Dan Aykroyd facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dan Aykroyd CM OOnt
Aykroyd in 2009
Born	Daniel Edward Aykroyd (1952-07-01) July 1, 1952 (age 72) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Citizenship	Canada United States
Education	Carleton University
Occupation	Actor comedian screenwriter producer
Years active	1971–present
Spouse(s)	Donna Dixon ​ ​ (m. 1983; sep. 2022)​
Children	3, including Vera Sola
Relatives	Peter Aykroyd (brother)

Daniel Edward Aykroyd is a famous Canadian actor, comedian, and writer. He was born on July 1, 1952. You might know him best from his funny roles in movies and TV shows.

Dan Aykroyd was one of the first and most important cast members on the TV show Saturday Night Live (SNL). He was on the show from 1975 to 1979. On SNL, he created many popular characters, like the Coneheads and one half of the Blues Brothers. He even won an Primetime Emmy Award for his writing on the show.

He is very famous for playing Dr. Raymond "Ray" Stantz in the hit movie Ghostbusters (1984) and its sequel Ghostbusters II (1989). He also played Elwood J. Blues in The Blues Brothers (1980). Dan Aykroyd has been in many other comedies, like Trading Places (1983) and Spies Like Us (1985).

He was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie Driving Miss Daisy (1989). Besides acting, Dan Aykroyd is also a successful businessman. He helped start the House of Blues music venues and the Crystal Head Vodka brand.

Growing Up: Dan Aykroyd's Early Life

Dan Aykroyd was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on July 1, 1952. His father, Samuel, was a civil engineer and worked for Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. His mother, Lorraine, was a secretary. Dan's family has roots from different countries, including Canada, England, and France. His younger brother, Peter Aykroyd, also became an actor.

He went to high school in Ottawa. Later, he studied criminology and sociology at Carleton University. However, he left before finishing his degree. Before becoming famous, he worked as a comedian in Canadian nightclubs. He even ran a secret club called Club 505 in Toronto for a few years.

Dan Aykroyd also loved music from a young age. He spent a lot of time at a club called Le Hibou, where he heard many blues musicians play. This love for blues music would later become a big part of his career.

His first acting job was at age 17. He was in a Canadian sketch comedy show called The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour. In 1973, he joined the famous The Second City comedy group in Toronto and Chicago.

Dan Aykroyd's Amazing Career

Becoming a Star on Saturday Night Live

Dan Aykroyd became very well-known on the American TV show Saturday Night Live (SNL). He was first hired as a writer for the show. But soon, he became one of the main actors in the original cast. This group was called "The Not Ready For Prime Time Players."

He was the youngest member of the cast when SNL started in 1975. He stayed on the show for four seasons, until 1979. Dan brought a unique and energetic style to SNL. He was great at acting out different characters and doing impressions.

He was known for his funny impressions of famous people. These included Jimmy Carter, Vincent Price, and Julia Child. One of his most famous sketches was "Super Bass-O-Matic '76." In this fake commercial, he showed a blender that could turn a whole fish into liquid. He got the idea from his aunt, who used a blender to make soup.

Dan Aykroyd was very good friends with fellow SNL cast member John Belushi. They shared a similar sense of humor. In 1977, Dan won an Emmy Award for his writing on SNL. Rolling Stone magazine even ranked him as one of the top SNL cast members of all time.

After leaving SNL, Dan Aykroyd often returned for guest appearances. He would sometimes bring back his old characters. He also performed as Elwood Blues with John Goodman or Jim Belushi.

The Blues Brothers: A Musical Hit

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi were very close friends. Their friendship helped create the famous Blues Brothers act. Dan introduced John to blues music, which John loved. With some help from the SNL music director, they created their Blues Brothers characters.

They became a real musical act, not just a TV skit. They performed live concerts. In 1978, they released a hit album called Briefcase Full of Blues. This album sold millions of copies and is one of the best-selling blues albums ever.

The Blues Brothers became even more popular with their 1980 movie, The Blues Brothers. Dan Aykroyd helped write the movie. A sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, came out in 1998. In this movie, John Goodman joined as a new "brother."

The Blues Brothers Band still performs today. Sometimes, Dan Aykroyd performs as Elwood. Other times, John Belushi's younger brother, Jim Belushi, joins as "Brother Zee."

Other Movies and TV Shows

Dan Aykroyd (right) on the set of The Great Outdoors in 1987.

After SNL, Dan Aykroyd starred in many movies, mostly comedies. His first three movies after SNL were with John Belushi. The Blues Brothers (1980) was a huge success. He also had a great role in the 1983 comedy Trading Places.

In the early 1980s, Dan Aykroyd started writing a movie script about ghosts. This script became the super popular movie Ghostbusters. He was very interested in ghosts and the paranormal. He first wrote the role of Dr. Peter Venkman for John Belushi. But after John's death, he rewrote it for Bill Murray. Dan joked that the green ghost, "Slimer," was like "the ghost of John Belushi."

Ghostbusters came out in 1984 and was a massive hit. It made nearly $300 million! Dan Aykroyd also starred in the movie as Dr. Raymond Stantz. He even had a small role in the adventure film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984).

Dan Aykroyd as a guest MTV VJ in 1982.

