James Belushi

Biography

James Belushi was born June 15, 1954 in Chicago but grew up in Wheaton, Illinois. He is the third of four children of Adam Belushi, an Albanian immigrant who left his native Qytezë village in 1934 at the age of 15, and Agnes, who was born in the U.S. of Albanian immigrants.

A high school teacher, impressed by Jim's improvisational skills while giving speeches, convinced Jim to to be in a school play. After that he joined the school's drama club. 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!".

He attended the College of Dupage and graduated from Southern Illinois University with a degree in Speech and Theater Arts. From 1976-80 he became a resident member of Chicago's famed Second City. In 1979, write-producer Garry Marshall saw Jim performing for 2nd City and arranged for him to come to Hollywood and co-star in the TV Pilot "Who's Watching the Kids" for Paramount, 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.

Jim came to national attention through his role in the film "About Last Night" with Rob Lowe and Demi Moore, playing the role he originated in the Chicago Apollo Theatre's production of David Mamet's Obie-award winning play "Sexual Perversity in Chicago".

He has come a long way from 2nd City, SNL, and his early role in the TV series "Working Stiffs". He has played an array of characters, such as a mentally handicapped man in "Homer and Eddie" , a high school principal who defies a drug dealer in "The Principal" , a happy-go-lucky escaped convict who poses as a high-powered executive in "Takin' Care of Business" , and recently as a corrupt police detective caught in a dangerous web of deceit in "Gang Related" . In 2000 Belushi co-starred in MGM's "Return to Me," directed by Bonnie Hunt and starring David Duchovny and Minnie Driver, and he received rave reviews for his work with Gregory Hines in Showtime's "Who Killed Atlanta's Children?" As his popularity grew over the years, so did his roles in film, theater, and television. In addition he does numerous voiceovers for film, television and for commercials. He is the official voice of Blockbuster Home Video, and did one of the dog voices in Disney's wildly popular 2002 film, "Snow Dogs."

A dedicated husband and father he resides in Los Angeles with his wife - Jennifer; 2 sons - Robert ( '81) and Jared ('02) and a daughter - Jamison ('99). He not only keeps busy acting in films and is an investor in the House of Blues, but also performs with his band, the Sacred Hearts. Jim has little time outside career and family, but has made a major commitment as 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.

Jim is currently starring in his own sitcom, titled According to Jim, which can be seen on ABC on Tuesdays.