Monday, March 05, 2007

Is It Really 25 Years?

I'm afraid it is.

It was 25 years ago today that the great comic actor John Belushi, who starred in two of my all-time favorite films, was found dead at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles of a lethal mixture of cocaine and heroin. I can remember hearing the news on the radio that day, and my reaction was a mixture of disbelief, and "I knew this was coming."

Belushi was a comic genius, and "Animal House" and "The Blues Brothers" will forever be two of my favorite movies. He was one of the original "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" on Saturday Night Live, starting in 1975. But drugs were his demon, and he was into them big-time during his four-year run on the groundbreaking show.

He was just 33 when he died in 1982. Belushi had an incredible movie career in front of him, but it sadly was not to be.

"My advice to you is to start drinking heavily," the line the Bluto says to Flounder in "Animal House," still sends me into howls of laughter.

We still miss you, John.

2 comments:

Michael Leggett said...

"FOOD FIGHT":

My latest Writing is up, FOLLOWED by my gut-wrenching take on Steve Phillips, Later today; You'll laugh until you cough like a 6 pack a day cigarette smoker;

Belushi was a true Comedic Genius.

Peter N said...

We do...I was a huge fan...and it's too bad no one could help him, near the end. Not even Danny....