8 Things You Didn’t Know About John Belushi

John Belushi, an American comedian, actor, and musician was born on January 24, 1949. He was one of the first seven cast members of the Saturday Night Live (SNL) on NBC sketch comedy program.

For his huge fan following we’ve gathered some unknown facts that’ll surely pique your interest

8 Things You Didn’t Know About John Belushi

1. His Constant Partner

Dan Aykroyd was unquestionably Belushi’s go-to comic companion. Together, they rose to fame on Saturday Night Live and co-starred in a number of movies, including their biggest hit, The Blues Brothers.

2. Married In 1976

When Belushi first met Judith Jacklin, she was a student at Wheaton Community High School. In 1976, Jacklin and Belushi got married and stayed together until Belushi’s death. ^[1]

3. His First Venture Into Comedy

The West Compass Trio was Belushi’s debut comic performance.  The troupe’s performance in 1971 captured Bernard Sahlins’ attention. If you don’t know who that is, Sahlins created the sketch comedy troupe The Second City in Chicago. Belushi was invited to join, and there he became friends with Harold Ramis and Brian Doyle-Murray. ^[2]

4. His Most Famous Comedy

Because of his exceptional talent, Belushi created some of the movie’s most memorable moments on the spot. To the shock of his unsuspecting co-stars, Blutarsky’s trek across the cafeteria and his “I’m a zit!” moment in Animal House were both unscripted.

5. His Success Required Efforts

Despite a suggestion from his star, Chevy Chase, SNL founder, and producer Lorne Michaels was hesitant to include Belushi in his first line-up of comedians. Michaels eventually agreed and awarded Belushi the part after a face-to-face audition. ^[3]

6. He Nearly Never Became Famous

As if convincing Lorne Michaels via an audition wasn’t difficult enough, Belushi’s fame ran into another obstacle. Belushi himself had to be convinced to sign up for an SNL audition, Michael O’Donoghue persuaded actor John Belushi to apply for the comedy show even though he had no interest in watching television. 

7. He Invited A Notale Star

Anyone who has seen The Blues Brothers will be aware of Belushi’s musical talents in addition to his writing and physical humour. Belushi mimicked English musician Joe Cocker while he was on Saturday Night Live, and Cocker himself displayed his sense of humour by joining Belushi on stage in 1976. ^[4]

8. On-Set Disaster

Belushi also co-starred in Jack Nicholson’s comedy Western film Goin’ South, which was released the same year as Animal House. Unfortunately for Belushi, he did not have a nice experience on the set, later saying that Nicholson mistreated him. But things get worse. Surprisingly, his co-star, Christopher Lloyd, declared the film his personal favourite. ^[5]