Editing Dan Aykroyd (section)

===Other film and television work===
[[File:Greatoutdoors aykroyd.jpg|thumb|left|Aykroyd (right) on the set of ''[[The Great Outdoors (film)|The Great Outdoors]]'', 1987]]

Concurrent with his work in ''Saturday Night Live'', Aykroyd played the role of Purvis Bickle, lift operator at the fictitious office block 99 Sumach Street in the [[CBC Television]] series ''[[Coming Up Rosie]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://broadcasting-history.com/programming/television/coming-rosie|title=Coming Up Rosie - History of Canadian Broadcasting|website=[[The Canadian Communications Foundation]]|access-date=May 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504152157/https://broadcasting-history.com/programming/television/coming-rosie|archive-date=May 4, 2022|url-status=|date=October 2003|last=Corcelli|first=John}}</ref>

After leaving ''SNL'', Aykroyd starred in a number of films, mostly comedies, with uneven results both commercially and artistically. His first three American feature films all co-starred Belushi. The first, ''[[1941 (film)|1941]]'' (1979), directed by [[Steven Spielberg]], was a [[box office bomb|box-office disappointment]]. The second, ''The Blues Brothers'' (1980), which he co-wrote with director [[John Landis]], was a massive hit. The third, ''[[Neighbors (1981 film)|Neighbors]]'' (1981) had mixed critical reaction, but was another box-office hit. One of his best-received performances was as a blueblood-turned-wretch in the 1983 comedy ''[[Trading Places]]'', in which he co-starred with fellow ''SNL'' alumnus [[Eddie Murphy]] and [[Jamie Lee Curtis]]. He also appeared in ''[[Twilight Zone: The Movie]]'' in the prologue and at the end of Segment Four as the passenger and the ambulance driver.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

In the early 1980s, Aykroyd began work on a script for the film that eventually became ''[[Ghostbusters]]'', inspired by his fascination with [[parapsychology]] and his belief in ghosts. The script initially included a much greater fantasy element, including [[time travel]], but this was toned down substantially through work on the script with [[Harold Ramis]] (who became a co-writer) and director [[Ivan Reitman]]. Aykroyd originally wrote the role of Dr. Peter Venkman with Belushi in mind, but rewrote it for [[Bill Murray]] after Belushi's death. Aykroyd joked that the green ghost, later known as "Slimer", was "the ghost of John Belushi" and was based on Belushi's party-animal personality. ''Ghostbusters'' was released in 1984 and became a huge success for Aykroyd, who also appeared as one of the lead actors; the film earned nearly {{US$|300{{nbsp}}million|link=yes}} on a {{US$|30{{nbsp}}million}} budget.  Aykroyd also briefly appeared in the hit 1984 action-adventure film ''[[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]]'' as an escort with a British accent.  
[[File:Dan Aykroyd on set of MTV Music Television NYC.jpg|thumb|right|Aykroyd as a guest MTV VJ in 1982]]
Aykroyd's next major film role was in the 1985 spy comedy film ''[[Spies Like Us]]'', which like ''The Blues Brothers'' was co-conceived and co-written by Aykroyd, and directed by Landis. Aykroyd had again intended for Belushi to be the other lead in the film; the part was instead given to ''SNL'' alumnus [[Chevy Chase]]. The film was intended as an homage to the [[Bob Hope]]/[[Bing Crosby]] ''[[Road to ...]]'' movies of the 1940s to 1960s. Bob Hope made a cameo appearance in the film.<ref>{{cite news |first=Janet |last=Maslin |author-link=Janet Maslin |title=Screen: 'Spies Like Us' |work=[[The New York Times]] |department=Movies |page=C14 |date=December 5, 1985 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/06/movies/screen-spies-like-us.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803204736/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/06/movies/screen-spies-like-us.html |archive-date=2019-08-03 |url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[Dragnet (1987 film)|Dragnet]]'', in which Aykroyd co-starred (with [[Tom Hanks]]) and co-wrote, was released in 1987. The film was both an homage and a satire of the [[Dragnet (franchise)|previous ''Dragnet'' series]], with Aykroyd playing Sgt. [[Joe Friday]] as a police officer whose law-and-order attitude is at odds with modern sensibilities.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