His next big movie was the spy comedy Spies Like Us (1985). He co-wrote this film and starred with SNL friend Chevy Chase. In 1987, he co-starred with Tom Hanks in Dragnet, which he also co-wrote.

In 1988, he starred with John Candy in the comedy The Great Outdoors. A sequel to Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, came out in 1989. It was another big hit. That same year, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in Driving Miss Daisy.

Dan Aykroyd also directed a movie called Nothing but Trouble (1991). He continued to act in many films throughout the 1990s. Some of these included My Girl (1991), Sneakers (1992), and Tommy Boy (1995).

In 1997, he starred in the TV show Soul Man. He also voiced Chip the wasp in the animated movie Antz (1998). In the 2000s, he often took on smaller roles in big movies. These included Pearl Harbor (2001) and 50 First Dates (2004).

In 2009, Dan Aykroyd helped write and voice his character in Ghostbusters: The Video Game. In 2010, he voiced Yogi Bear in the Yogi Bear movie. He also appeared in TV shows like According to Jim and Workin' Moms.

In 2016, he was an executive producer for the new Ghostbusters movie. He also made a cameo appearance in it. He returned as Dr. Ray Stantz in Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024).

Other Music Projects

Dan Aykroyd also has a strong connection to music. In 1985, he sang in the chorus for the famous song "We Are the World." For many years, he hosted a radio show called "Elwood's BluesMobile." He used his Blues Brothers character, Elwood Blues, for the show.

Business Ventures

Bottle of Crystal Head vodka.

In 1992, Dan Aykroyd helped create the House of Blues. This was a chain of music venues. Their goal was to celebrate African-American contributions to blues music and folk art. The first House of Blues opened in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

By 2004, House of Blues became one of the biggest live music promoters in the world. It had many venues across the United States and Canada. In 2006, another company bought House of Blues.

In 2007, Dan Aykroyd and artist John Alexander started Crystal Head Vodka. This vodka brand is known for its unique skull-shaped bottle. The vodka is even filtered through special Herkimer diamond crystals.

Dan Aykroyd also has other business interests. He owns parts of several wineries in Canada. He also helps distribute Patrón tequila in Canada.

Helping Others: Charitable Work

Dan Aykroyd has used his fame to help others. In 2009, he shared stories about growing up in Canada for a charity album. He also helped start the Blue Line Foundation. This group helps rebuild areas in New Orleans that were damaged by floods. They also help first responders buy homes at lower prices.

Dan Aykroyd is also a member of a Canadian charity called Artists Against Racism.

Dan Aykroyd's Personal Life

Dan Aykroyd was briefly engaged to actress Carrie Fisher. They met while filming The Blues Brothers. In 1983, he married actress Donna Dixon. They met on the set of the movie Doctor Detroit. They appeared in several other movies together. They have three daughters, including Danielle, who is known as the musician Vera Sola. In 2022, they announced they were separating but would remain legally married.

Dan Aykroyd still lives in Canada for part of the year. His home is on Loughborough Lake in Ontario.

In interviews, Dan Aykroyd has shared some personal details. He said that as a child, he was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome (TS). He also mentioned that he has Asperger syndrome.

He has also served as a reserve police officer in Louisiana and Mississippi. He helps support the police reserves with fundraising concerts.

Dan Aykroyd loves the outdoors, geology, and paleontology (the study of fossils). He has even joined famous Canadian paleontologist Philip J. Currie on dinosaur digs. The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum in Alberta named its theater the "Aykroyd Family Theatre" to honor his contributions.

Friendship with John Belushi

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi had a very special friendship. Dan called John his "kindred spirit." They were supposed to present an award together in 1982. But John passed away just weeks before. Dan presented the award alone, saying that John would have loved to be there.

Dan Aykroyd was very upset about a 1989 movie called Wired. This movie was about John Belushi's life. Dan felt the movie did not show John's life accurately. He, along with John's family and friends, boycotted the film.

Dan Aykroyd's Beliefs

Dan Aykroyd is a Spiritualist. This means he believes that spirits exist and can communicate with living people. He says he is a "proud wearer of the Spiritualist badge." He believes spirits exist between different dimensions and often visit us.

His great-grandfather was a dentist and a mystic. He even wrote to author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about Spiritualism. Dan Aykroyd is also very interested in the paranormal, especially UFOlogy (the study of UFOs). He is a member of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), which studies UFOs.

From 1996 to 2000, he hosted a TV show called Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal. This show claimed to present real cases of paranormal events. In 2005, he produced a DVD about UFOs.

In 2009, Dan's father, Peter Aykroyd Sr., wrote a book called A History of Ghosts. This book was about their family's history with Spiritualism. Dan wrote the introduction for the book and helped promote it.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games

Guest Appearances on SNL

Awards and Honors

Aykroyd's star on Canada's Walk of Fame.

In 1977, Dan Aykroyd won an Emmy Award for his writing on Saturday Night Live. In 1994, he received an honorary degree from Carleton University. This means the university recognized his achievements.

In 1999, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. This is one of the highest honors a Canadian citizen can receive. He was also added to Canada's Walk of Fame in 2002. In 2017, he became a member of the Order of Ontario. This honor recognized him as one of the world's most popular entertainers.

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See also

In Spanish: Dan Aykroyd para niños

• List of American actors
• List of Canadian actors
• List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
• List of Saturday Night Live cast members