Arguably the most formidable talent to emerge from the original ensemble of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), Canadian Dan Aykroyd enjoyed sustained success as a writer, actor and director, decades after his crucial role establishing the groundbreaking late night comedy show. He was beloved for his classic characterizations of white toast-eating Elwood Blues in “The Blues Brothers” (1980), humbled stock trader Louis Winthorpe III in “Trading Places” (1983), and enthusiastic parapsychologist Ray Stantz in “Ghostbusters” (1984), as well as remaining a fixture in American cinema –