Daniel Edward Aykroyd (born July 1, 1952 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) is a comedian, actor and screenwriter. He gained fame on the American TV show Saturday Night Live from 1975 to 1979 where he was known for his impersonations of celebrities like Julia Child and Tom Snyder and for his recurring role as a huckster. He was born with syndactylism (webbed toes).
In 1992, Aykroyd, along with many other notable music and Hollywood personalities, founded the House of Blues. Its mission is to promote African-American cultural contributions of blues music and folk art. As of 2004, it was the second largest live music promoter in the world with seven venues and 22 amphitheaters in the United States and Canada.
In 1977 he received an Emmy Award for writing on SNL; he later received two more nominations for writing, and one each for acting and Outstanding Comedy-Variety series. He received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for Driving Miss Daisy.
He has been inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame and maintains his Canadian roots as a long time resident of Kingston, Ontario.
A list of prominent film and television appearances, often with Aykroyd writing as well, includes:
Television
Film
- 1979: 1941
- 1980: The Blues Brothers
- 1981: Neighbors
- 1983: Doctor Detroit, Trading Places, Twilight Zone: The Movie
- 1984: Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (cameo), Nothing Lasts Forever
- 1985: Into the Night, Spies Like Us
- 1987: Dragnet
- 1988: Caddyshack II, The Couch Trip, My Stepmother Is an Alien, The Great Outdoors
- 1989: Driving Miss Daisy, Ghostbusters II
- 1991: My Girl, Nothing But Trouble (also directed)
- 1992: Chaplin, Sneakers, This Is My Life
- 1993: Coneheads
- 1994: Exit to Eden, My Girl 2, North
- 1995: Canadian Bacon, Casper, Tommy Boy
- 1996: Celtic Pride, Feeling Minnesota, My Fellow Americans, Sgt. Bilko
- 1997: Grosse Pointe Blank
- 1998: Antz, Blues Brothers 2000
- 1999: Diamonds
- 2000: Loser, Stardom, The House of Mirth
- 2001: Earth vs. the Spider, Evolution, Pearl Harbor, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion
- 2002: Crossroads, Unconditional Love
- 2003: Bright Young Things
- 2004: 50 First Dates
- 2004: Christmas with the Kranks
External links
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