Jim Belushi

Has Done It All!

Jim Belushi is a “performer”, not an actor, singer or comedian, but all of those combined. He has done it all, from his widely popular show, “According to Jim,” to his early days on Saturday Night Live and Second City Television, to Broadway, and a singer in the Blues Band, “The Sacred Hearts.” Anyone who knows Jim, will tell you that he has “presence.”

Today if asked why he got involved in acting, he will jokingly say “Because of girls. In the drama club, there were about 20 girls and six guys. And the same thing with choir....more girls!”. Jim started out in acting in the high school drama club in Wheaton, Illinois. After graduating with a degree in Speech and Theatre Arts, he started working on Second City Television in Chicago. He was asked to come to Hollywood by Garry Marshall and co-star in the TV Pilot “Who’s Watching the Kids” , and then for a role in the television show “Working Stiffs” (co-starring Michael Keaton). Later, in 1983, he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live for 2 years. It took time for Jim to forge a career, after the death of his brother, John Belushi, widely known for his role in “Animal House.” His brother also started his career on Saturday Night Live and Second City Television, until his self-destructive behavior caused his untimely death.

One of Jim’s earlier roles was in “About Last Night,” with Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. He went on to play numerous other roles in movies such as, Oliver Stone’s Salvador, Trading Places, and K-9. Belushi started out in music when he was approached by Blues Brother, Dan Aykroyd, who was also a fellow alum of Saturday Night Live. Although he did not have a musical background, he took on the role of Zee Blues and re-formed the act started by his brother, John, while he was alive in the 1970’s. Today, Belushi is part of the House of Blues band, The Sacred Hearts. The band performs for corporations, politicians, and casinos. You can catch The Sacred Hearts at Hard Rock Live, on December 12.

However, if you can not make it to one of his performances, the band recently put out a CD, 36x 22 x36. But Belushi’s endeavors do not stop there! He is founder and member of the board of the John Belushi Scholarship Fund, which supports college and college-prep students pursuing performance and visual arts education. Recently, he came out with his first book,” Real Men Don’t Apologize.” In his book, he discusses dating, sex, marriage and what it takes to be a man. In a recent interview about the book, Belushi said, “I want to let you in on a little secret: I wasn’t always the man you see today. There was a time in my life, believe it or not, when I was at rock-bottom. I was a loser. It’s because of those experiences that I’m able to relate to you guys out there looking for a little guidance, a little help. So, newsflash, kids: I am Joe Everyman.”

For those fans of Jim Belushi, you can see him in December as the Grand Marshal of the Fort Lauderdale Winterfest Boat Parade. As always, this will be an exciting and entertaining night for all!



A dedicated husband and father, Belushi not only keeps busy acting in films but also