James Belushi

The son of Albanian immigrants, nicknamed Jimmy, was the third of four children in the family. In the 1970s, while attending a Chicago school, his brother, John Belushi, was already making a name for himself across America. Photos of the famous comedian were hung all over the house, and one day Jimmy asked his parents whether they might want to put up something related to him as well. In response, his brother smirked and said, “Maybe we should hang one of your arrest warrants? You seem to have plenty of them.”

Indeed, the family archives contained quite a few official documents – from court summons to other unpleasant correspondence addressed to James Belushi. Seeing himself as an unattractive, slightly overweight short guy and feeling invisible, he tried to attract attention in any way possible: getting into fights, shoplifting, and once even stealing a car.

John's biting remark deeply hurt Jimmy. In a fit of rage, he tore all the clippings about the family idol from the walls and shredded them into pieces. The response was swift – John, without saying a word, took off his belt and gave his brother a “lesson.” Overcoming his resentment, Jimmy whispered through tears: “When I grow up and become stronger than you, we’ll see.” And he kept his word.

During his school years, James Belushi developed a passion for choir and school theater, which ultimately evolved into more than just a hobby. By the time he graduated, he was firmly convinced that acting was his path and that he was no less talented than his famous brother. This decision did not please his father, who had dreamed that at least his youngest son would one day take over the family restaurant in Chicago. But Jimmy chose a different menu – a stage one. He enrolled at Southern Illinois University to hone his craft.

It was there that TV producer Garry Marshall noticed him and offered him the role of a charming ladies’ man in the new television series “Who’s Watching the Kids?”. But his Hollywood chance almost slipped away: James overslept the audition and arrived at the studio disheveled and sleepy.

Fortunately, charisma has no dress code – James won the producer’s heart, and the role went to him.

At one point, the young man seriously believed he could surpass his brother on screen. But Hollywood saw him only as John’s understudy – he was offered roles that his brother had turned down. Once, the younger Belushi insisted: “This is my role. You have no right to take it!” John had to give in because he knew just how stubborn Jimmy could be. 

Everything soon changed. In 1982, right during a stage performance, James received tragic news: John had died from an overdose. He finished the play with a smile on his face, but later that evening, he cried and mourned his brother alone. Until that night, he hadn’t realized how much he loved his brother.

Thus began the darkest period in James Belushi’s life. After John’s death, he took his place on the legendary show Saturday Night Live – not by choice, but at the producers’ insistence. Laughter echoed in the hall, but not in Jimmy’s soul. More and more often, he caught himself thinking how much he resembled his brother… And that meant his end could be the same.

James Belushi didn’t allow himself to break. “I had to learn to live with the pain,” he later recalled. Having lost both his brother and his mother, he understood: the only way was forward. He threw himself into work, and the 1980s became his shining era. One after another, successful films were released: “Trading Places”, “Little Shop of Horrors”, “Salvador”, “Red Heat”, “K-9”.

You could say that James Belushi had enough charisma for bright roles, but not enough for legendary status. He always remained in his brother’s shadow, even after his death. But he found his true calling outside of Hollywood – in music and on stage, choosing not cult status but harmony.

Sometimes, the path to viewers’ hearts doesn’t lie through fame, but through sincerity. And that’s the story of James Belushi.