Hopefully, Dan Aykroyd isn’t feeling like a blue brother today. The actress is celebrating his 64th birthday today!
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Born in Ontario, Canada, Aykroyd was raised by his parents Samuel and Lorraine in the capital city with his brother Peter. The actor, who was brought up in a Catholic household, had never intended to become Hollywood’s favorite comedic relief as he wanted to become a priest during his teenage years. However, after Aykroyd began university, he eventually dropped out to begin working the comedy circuit through various nightclubs. And, as his resume grew, Aykroyd finally found a big break once he was hired by Saturday Night Live.
Aykroyd was first hired as a writer for the show but turned into a cast member just before the series first aired. The original cast members, who are commonly referred to as ‘The Not Ready For Prime Time Players,’ revolutionized late-night comedy programming. Aykroyd went on to star in the series’ first four seasons and amused fans with his impressions for figures like Richard Nixon, Julia Child, and Jimmy Carter amongst others. He was also made popular for his appearance in skits like The Coneheads, Two Wild and Crazy Guys – and most famously – The Blues Brothers with John Belushi.
After leaving SNL, Aykroyd went on to star in dozens of films such as 1941, The Blues Brothers, Trading Places, and Ghostbusters. Inspired by his own fascination with the supernatural and parapsychology, Aykroyd’s Ghostbusters went on to earn over $300 million at the box office. The actor then went on to star in Ghostbusters II and even earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Driving Miss Daisy.
As for his personal life, Aykroyd has famously spoken about his interest in different paranormal phenomena like UFOlogy. He considers himself a Spiritualist as he believes spirits exists and Aykroyd even has an ancestor who acted as a mystic that could allegedly correspond with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. With history like that, it’s no surprise that Aykroyd’s passion for Ghostbusters helped him turn the sci-fi comedy into an instant classic.
Happy Birthday Dan!
