Live from St. Louis, it's Saturday night. With Martin Short.

The Emmy- and Tony-winning comedian — who gained notice in "SCTV," moved up to "Saturday Night Live" and then starred in several hit movies — will perform Saturday at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Short said doing his live shows, which include singing, impersonations and monologues, is one of the pure joys of entertainment.

"If you're doing it right, then you as a performer get to have as much fun as the audience does," Short said. "If the folks there are fans, you don't want to disappoint them. And if they're not fans, you want to win them over."

Short, 60, did not set out for a life in show business. He earned a bachelor's degree in social work from McMaster University in Ontario. One of his classmates was Dave Thomas, who set off for a career in show business and persuaded Short to take a few months off and try acting before starting a master's degree program.

What evolved from that "vacation" was what could arguably be called the greatest "Godspell" cast ever.

"It was 1972, and it was the first time 'Godspell' was traveling off of Broadway," Short said. "The cast ended up including Dave, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Gilda Radner and Victor Garber." (Garber is a dramatic actor best known for his recurring role on "Alias" and as the ship architect in the film "Titanic.")

Short also told of another "Godspell" tryout.

"This one young girl came in with her own piano player. She wasn't very good, but they hired her accompanist to be the musical director. And that was Paul Shaffer," he said, referring to the music director and sidekick of "Late Show With David Letterman."

During this period, Short put himself on a series of "one-year contracts."

"I knew the unlikely nature of making it in show business," he said. "So I told myself I'd try acting for a year. If, at the end of the year, things weren't going well, I'd go back and get my master's. If things were good, I'd go another year. … At the end of my fourth one-year contract, I just said, 'Well, I guess I'm an actor.'"

Short's first big break came in 1979, when he joined the cast of the cult-fave TV show "SCTV" and developed two characters who will appear at the Touhill: supernerd Ed Grimley and Vegas performer Jackie Rogers Jr.

Short, who most recently was nominated for a supporting-actor Emmy for his turn as devious lawyer Leonard Winstone on "Damages," said two other favorite characters will make an appearance Saturday: celebrity interviewer Jiminy Glick and snarky fashion designer Franck from the "Father of the Bride" movies.

"Franck talks about style in my show — who has it and who doesn't."

What Martin Short Live • Where Touhill Performing Arts Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, One University Boulevard • When 8 p.m. Saturday • How much $45-$100 • More info 314-516-4100, touhill.org