^Lot 1090 John Belushi

Rare NBC Temporary Employee Identification card, 3.25 x 2, issued to Belushi and bearing an expiration date of June 30, 1978, signed at the bottom in black felt tip, “John A. Belushi.” In very good condition, with several vertical creases through signature, scattered light toning, and expected wear.

One of the original cast member’s of NBC’s long-running comedy series, Saturday Night Live, Belushi was truly one of the fastest rising comedic icons of his time. By 1978, both he and Dan Aykroyd were entering into their last season with SNL, each seeking higher ground through a career in film. With the success of 1978s Animal House, Belushi got his first taste of Hollywood success, and he hungered for more. The Blues Brothers, a concept developed during Aykroyd and Belushi’s time with SNL, would materialize on the silver screen in 1980. With his eminent departure looming, NBC may have seen fit to issue Belushi a temporary employee pass, as the fourth season would begin on October 7, 1978, and conclude on May 26, 1979. This employee pass would be one of the last Belushi would use to gain access to the studio that helped launch his meteoric career.