Dan Aykroyd

The BBC, the weekly-in-chief-series-profiles of various executives from all over The World . This Week , we speak with canadian Actor and Vodka entrepreneur Dan Aykroyd .

As a much-loved Hollywood star, it is fair to say that many Film fans would be relieved to know that Dan Aykroyd pursue His original career plan, priest.

Instead of following the path of spirituality, he went in the stand-up comedy And Then acting, for which he is perhaps best known for fighting the evil spirits in the 1984 box office smash Ghostbusters.

In the last few years, Aykroyd has spirits in The Business of the other kind-of - alcohol - Drinks - sale to both tequila and Vodka .

proposing As warm and friendly in Real Life as His public persona, he says, prepared that its now More Than 45 Years , made it as an Actor it is very good, the step to be an entrepreneur.

"The moment I stepped in the act of the trade, I was in the 'show-business'," says the 67-year-old. "I had to market and broker quotes for me.

"Every audition is a sale, then you need to follow up with a contract, EU obligations, tax planning, and - if you have a good job as an Actor - investments.

"Then, when I was the origin of my projects, sold a piece of cloth I had on one value, and broker a deal. So, I was in Show Business all the way. It is not too hard with a view on the numbers in a different dimension. "

Born in Ottawa, Canada's capital, in 1952, His father was a political Advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau , The Father of the current President of the Justin. Aykroyd's mother was a Secretary.

He went to a Catholic school, so the original plan to become a priest, But changed His mind at the age of 17 years. He studied criminology and sociology at Carleton University in Ottawa, to fall only, before the completion of His studies. Instead of studying, he began working as a comedian, and helped to run a bar.

His big breakthrough came in 1975 when, at the age of 22, he was appointed to the team of authors of a forthcoming new US comedy Sketch Show called Saturday Night Live. Aykroyd managed a main role, and he was an important part of The First four series, which ran from year to year in 1979.

The Movie works out, then followed, and in 1980 he had a big hit with The Blues Brothers, for which he also co-wrote the screenplay. The Movie is a popular comedy classic, and Aykroyd is on tour with the "Blues Brothers Band", singing occasionally as His character from the film Elwood Blues.

Ghostbusters came four years later, he wrote again, co -, and he was on the shortlist for the best Supporting Actor Oscar for 1989's Driving Miss Daisy. Other film highlights include the soldiers of fortune, spies Like Us, Antz, and Grosse Pointe Blank are.

Aykroyd has also helped directed a Film in 1991 Nothing But Trouble - he says, to sharpen His management skills. "The First thing [as a Director], to respect you, not what others do, to respect For You , that you have skills and abilities that you think you know something about it, But not because you don't do this function with an organization," he says. "Let them do their job. "

Unfortunately, the film was a flop, costing $40m (£31m), But only $8. 5m at The Box office. "The studio will kill you if you lose that kind of money," he says. "Her career hit with a sniper bullet. "

fortunately, however, Aykroyd's film career survived the Storm .

Be The First company came in 1992, when he co-founded The House of Blues live-music venue and restaurant chain. The company is now owned by entertainment giant Live Nation , But Aykroyd remains a paid consultant.

The Move in The alcohol industry came in 2005, when Aykroyd to import a company, Patron tequila in Canada. Two years later, he started His pride and Joy - Crystal Head Vodka .

Additional features:

it's Easy to recognize thanks to its human skull-shaped Glass Bottle , Aykroyd says, it is a premium product. It is in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador of the Canadian corn, and he remains the majority owner.

He adds that The Bottle design was chosen as an allusion to The Legend that the ancient tribes in the Americas used the Crystal skull, the in religious ceremonies. The Vodka has now More Than 13 million sold bottles.

"I have to go around The World talking about The Fluid and how proud I Am to speak that it is from Canada, I get My Country ," says Aykroyd.

Holly Wyatt, a managing partner of the Kinetic brands, a Canadian company that promotes spirits, says, that Crystal Head has certainly benefited from the fact that they are in possession of a celebrity.

"When Aykroyd started, it was cool, because he was there," she says. "It is also a great package and a great fluid, so people would go back to him. But he still is involved, is very obviously a reason why some consumers to buy the brand. "

While the Vodka business takes a portion of His time, he is still busy with the acting. Not that he needs The Money - His net worth is estimated at $135m.

This summer, he stars in the latest Ghostbusters Film, the fourth in the series. He says he is happy to be wrestling with the supernatural nature of the spirits again.

In fact, Aykroyd has had a lifelong interest in the supernatural, something he picked up from His father, and a great-grandfather who was a mystic.

"you know, my great-grandfather, Sam Aykroyd, the psi researcher and dentist from Kingston, Ontario, would be very glad that Ghostbusters has stimulated so much fun and laughter, But also interest in The Paranormal . "

Source of news: bbc.com