Dan Aykroyd Biography

Dan Aykroyd

The grandson of a Canadian Mountie, he veered away from his study of criminology in college to pursue his interest in acting. He became a regular on Saturday Night Live (1975–1979), his political satire powered by flawless impersonations of Presidents Nixon and Carter. Collaborating with fellow cast members led to the creation of such memorable duos as Two Wild and Crazy Guys (with Steve Martin) and The Blues Brothers (with John Belushi), which gained big-screen life in The Blues Brothers (1980) and Blues Brothers 2000 (1998). Aykroyd's interest in crime led him to film roles on both sides of the law, including good-guy Sgt. Joe Friday in Dragnet (1987), hit man Grocer in Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), and break-in expert Mother in Sneakers (1992). Recent film appearances include Stardom (2000) and The House of Mirth (2000). He is married to actress Donna Dixon.