Actor and comedian John Belushi rose to fame as one of the original "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" on Saturday Night Live before embarking on a movie career. He died of a drug overdose at the age of 33.
Second City and SNL
In 1971, Belushi joined Chicago's Second City comedy troupe and soon became involved with the theatrical and publishing group National Lampoon. He was an original cast member on Saturday Night Live, starting in 1975, and instantly became one of the breakout stars. Among Belushi's memorable characters and routines from the show were his Joe Cocker impression (which he performed on the show alongside the real Cocker), Samurai Futaba, who worked in a variety of inappropriate settings, and The Blues Brothers, which he and fellow cast member Dan Aykroyd spun off into a feature film in 1980.
Belushi starred in the National Lampoon film Animal House while still working on Saturday Night Live. In 1979, on Belushi's 30th birthday, Animal House was the most popular film at the box office, the Blues Brothers' record, Briefcase Full of Blues, was #1 on the Billboard charts and SNL was the highest-rated late night show on television.
Post-SNL Career
After leaving the show in 1979, Belushi made a few more films. He portrays Captain Wild Bill Kelso in Steven Spielberg's farcical 1941, reporter Ernie Souchak in Continental Divide and reunited with Aykroyd for the dark comedy Neighbors.
Death
Belushi died of a drug overdose after back-up singer and socialite Cathy Smith gave him a speedball, a mixture of cocaine and heroin, in Bungalow #3 of the Chateau Marmont on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood on March 5, 1982. Belushi was 33 years old. Smith served 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter for her role in his death.
Earlier that night, Belushi had been visited separately by both Robin Williams and Robert De Niro.
John Belushi Timeline
Note: The majority of the links in this timeline are to IMDb, which has pop-ups.
1949: Born
1975: Saturday Night Live
1978: Animal House
1979: 1941
1980: The Blues Brothers
1981: Continental Divide
1981: Neighbors
March 5, 1982: Died of a drug overdose
References
Fast Facts
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Born
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Birth Place
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SNL cast member
1975-79
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Fact:
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Fact:
Aykroyd wrote the character of Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters, eventually played by Bill Murray, for Belushi
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On his tombstone
"I may be gone, but rock 'n' roll lives on."
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Fact:
The Grateful Dead song "West LA Fadeaway" is reportedly about Belushi's death
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Died
