Born January 24, 1949, in Chicago, John Belushi spent his formative years in Wheaton, Ill., where he became interested in acting while in high school. Graduating in 1967, he eventually landed a gig with Chicago's famed Second City comedy troupe in 1971 and honed his improvisational comedic technique on stage six nights a week.Belushi relocated to New York City in 1972, but his big break came in 1975 when he signed on as an original cast member of the trailblazing television revue show "Saturday Night Live"; his gallery of manic characters soon made him a celebrity. Belushi then moved on to films, scoring with a small but unforgettable role in Animal House (1978).Belushi's other significant movies include The Blues Brothers (1980), Continental Divide and Neighbors (both 1981).
The stout star's cinematic career came to an abrupt end March 5, 1982, when he died of a drug overdose.