In 1988, Aykroyd co-starred (with [[John Candy]]) in the comedy film ''[[The Great Outdoors (film)|The Great Outdoors]]''.  Aykroyd appeared in four other films released in 1988 (''[[The Couch Trip]]'', ''[[She's Having a Baby]]'', ''[[Caddyshack II]]'', and ''[[My Stepmother Is an Alien]]''), all of them critical and commercial failures.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

A sequel to ''Ghostbusters'', ''[[Ghostbusters II]]'', was released in 1989; Aykroyd and the other co-creators were reluctant to make another ''Ghostbusters'' film, but succumbed to pressure from the film's studio, [[Columbia Pictures]].<ref>{{cite news |title= Ghostly Movie |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=May 17, 1987 |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-05-17-ca-380-story.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=November 8, 2010 |first=Leonard |last=Klady}}</ref> The film, while considered inferior to the original, was another big hit, earning {{US$|215{{nbsp}}million}}. Aykroyd was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]] for 1989's ''[[Driving Miss Daisy]]''. He was the fourth ''SNL'' cast member to be nominated for an Oscar, following [[Joan Cusack]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/looking-all-snl-staffers-received-oscar-nods-429584|title=A Look at All the 'SNL' Staffers Who've Received Oscar Nominations|website=[[Newsweek]]|access-date=May 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330053848/https://www.newsweek.com/looking-all-snl-staffers-received-oscar-nods-429584|archive-date=March 30, 2016|date=February 23, 2016|last=Hoglund|first=Andy|url-status=live}}</ref>

Aykroyd's directorial debut was 1991's ''[[Nothing but Trouble (1991 film)|Nothing but Trouble]]'' starring [[Demi Moore]], Chevy Chase, [[John Candy]], and Aykroyd, sporting a bulbous prosthetic nose. The film was a critical and box-office flop. Most of Aykroyd's other films in the 1990s were similarly poorly received, including ''[[Chaplin (film)|Chaplin]]'' (1992), ''[[Coneheads (film)|Coneheads]]'' (1993, also based on a ''SNL'' skit), ''[[North (1994 film)|North]]'' (1994), ''[[Exit to Eden (film)|Exit to Eden]]'' (1994), ''[[Canadian Bacon (film)|Canadian Bacon]]'' (1995), ''[[Getting Away with Murder (1996 film)|Getting Away with Murder]]'' (1996), and ''[[Blues Brothers 2000]]'' (1998). Four exceptions were ''[[My Girl (film)|My Girl]]'' (1991), which starred Jamie Lee Curtis, and [[Macaulay Culkin]], ''[[Sneakers (1992 film)|Sneakers]]'' (1992), which starred [[Robert Redford]], ''[[Tommy Boy (film)|Tommy Boy]]'' (1995), which starred ''SNL'' alumni [[David Spade]] and [[Chris Farley]], in which Aykroyd played the role of Ray Zalinsky, and ''[[Grosse Pointe Blank]]'' (1997), in which Aykroyd had a well-received role as a rival hit man.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

In 1994, Aykroyd made a guest appearance in an episode of the sitcom ''[[The Nanny]]'' as a refrigerator repairman. In 1997, he starred as an Episcopal priest in the ABC sitcom ''[[Soul Man (TV series)|Soul Man]]'', which lasted two seasons. In 1998, he voiced the role of Chip, a wasp, in [[DreamWorks Animation]] film ''[[Antz]]''.

In 2001, Aykroyd starred in the [[Woody Allen]] film ''[[The Curse of the Jade Scorpion]]''. Most of his subsequent film roles have tended to be small character parts in big-budget productions, such as a father in ''[[Loser (film)|Loser]]'' (2000), a signals analyst in ''[[Pearl Harbor (film)|Pearl Harbor]]'' (2001), a neurologist in ''[[50 First Dates]]'' (2004), an annoying neighbor in ''[[Christmas with the Kranks]]'' (2004), and a fire captain in ''[[I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry]]'' (2007).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dan Aykroyd {{!}} Writer, Actor, Producer |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000101/ |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref> 

In 2009, Aykroyd and Ramis wrote and appeared in ''[[Ghostbusters: The Video Game]]'', which also featured Bill Murray, [[Ernie Hudson]], [[Annie Potts]], [[William Atherton]], and [[Brian Doyle-Murray]]. In 2010, he played the voice of the title character, [[Yogi Bear]], in the live-action/CGI-animated-film ''[[Yogi Bear (film)|Yogi Bear]]''. That same year, Aykroyd and Chevy Chase guest-starred in the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "[[Spies Reminiscent of Us]]", an homage to ''Spies Like Us''.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

