How Dan Aykroyd Almost Became A Prison Guard Before Changing Career Path

Dan Aykroyd, the Canadian actor known for his appearances in Ghostbusters and The Blues Brothers, almost pursued a completely different career path. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Aykroyd admitted that he considered entering the federal service. Growing up in Ottawa, he was focused on traditional aspirations such as earning a career and leading a normal life.

Working on the Canadian National Railway as a teenager, Aykroyd’s early goals were straightforward: he wanted to get money, borrow a car, and go on dates. But when he was twelve, his parents enrolled him in improv classes. Even though he didn’t initially consider pursuing it professionally, these classes—which were held in the Ottawa Theatre’s basement—kindled his creative passion and led him in a different direction.

Aykroyd worked as a mail truck driver in addition to enrolling at Carleton University to study criminology after graduating from high school. His path started to diverge despite his usual job goals because of a close friend.

Valri Bromfield, who would eventually become a key partner, urged Aykroyd to pursue his passion for humor. This encouragement was important in Aykroyd’s transition from a traditional career to the world of entertainment. Thanks to Bromfield’s encouragement and Aykroyd’s own creative drive, he eventually embarked on a successful comedic career, which led to memorable parts in Ghostbusters and The Blues Brothers. 

An important conversation with someone who urged Dan Aykroyd to become a comedian rather than a prison guard had a big impact on his decision to switch to comedy. This person demanded that they collaborate on comedic writing and made it apparent that Aykroyd’s future was in comedy.

When Lorne Michaels, the eventual creator of Saturday Night Live, was exposed to their cable TV program, this encouragement proved to be quite helpful. Aykroyd was maintained on Michael’s radar and was given more opportunities on television thanks to the attention this show provided. 

Reflecting on his career, Aykroyd admitted that Valri’s relentless encouragement persuaded him to leave Ottawa and join Second City. He admitted that if left to his own devices, he would have settled for a twenty-year career as a jail clerk before retiring. However, his course deviated drastically from this scenario.

Instead of pursuing a career behind bars, Aykroyd joined the original cast of Saturday Night Live in 1975. His comedic abilities, along with those of Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, John Belushi, and Laraine Newman, signaled the start of a tremendously successful career. 

He later starred in classic movies like Ghostbusters and was nominated for an Oscar for his work in Driving Miss Daisy and My Girl. His move from Ottawa also allowed for the 1980 release of the Blues Brothers movie, another significant career triumph.

Aykroyd has often acknowledged Valri’s crucial contribution to his career change and conveyed his appreciation for her impact. He discusses The Blues Brothers in an Audible original, hoping that listeners would enjoy the humor, have a strong emotional connection with Belushi, and be motivated to pursue their hobbies.

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