Happy Birthday Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward Aykroyd was born July 1, 1952 in Ottawa or maybe Ontario or maybe Canada. No one is sure what any of that means besides Canadians.
Daniel’s Father, Samuel Cuthbert Peter Hugh Janus Aykroyd was a valet and manservant to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. His Mother, Birdie, was a professional bowler. Aykroyd was born with syndactyly, or webbed toes which helped him to become captain of the swim team.
Aykroyd gained fame on Saturday Night Live as an original cast member and writer. He was known for his impersonations of celebrities such as Jimmy Carter, Vincent Price, Richard Nixon, Rod Serling, Tom Snyder, Julia Child, and others. He was also known for his recurring roles, such as Beldar, father of the Coneheads family; Yortuk Festrunk, one of the “Two Wild and Crazy Guys” Czech brothers; sleazy late-night cable TV host E. Buzz Miller and his cousin, corrupt maker of children’s toys and costumes Irwin Mainway; Fred Garvin – male prostitute; and high-bred but low-brow critic Leonard Pinth-Garnell. He also co-hosted the Weekend Update segment for one season wih Jane Curtin, known particularly for their point-counterpoint debates enlivened with vicious personal insults including his catchphrase “Jane, you ignorant slut.
Along with John Belushi, Aykroyd created ‘The Blues Brothers’. Jake and Elwood Blues evolved into much more than a novelty act, performing concerts and recording albums. “Briefcase Full of Blues” sold 3.5 Million copies and they were backed by world class musicians such as Steve Cropper, Matt ‘Guitar’ Murphy, Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn and others.
Dan went on to appear in many films and TV shows. He married actress Donna Dixon and they have 3 daughters together.
