As one of the most talked-about figures, John Belushi has built a significant fortune. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.
What was John Belushi's Net Worth?
John Belushi was an American actor, comedian, writer, and musician who had a net worth of $2 million at the time of his death. That's the same as around $5 million in today's dollars after adjusting for inflation. Belushi was a member of the original cast of the NBC sketch comedy series "Saturday Night Live" from 1975 to 1979, and he also wrote for the show. John starred as John Blutarsky in "Animal House" (1978) and Jake "Joliet Jake" Blues in "The Blues Brothers" (1980), and he also appeared in the films "1941" (1979) and "Neighbors" (1981). Belushi was ranked #1 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's 2015 list of the best "SNL" cast members. Sadly, John died of a drug overdose in March 1982 at the age of 33.
Early Life
John Belushi was born John Adam Belushi on January 24, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in an Eastern Orthodox Christian household with mother Agnes, father Adam, and younger siblings Jim, Billy, and Marian. Agnes worked at a pharmacy and was born to Albanian immigrants, and Adam owned a restaurant and was an Albanian immigrant. John attended Wheaton Central High School, and in 1965, he formed the band the Ravens with fellow teenagers Phil Special, Michael Blasucci, Dick Blasucci, and Tony Pavilonis. The Ravens recorded the single "Listen to Me Now/Jolly Green Giant" before breaking up, and Belushi sang vocals and played drums. After graduating from high school, John attended the College of DuPage and the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater.
Career
In Chicago, Belushi formed the comedy troupe the West Compass Trio with Steve Beshekas and Tino Insana, which caught the attention of Second City founder Bernard Sahlins. In 1971, John joined The Second City, where he metHarold Ramis,Brian Doyle-Murray, andJoe Flaherty. In 1972, Belushi,Chevy Chase, andChristopher Gueststarred in an Off-Broadway Woodstock parody titled "National Lampoon Lemmings," and John moved to New York City and began working for "The National Lampoon Radio Hour" as an actor, writer, and director. He metDan Aykroydduring a 1974 trip to Toronto, and that year "The National Lampoon Show" toured the U.S. In 1975, Belushi auditioned for an upcoming show called "NBC's Saturday Night" after Chevy Chase and Michael O'Donoghue recommended him toLorne Michaels. The show later became known as 'Saturday Night Live," and John became one of the original cast members alongside Chase, Aykroyd,Laraine Newman,Garrett Morris,Jane Curtin, andGilda Radner. On "SNL," Belushi was known for characters like the Blues Brothers (with Aykroyd), Samurai Futaba, and Olympia Café owner Pete Dionisopoulos.
John appeared in the 1976 TV special "The Beach Boys: It's OK" (which he co-wrote with Dan Aykroyd and Lorne Michaels) and the 1978 television movie "The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash," then he starred in the 1978 films "Animal House" and "Goin' South." "Animal House" was ranked #1 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies" list and #279 on "Empire" magazine's "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time" list, and in 2001, it was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." In 1979, Belushi appeared in the drama "Old Boyfriends" and theSteven Spielberg-directed war comedy "1941," then he and Aykroyd co-starred in the 1980 musical comedy "The Blues Brothers." As the Blues Brothers, they also released the albums" Briefcase Full of Blues" (1978) and "Made in America" (1980). In 1981, John appeared in the romantic comedy "Continental Divide" and played Earl Keese in "Neighbors," in what would turn out to be his final role. At the time of John's death, Aykroyd was writing "Ghostbusters," intending to star in it with Belushi; John's role eventually went toBill Murray.
Personal Life
Ultimately, John Belushi's financial journey is a testament to their success.
Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.
