Dan Aykroyd Net Worth 2024

What is Dan Aykroyd’s Net Worth and Salary?

Dan Aykroyd is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, and entrepreneur who has a net worth of $250 million {dollars}. Aykroyd is greatest identified for being one of many unique forged members of “Saturday Night Live” and for taking part in the enduring function of Ray Stantz within the “Ghostbusters” franchise. He can also be a member of The Blues Brothers, which started as a “Saturday Night Live” sketch that includes Dan and John Belushi, and developed right into a touring band; their 1978 album “Briefcase Full of Blues” went double platinum, promoting 3.5 million copies. Aykroyd co-founded the House of Blues live performance venue/restaurant chain in 1992 and launched Crystal Head Vodka with $600,000 in 2007; the vodka is offered in crystal skull-shaped bottles, and the corporate’s income topped $80 million by 2018.

Early Life

Dan Aykroyd was born Daniel Edward Aykroyd on July 1, 1952, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His mom, Lorraine labored as a secretary, and his father, Samuel (who truly glided by his center title “Peter”), was an writer and civil engineer who was a coverage advisor below Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s administration.

Aykroyd has a youthful brother, Peter, who grew as much as be an actor and author. Dan was born with webbed feet and was identified with Tourette’s syndrome on the age of 12 and Asperger’s syndrome within the early Eighties. He was raised in a Catholic family and had deliberate on changing into a priest, however modified his thoughts at 17. Aykroyd attended St. Pius X High School and St. Patrick’s High School earlier than finding out sociology and criminology at Carleton University. He dropped out of college earlier than incomes his diploma and carried out comedy at Canadian nightclubs; he joined the Second City comedy troupe in 1973 and ran a speakeasy referred to as Club 505.

Career

Aykroyd made his tv debut on the age of 17 on Canadian sketch comedy sequence “The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour,” which ran from 1970 to 1971 and starred Hart Pomerantz and Lorne Michaels. Michaels later recruited Dan for “Saturday Night Live,” hiring him as a author and performer. Aykroyd was on the present from 1975 to 1979 and performed beloved characters reminiscent of Yortuk Festrunk, Beldar Conehead, and Elwood Blues. The Blues Brothers bought their very own film in 1980, and John Goodman changed the late John Belushi within the 1998 sequel, “Blues Brothers 2000.” Dan additionally co-starred with Belushi in “1941” (1979) and “Neighbors” (1981), and he had deliberate on co-starring with him in “Ghostbusters,” (which Aykroyd started writing within the early Eighties), however after he died of a drug overdose in 1982, Dan rewrote the a part of Peter Venkman for Bill Murray. The 1984 movie grossed $295.7 million worldwide and led to a 1989 sequel, a 2016 reboot (during which Aykroyd had a cameo as a cab driver), and an animated sequence (“The Real Ghostbusters,” which ran from 1986 to 1991). He reprised his function in “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which is about to be launched in 2021.

In 1983, Dan co-starred with Eddie Murphy in “Trading Places,” then wrote and starred in “Spies Like Us” (1987) and “Dragnet” (1987). He then appeared in 1989’s “Driving Miss Daisy,” 1991’s “Nothing But Trouble” (which he additionally directed), 1993’s “Coneheads,” and 1995’s “Tommy Boy.” In 1996, Aykroyd started internet hosting “Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal,” which was created by his brother and ran till 2000. He additionally starred on ABC sitcom “Soul Man” from 1997 to 1998, enjoying a widowed priest. Dan has appeared in additional than two dozen movies within the 2000s, together with “Evolution” (2000), “50 First Dates” (2004), “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry” (2007), and “Tammy” (2014).

Ghostbusters Salary

In order to safe the rights to the highly-coveted “Ghostbusters” script, Columbia Pictures agreed to some very beneficiant wage phrases as negotiated by Michael Ovitz, the principal accomplice at expertise company CAA. All three principal actors (Aykroyd, Murray, Ramis) plus the movie’s director Ivan Reitman, would break up 30% of the film’s gross revenues on the field workplace, residence video gross sales and community licensing offers. In the top this became $300 million break up 4 methods. That’s $75 million per individual. After adjusting for inflation, that is the identical as $200 million PER PERSON!

For the sequel, the 4 principals bought a good sweeter deal. They every acquired a $6 million upfront wage after which break up 35% of the gross. “Ghostbusters II” was barely much less profitable, incomes round $215 million on the field workplace. One may conservatively assume that between wage and backend factors, every of the 4 earned $50 million off the sequel. That’s the identical as $110 million after adjusting for inflation.

So, in complete with out adjusting for inflation, Dan Aykroyd earned roughly $125 million from the primary two Ghostbusters. After adjusting for inflation he earned $310 million in as we speak’s {dollars}.

As the movie’s creator and screenwriter, Dan has earned tens of millions extra from further sequels, merchandise, comedian books and extra.

Personal Life

Dan was engaged to Carrie Fisher, his co-star in “The Blues Brothers,” in 1980, however she left him for former boyfriend Paul Simon. Aykroyd married actress Donna Dixon on April 29, 1983, they usually have 3 daughters collectively: Danielle (born in November 1989), Belle (born in June 1993), and Stella (born in April 1998). Dan was shut associates with John Belushi, calling him each a brother and a kindred spirit, and he was devastated by his loss of life.

Dan has served as a reserve commander for the Harahan, Louisiana, police division and a reserve deputy for Mississippi’s Hinds County Sheriff’s Department. Aykroyd is a Spiritualist and is occupied with UFOlogy; he’s a member of MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) and serves because the group’s Hollywood guide. His curiosity in UFOs led him to host “Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal” and launch the DVD “Dan Aykroyd: Unplugged on UFOs.” In 2009, Dan’s father printed a guide in regards to the Aykroyd’s family historical past with Spiritualism; Dan wrote the introduction to “A History of Ghosts” and helped Peter promote the guide.

Awards and Honors

In 1977, Dan shared an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series with the “Saturday Night Live” writing employees, and he was nominated for an Academy Award for his efficiency in “Driving Miss Daisy” in 1990. Carleton University gave him an honorary Doctor of Literature diploma in 1994, and in 1997, he acquired a Snuffed Candle Award from the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry for his involvement with “Psi Factor.” In 2002, Aykroyd acquired a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame, and he was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1999 and the Order of Ontario in 2017.

Real Estate

In 1988, Dan and his brother paid $732,500 for a 4,176 sq. foot home in Los Angeles and offered it for $2.13 million in 2008. In 2007, Aykroyd purchased a 4-bedroom residence within the Pacific Palisades for $14.5 million, and the next yr, he offered his 4,828 sq. foot residence within the Hollywood Hills for $3.8 million. In 2014, Dan put the Pacific Palisades residence on the rental market, asking $45,000 per 30 days.

Crystal Head Vodka

In 2007, Dan and a accomplice launched a vodka enterprise referred to as Crystal Head Vodka with $600,000. The triple-distilled vodka is offered in distinctive crystal containers which can be formed like human skulls. By 2011, the corporate was doing greater than $55 million in annual income. Today annual income tops $80-$100 million.