Animal House - John Belushi

In the summer of 1977, a young director named John Landis first met Belushi. Landis had just finished up his first film, The Kentucky Fried Movie,which was a low budget satire of other films and TV.

Landis wanted John to play the part of Bluto Blutarsky in National Lampoon’s Animal House, and had already sent John a script. The movie was about a naughtyboy fraternity, the Delta ” Animal House ,” which had waged a war against taste, sobriety, society, grades, the dean, woman, and just about everything else!

Universal Studies had issued Landis an ultimatum:

Get Belushi to play Bluto or their would be no movie.

John agreed to do the movie and signed a contract for $35,000, not bad considering he had no real film experience. Their was originally a part of John’s bud Aykroyd as D-Day. The motorcycle riding fanatic, and John really wanted him to take that role. But, Dan wanted to write and turned it down. While waiting for filming to begin John signed a contract to do Going South, directed by and starring Jack Nicholson.

John Landis set out to find a college campus to begin filming, since they couldn’t afford an expensive Hollywood set. After over 50 colleges had turned them down, The University of Oregon at Eugene finally gave them permission. They had 30 days to finish the on-
location shooting, that meant a 6 day work week, if they wanted to stay within budget.

Landis wanted John to use his facial expressions for its full effect, he even cut lines from John so that he would have to rely upon them even more. When John entered a scene he took it over, and Landis started to adjust the movie around Bluto’s exits and entrances. John played the role of Bluto to perfection . Animal House was about to launch John into super stardom.

The movie premiered on July 28, 1978, and went on to become the highest grossing comedy of its time.

So, what is the number 1 question I am asked at Belushi.com, just what was in John’s mouth….Mashed Potatos!