John Belushi, The First Original SNL Cast Member Death
Ron Galella/Getty ImagesJohn Belushi in 1978 with his Animal House co-star Mary Louise Weller (left), and his wife, Judy (right).
When SNL premiered in 1975, one of its breakout stars was John Belushi. Not only did he delight TV audiences with madcap sketches like “Samurai Night Fever,” but Belushi was on his way to becoming a movie star, too. Sadly, Belushi died from a drug overdose at the age of just 33.
Born Jan. 24, 1949, Belushi got his comedic start with Second City in Chicago. He made his way to New York City, where he worked on different projects with the National Lampoon and was tapped by Lorne Michaels to join the original SNL cast in 1975. There, Belushi swiftly made his mark.
An enthusiastic, over-the-top performer, Belushi became a fan favorite — Rolling Stone ranked him as the top cast member ever in 2015 — with his portrayals of everyone from Henry Kissinger to Captain James T. Kirk.
Belushi left SNL in 1979. Around that time, he began to establish a film career, starring in Animal House (1978) and The Blues Brothers (1980).
NBCJohn Belushi and Chevy Chase on “Weekend Update.”
His star was slowly rising, but Belushi was struggling with a drug problem behind the scenes. His addiction to cocaine caused frequent issues on Saturday Night Live and on movie sets and, by the end of his life, Belushi was reportedly spending more than $2,000 a week on drugs.
On March 5, 1982, John Belushi died at the age of 33 after a drug dealer and groupie named Cathy Smith injected him with “speedball” — a potent mix of cocaine and heroin.
“I killed John Belushi,” Smith later lamented. “I didn’t mean to, but I am responsible.”
