The Amazing Life Of Comedy Legend Dan Aykroyd

May 2024 ยท 2 minute read

Dan Aykroyd was born on July 1, 1952, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His father, Peter Aykroyd Sr., was a high ranking civil engineer who oversaw the construction of the Gatineau Parkway and later served as an adviser to Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau. Aykroyd's mother, Lorraine Gougeon Aykroyd worked as an executive secretary for the Canadian government, per Famous Canadian Actors. Aykroyd credits his parents' work ethic as an influence on his career. ". . . Both of them come from organizational backgrounds and both of them knew how to write," Aykroyd told Behind the Brand in 2019. "My mom was a professional executive typist in shorthand, and my dad wrote all this policy. So, when it came time to do my writing, screenplays and SNL, I'd seen how hard it was that they worked, but they got the pages produced."

Developing his talent for voices at an early age, Aykroyd honed his comedic skills impersonating his teachers. "In primary school and high school, I imitated all the teachers," Aykroyd told NPR's Terry Gross. "And then I met guys who could imitate the teachers better than me and we sort of formed these imitation squads."

Although Aykroyd's parents were supportive of their son's interests, the budding comedian faced other challenges. A nervous child, Aykroyd was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome at age 12. Suffering from severe tics, he learned to control his symptoms with therapy. Citing his intense obsessions, interests, and habits, Aykroyd now feels that he may also have some symptoms of Asperger's syndrome, per the HuffPost Show.

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