John Belushi

From ArticleWorld

John Adam Belushi was an actor and comedian. He was born on January 24, 1949 in Wheaton, Illinois to an Albanian immigrant father and English mother.

Career

Belushi’s comedy career began in 1971 upon joining The Second City comedy troupe in Chicago. In the early 1970’s he participated in the National Lampoon Radio Hour. The Radio Hour was a comedy program that aired on over 600 nationwide stations. Here he worked with other comedians like Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, and Bill Murray. Shortly before the show was canceled in 1975, Belushi married the associate producer, Judy Jacklin.

Belushi was one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live and began his rise to fame. Out of all the things Belushi accomplished in his acting career, he is most remembered for the time he spent at Saturday Night Live. He filmed Animal House, his signature movie, in between seasons of Saturday Night Live. In 1979, Belushi left Saturday Night Live for the big screen. He appeared in various movies, such as The Blues Brothers, where he played opposite Dan Aykroyd, Old Boyfriends, Continental Divide, and Neighbors.

Drug Addiction

Belushi was known throughout the entertainment sector for his drinking and drug addiction, which would end up taking his life. He died on March 5, 1982 and was found in a hotel room on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. Belushi was only 33 when he died. His death was investigated and was found to have been caused by an overdose of speedball, which is a mixture of cocaine and heroin. Belushi is buried in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. His tombstone is a good reminder of his personality, it reads, "I may be gone, but rock ‘n’ roll lives on."