Aykroyd, Dan (1950– )

Canadian actor and screenwriter, a popular comic personality during the 1970s and 1980s. He first achieved fame for his deadpan impersonations in the US television comedy series Saturday Night Live. This programme was also the origin of the Blues Brothers, played by Aykroyd and fellow comedian and writer John Belushi. Aykroyd and Belushi went on to make The Blues Brothers film (1980), which became a cult classic. He achieved major commercial success with the film Ghostbusters (1984) alongside fellow Saturday Night Live actor Bill Murray.

Aykroyd's other films include Dragnet (1987), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), My Girl (1991), Chaplin (1992), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Antz (1998), Diamonds (1999), Unconditional Love (2002), and Bright Young Things (2003).