Yeah, it can definitely be done without a short card, but I always use one for this force since I keep one in my box with my deck (I use the Joker because you can openly take it out of the pack in front of an audience if you need to) because I use it for a few effects anyhow. The short card gives you a better and more natural timing with the force, as well as allows you to to locate the visually forced card without looking through the cards face up, but instead allows you to control the forced card by just cutting the deck while it's still face down.
Peter Cassford did not invent the effect, he just teaches it. I doubt there's a source credited with inventing the effect as it's something that has just been around for quite a while.