John Belushi was born in Chicago on January 24, 1949, the son of first and second generation Albanian immigrants. While attending Wheaton Central High School in Illinois, Belushi became involved in theater and improv. He began performing at the Shawnee Summer Theater, attended events at the Second City improv theater (where he eventually became a major player), and also frequented the radical Compass Theater on the University of Chicago campus.
Belushi’s craft was honed in repertory theater, and his major break before SNL was the National Lampoon’s Lemmings show in 1973 with Chevy Chase and Christopher Guest at The Village Gate theater. This led to a series of National Lampoon radio programs that he invited old Second City chum Bill Murray to join. A number of those sketches were reworked to become early SNL sketches.
Belushi brought his brand of thoughtful, physical comedy to iconic films like Animal House and The Blues Brothers (as well as the lesser known films such as 1941, Continental Divide, and Neighbors), but sank deeper into addiction as his career was taking off. On March 5, 1982, Belushi was pronounced dead from a drug overdose at the age of 33. Here are some locations from the short life of John Belushi.
Chicago, IL
- Wheaton Central High School– John Belushi’s high school.
- The Second City– The improv theater where John Belushi practiced sketch comedy.
- Billy Goat Tavern– The tavern that was the inspiration for the classic SNL “Cheeseburger” sketch.
Toronto, ON, CA
- 505 Club– The location of a speakeasy that Dan Aykroyd used to run, and where the Blues Brothers first met.
New York, NY-
- The Village Gate– The off-Broadway theater where Belushi performed with the National Lampoon’s Lemmings.
Eugene, OR
- The Fishbowl– The location for the food fight scene in Animal House.
- Former Sigma Nu house– The filming location for the toga party scene in Animal House.
Los Angeles, CA
- Rainbow Bar and Grill- The bar/restaurant where John Belushi visited the night he died.
- Chateau Marmont– The hotel where John Belushi was staying when he overdosed on March 5, 1982.
Martha’s Vineyard, MA
- First Congregational Church– The church where John Belushi’s funeral service was held in 1982.
- Abel’s Hill Cemetery– The headstone and final resting place of John Belushi.