John Belushi Signed SNL Samurai Sword Presented in a Custom Exhibition Quality Shadowbox. Over his four-year tenure at SNL, Belushi developed a series of successful characters, including the belligerent Samurai Futaba; an archetypal samurai — he had a dedicated concept of honor, spoke only (mock) Japanese, and wielded a katana. Sketches featuring the character showed him in different occupations that would not be expected for a samurai. He always performed his tasks perfectly, despite scaring his clients quite a few times. It became standard practice on SNL to feature a Samurai sketch, until the time Belushi left the cast. Belushi also portrayed Henry Kissinger; Ludwig van Beethoven; the Greek owner (Pete Dionisopoulos) of the Olympia Café; Captain James T. Kirk; and a contributor of furious opinion pieces on Weekend Update, during which he coined his catchphrase, "But N-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O!" With Aykroyd, Belushi created Jake and Elwood, the Blues Brothers. Originally intended to warm up the studio audience before broadcasts of SNL, the Blues Brothers were eventually featured as musical guests. Belushi also reprised his Lemmings imitation of Joe Cocker. Cocker himself joined Belushi in 1976 to sing "Feelin' Alright?" together. Like many other SNL cast members and writers, Belushi began using drugs heavily and attended concerts with many of the popular artists of the era including Fleetwood Mac, Meat Loaf, KISS, The Dead Boys, Warren Zevon, The Grateful Dead, and The Allman Brothers. In 1990, Michaels remembered him as loyal to the writers and a team player, but he was fired and rehired at SNL more than once owing to behavior stemming from his drug abuse. In Rolling Stone's February 2015 appraisal of all 141 SNL cast members to that time, Belushi received the top ranking. "Belushi was the 'live' in Saturday Night Live", they wrote, "the one who made the show happen on the edge ... Nobody embodied the highs and lows of SNL like Belushi." This item has been Forensically authenticated by Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators and comes with their Letter of Authenticity. Guaranteed Forensic Authenticators Guarantees their Opinion. A complete report of the forensic evaluation is available to any owner of the item current and future.

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