Other television series that Aykroyd appeared in included ''[[According to Jim]]'' (2002–2009, which starred [[Jim Belushi]]), ''[[Living with Fran]]'' (2006), and ''[[Workin' Moms]]'' (2017–2023). Aykroyd appeared in two February 2011 episodes of CBS's ''[[The Defenders (2010 TV series)|The Defenders]]'' as Judge Max Hunter, which also starred Jim Belushi.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/News/Dan-Aykroyd-Defenders-1026196.aspx|title=Dan Aykroyd to Reunite with Jim Belushi on The Defenders|work=TV Guide |publisher=TVGuide.com|access-date=November 30, 2010}}</ref> He also appeared on ''Top Chef Canada'' as a guest judge.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/17/AR2011021706507.html |title=TV Highlights: Dan Aykroyd on 'The Defenders'; Dina Lohan on '20/20'; 'Gold Rush: Alaska' finale |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=February 18, 2011 |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 20, 2011}}</ref>  He had supporting roles in the 2012 political comedy film ''[[The Campaign (film)|The Campaign]]'', which starred ''SNL'' alum [[Will Ferrell]], and in the 2013 [[HBO]] film ''[[Behind the Candelabra]]''.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

In 2014, Aykroyd voiced the role of [[Scarecrow (Oz)|Scarecrow]] in ''[[Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return]]'', and had a supporting role in the comedy film ''[[Tammy (film)|Tammy]]''.  In 2015, he appeared in a [[State Farm]] insurance commercial along with [[Jane Curtin]] and [[Laraine Newman]], as the [[Coneheads]], talking to "Jake", a State Farm agent,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/coneheads-statefarm-saturday-night-live-characters-in-commercial-1201492023/|title=Coneheads: 'Saturday Night Live' Characters Turn Up in State Farm Ad – Variety|last=Steinberg|first=Brian|date=May 11, 2015|website=variety.com|access-date=December 6, 2019}}</ref> and played the [[Master of ceremonies|emcee]] of the video game championship in the science fiction comedy film ''[[Pixels (2015 film)|Pixels]]''.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

Aykroyd was one of the executive producers of ''[[Ghostbusters (2016 film)|Ghostbusters]]'' (2016), a long-discussed reboot of the [[Ghostbusters (franchise)|''Ghostbusters'' franchise]], which was released in 2016. Aykroyd had a cameo appearance in the film, along with many of the rest of the surviving original ''Ghostbusters'' cast.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2015/03/ghostbusters-channing-tatum-joe-and-anthony-russo-drew-pearce-ivan-reitman-dan-aykroyd-1201388917|title=Sony Plans New 'Ghostbusters' Film With Russo Brothers, Channing Tatum & 'IM3' Scribe Drew Pearce |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=March 9, 2015|access-date=March 9, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.fangoria.com/new/ghostbusters-expanding-franchise |title=Reitman, Aykroyd Team For 'Ghostcorp'; Expanding "Ghostbusters" Franchise |magazine=[[Fangoria]] |date=March 9, 2015 |access-date=March 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907061214/http://www.fangoria.com/new/ghostbusters-expanding-franchise/ |archive-date=September 7, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In early 2021, Aykroyd provided the voice of the Postage Stamp Fellow in the episode ''[[The Dad-Feelings Limited]]'' in the TV series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He also reprised his role of Dr. Ray Stantz in the movie ''[[Ghostbusters: Afterlife]]'' (2021). Aykroyd expressed interest in having the surviving three actors of the original Ghostbusters team continuing to reprise their roles for as many sequels as possible while they were alive. Aykroyd again reprises his role in ''[[Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire]]'' (2024).<ref>{{cite web |last=Fidducia |first=Christopher |title=Ghostbusters 4, 5 & 6 Could Happen With Original Team, Says Dan Aykroyd |url=https://screenrant.com/ghostbusters-4-afterlife-sequel-returning-cast-dan-aykroyd/ |website=[[Screen Rant]] |access-date=December 23, 2021 |date=December 18, 2021}}</ref>