Judy Belushi-Pisano, a former actress and producer who for decades strived to preserve the legacy of her husband, comedian John Belushi, has died. She was 73 and had long battled cancer, Variety reports. She met Belushi in high school in Illinois and was married to the Saturday Night Live and Animal House star from 1973 until his 1982 overdose death. "Her unwavering dedication and creative genius alongside Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi gave birth to The Blues Brothers, a timeless testament to the power of music and laughter," a post on the official John Belushi Instagram page says.
Belushi-Pisano was working as a radio producer in New York when her husband began drawing attention in the mid-1970s for his work with the Second City comedy troupe and his selection for the inaugural cast of Saturday Night Live. She had uncredited roles in his two blockbuster movies. Belushi's wife stayed with him through his infidelities and struggles with addiction, then for much of her life honored his memory, per Variety. Among the projects she worked on was the 2020 Showtime documentary John Belushi. "She was smart, funny, wise, honest, and a blast to spend time with," said RJ Cutler, the film's executive producer.
She was active in the arts on Martha's Vineyard, where the couple began spending time in the 1970s. In 1990, she married Victor Pisano, per the Hollywood Reporter. Belushi-Pisano filed for divorce from him in 2010. "John wasn't perfect," Belushi-Pisano told People in 2020. "But he was a full human being—caring and adventurous and kind. And he not only made people laugh, he made them feel." (More obituary stories.)
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