Actor Dan Aykroyd: biography, filmography, photo

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:48

"The Blues Brothers", "Swap Places", "Ghostbusters", "Tales from the Crypt" - it is difficult to list all the wonderful films and TV shows that made Dan Aykroyd memorable for the audience. This actor is great at comedic images, but he is also capable of dramatic roles. What else is known about this talented person, whose filmography already contains more than 100 films and television projects?

Dan Aykroyd: Beginning

The future actor was born in Ottawa (Canada), it happened in July 1952. The boy's family was far from the world of cinema. His father devoted his whole life to public service, rose to the rank of Deputy Minister of Transport. After school, Dan Aykroyd entered one of the universities in Ottawa, where he studied political science, criminology and psychology. Nevertheless, he did not work in his speci alty, since even then he began to dream about the acting profession.

Dan started his career on the radio, then joined the Second City Comedy Theatre. Some time later, he thought about the conquest of cinema. Already the first roles of a beginnerthe actor helped him to attract the attention of the public. For example, he played the central character in the film "Love at First Sight", which was presented to the audience in 1977.

Dan and John

Dan Aykroyd is an actor whose career took off after meeting John Belushi, who invited him to perform on Saturday Night Live. This comedy duo made a serious contribution to the development of the genre of political satire, created many characters that still make you laugh. The show, hosted by John and Dan, has become one of the most beloved by American viewers.

Friends, inspired by their success, decided to create a musical duet, which was called the Blues Brothers. The comedians dressed in skin-tight black suits, donned black glasses and hats, and then played harmonicas, imitating the famed masters of rhythm and blues. The first album of the star duet was released already in 1978, friends called it Briefcase Full of Blues. The joint brainchild was awarded the status of sensation of the year, and the single “Man of the Soul” also gained great popularity.

Beginning of film career

Of course, Dan Aykroyd has not forgotten about his dream of becoming a famous actor. The anti-war farce "1941", filmed by Spielberg, allowed him to re-assert himself in this capacity. In this picture, the comedian embodied the image of Sergeant Frank Tree, who is driven to madness by panic that has spread due to rumors of an impending Japanese attack on Los Angeles. Interestingly, the box office in the US is notlived up to the expectations of the filmmakers, while it grossed over $80 million worldwide.

Dan Aykroyd, inspired by the first successes, decided to create a full-length film about the Blues Brothers. He personally wrote the script for the musical comedy. As actors, he attracted several well-known musicians. The picture was released in 1980, giving those who worked on it, worldwide popularity. This was followed by shooting in the comedy film "Neighbours", which also had a resounding success.

The Blues Brothers duo ceased to exist in 1982 due to the death of John Belushi, for whom experiments with narcotic substances tragically ended. Dan Aykroyd then lost not only a colleague, but also a close friend. The actor's biography shows that Belushi's death was a strong blow for him.

Find yourself

After losing John, Aykroyd was forced to recognize himself as a "lone soloist". He did not stop working on the scripts that were intended for his joint work with Belushi. For example, it was then that the script for Ghost Mashers, a kind of prototype for the later Ghostbusters, was written.

In 1983, John Landis, wanting to distract his friend from gloomy experiences, invited Dan to star in the film "Swap Places". Aykroyd does an excellent job of portraying a we althy executive whose life is suddenly turned upside down. This is due to the whim of the bosses who tell him toswap places with a street bum. This was followed by a role in the comedy film "Doctor Detroit", which also appealed to the audience.

Ghostbusters

Dan Aykroyd, whose filmography and biography are discussed in this article, did not forget about the Ghost Mashers script. In 1984, the comedy Ghostbusters was released, literally falling in love with thousands of viewers. Dan not only acted as a screenwriter, but also played Dr. Raymond Stanz, one of the paranormal investigators.

Of course, this was not the first successful picture in which Dan Aykroyd starred. Films with his participation and before that were a success with the audience. However, it was after the release of The Hunters that the actor began to be called a superstar.

What else to see

Dan Aykroyd, whose films and biography are discussed in the article, does not get hung up on one genre. He meticulously chooses roles, tries to play characters that are not similar to each other. The actor looks equally convincing in the adventure film "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", in the drama "Raiders of the Lost Ark", in the comedy "Spies Like Us". In "Webs of Evil" he tried on the image of a detective investigating murders, in "My Stepmother is an Alien" he played a single father on the verge of an important discovery.

Among his relatively new successful films, one can note "The Big Game".

Life behind the scenes

The photos that are present in the article will help you find out what Dan Aykroyd looked like in his youth, howhe has become now. It is also worth mentioning that the actor found his happiness with Donna Dixon. He met the actress who became his wife on the set of Doctor Detroit. The family had three children (girls), Aykroyd also has sons from his first marriage.