were holidays together, birthday parties, dinner parties and the kids were always around, always in each other’s company, they pretty much grew up together.”
The source added, “Katherine and Nick bonded over being the children of famous people, it was a connection they had because they both tried to overcome it, they both tried to find their own way in life and it was very challenging. Hollywood kids are often miserable, it’s common.”
“They wanted their own identity, they didn’t want to be called so-and-so’s kid.” In 2012, Katherine even filed court documents to have her last name changed to Hartley.
When asked why she explained that she was a psychiatric social worker with a father for a public figure and she was “concerned about potential harassment from future patients resulting from my association with my father.”
Both children of famed members of tinseltown also spent time in institutions over the years dealing with mental health issues.
Rande Levine – founder of Karma Rescue, a dog charity on a board Katherine served – said there were several times during the 2010s when Katherine checked into an inpatient mental health facility.
“She’d say, “I won’t be around, I’m going away.” She’d go check into some place to boost her up again,” Levine said.
Meanwhile, Nick has struggled with addiction, and has been in and out of drug rehab since age 15.
“Martin and Rob really looked out for their kids, they were great parents, so the kids could never say they were screwed up because of their parents.,” the source said.
”That is not easy. There is no one to blame if you are broken. And Katherine and Nick were broken in their own ways.’ In recent years though, “Katherine and Nick were not as close,” the source told the outlet.
Following news about the Reiner’s murder, Katherine was “very upset” about their death.
“It was depressing, it really got to the whole [friend] group, so dark, so evil and twisted,” the source said. “She felt repulsed by Nick over the murders. I am sure it weighed on her mental health, it was tough.”
The Dec. 14 murders of the Reiner’s shocked Hollywood. Nick was arrested the day after the bloody bodies were discovered.
The California Post has reached out to Short’s representative for comment.
