Starting with 1981's Thief, Belushi started winning larger roles, both comic and serious, in such films as Trading Places, The Man with One Red Shoe, Salvador, About Last Night, Jumpin' Jack Flash and Red Heat. He broke through to leading roles in Homer and Eddie, Mr. Destiny, Traces of Red, Race for the Sun and K-9.
Like his older brother John, Jim did a stint on "Saturday Night Live" (1983-85) and carved a niche in later TV series and made-for-TV/video movies. He enjoyed a career resurgence on the small screen with the popular sitcom "According to Jim," which premiered in 2001.