Began his acting career in children's theater at the Pittsburgh Playhouse

Served in the US Air Force for four years (date approximate)

Returned home to Pittsburgh at age 21 and briefly pursued a career as a draftsman (date approximate)

Pursued an acting career in Pittsburgh

Changed last name from O'Flaherty to Flaherty as there was already a Joe O'Flaherty in the union

Moved to Chicago to join the city's famed Second City comedy troupe

Left Second City to work on the National Lampoon Show

Returned to Second City and starred on the comedy series "SCTV Network" (syndicated, NBC, Cinemax), where he created such memorable characters as Guy Caballero, owner of the wheelchair-bound network owner and horror host Count Floyd

Appeared in Steven Spielberg's epic war comedy misfire "1941"

Had a featured voice role in cult-favorite animated feature "Heavy Metal"

Featured in the Bill Murray military comedy "Stripes", alongside "SCTV" co-stars John Candy and Dave Thomas

Starred alongside fellow "SCTV" performers John Candy and Eugene Levy in the zany comedy feature "Going Berrserk"

Acted in the gangster comedy "Johnny Dangerously"

Played Sid Sleaze in the children's feature "Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird"

Appeared in "Martin Short Concert for the North Americas", a Showtime comedy special starring the fellow "SCTV" veteran

Appeared in the features "Club Paradise" and "One Crazy Summer"

Was writer, executive producer and host of the suspense anthology spoof "Really Weird Tales" (HBO)

Played Bill Sykes in the Showtime comedy special "Dave Thomas: The Incredible Time Travels of Henry Osgood"

Was featured in the benefit comedy show "Comic Relief II"

Appeared in the Showtime comedy series "Poison"

Worked onstage at the ill-fated Santa Monica Second City

As Count Floyd, was regularly featured on live-action segments of the animated series "The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley" (NBC)

Gave a Gemini award-winning performance in the Disney Channel movie "Looking For Miracles"

Featured in the HBO comedy special "I, Martin Short, Goes Hollywood"

Played loony dentist Dr. Plierson, guest starring on an episode of Fox's "Married... With Children"

Had featured roles in the films "Who's Harry Crumb?", "Speed Zone" and "Back to the Future II"

Directed, wrote and starred on the Family Channel series "Maniac Mansion", playing wacky inventor Dr. Fred Edison

Was featured in the NBC comedy special "Toonces, the Cat Who Could Drive a Car"

Had a guest voice role on ABC's "Dinosaurs"

Played the father of a runaway girl in the Showtime remake "Runaway Daughters"

Guest starred on episodes of "Hardball" (Fox), "Phenom" (ABC) and "Nurses" (NBC)

Had a featured role in the "Saturday Night Live" sketch spin-off feature "Stuart Saves His Family", directed by Harold Ramis

Starred in the ABC family movie "Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare", about a competitive group's family Olympics

Acted in the hit comedy feature "Happy Gilmore"

Had a recurring role alongside "Freaks and Geeks" creator Paul Feig on CBS' short-lived sitcom "The Louie Show"

Guest starred on an episode of "Ellen" (ABC)

Starred as a psychiatrist kidnapped by a crime family, employed to dissuade their unhappy Don from giving up the lifestyle, in "The Don's Analyst", aired on The Movie Channel

Portrayed Commander Stuart Hefilfinger on the short lived syndicated offerring "Police Academy: The Series"

Had a featured role as a dogcatcher in the ABC comedy movie "Dogmatic", the tale of an executive who trades places with his dog

Played a priest in the rock and roll road trip feature "Detroit Rock City"

Played overbearing father Harold Weir on the NBC series "Freaks and Geeks"

Had featured role in the NBC summer sitcom "Go Fish"