John Belushi Spent His Last Day Alive On Star Trek’s Wrath Of Khan Set
Actor and hilarious SNL cast member John Belushi died on March 5, 1982 of a drug overdose. At the time one of the many impersonations Belushi was known for, was his impersonation of Captain James T. Kirk. So earlier on in the day he died, Belushi was studying up. Here’s how Star Trek historian Mark A. Altman tells the story…
Also an interesting story, one day John Belushi came to visit the set of Star Trek II. … He came because he wanted to perfect his [William] Shatner impersonation. So he came and watched Shatner on set all day. And that night, they wanted to have him sing and play The Blues Brothers at the wrap party, and they were going to ask him. And that night was the night he died of a drug overdose at the Chateau Marmont.“
Some people dispute this account since the official record says Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan finished filming in January 1982. However, movies often end up doing additional photography after they’ve completed principal filming, so it’s not entirely impossible that they still could have been shooting some final scenes as late as March.
Here’s Belushi playing Captain Kirk in one of Saturday Night Live’s Star Trek skits…
