American Actor James Belushi

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  • Soldier of Macedon
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2008
    • 13670

    American Actor James Belushi

    James Belushi is an American actor who claims to be of Albanian descent. In recent years he has taken a more active interest in his origins.


    Saturday, 15 November 2008.

    Albania’s President Bamir Topi decorated the Hollywood actor James (Jim) Belushi with title 'honour of the nation' during a TV show held this week in Tirana.

    The title was given to the star of the hit TV comedy because of his “love and dignity for his Albanian origins and Albania,” said Topi.

    Belushi was born in Chicago as the third of four children of Adam Belushi, an Albanian immigrant who left his native Qyteze village in 1934 at the age of 15, and Agnes, who was born in the US to Albanian immigrants. His brother John Belushi was also a famous comedian and actor.

    “This is an important and heavy award with a big burden, which I don’t know if I merit,” said Belushi. “I was born and raised in America, but my genes are Albanian,” he added.
    From the wiki article about his brother John, the following is stated:
    Belushi was born in Wheaton, Illinois, the son of Agnes Belushi (née Samaras), a first generation Albanian-American, and Adam Belushi (1918–1996), an Albanian immigrant and restaurant operator who left his native village, Qytezë, in 1934 at the age of sixteen. The family's name at the time of immigration was Bellios, or Belliors. Belushi was raised in the Albanian Orthodox church...........
    Unfortunately, the link for that source is no longer active. But it would make sense given that they were Orthodox and that their churches were under the sway of Greek-speaking clerics. The name appears quite familiar for Macedonians from the Aegean who originally had surnames like Belev and/or Belov, which were forcibly changed to surnames like Belios and/or Velios. I have looked up the word 'Belushi' in some Albanian dictionaries but haven't found any meaning for the word in that language. Perhaps one of our Albanian participants could advise.

    Anyway, the Belushi family were from a village called Qyteze, which is located in the Korche region, where there are several places inhabited by Macedonians. I am not trying to imply they have a Macedonian background (not that I enitrely discount the possibility) or that they are Macedonians, because they clearly identify as Albanians. But I thought the above information was interesting nonetheless.
    In the name of the blood and the sun, the dagger and the gun, Christ protect this soldier, a lion and a Macedonian.
  • Risto the Great
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2008
    • 15658

    #2
    That is interesting SoM.
    I was always aware of some Albanian connection but had no idea of their name changes and specific location of their people.
    Risto the Great
    MACEDONIA:ANHEDONIA
    "Holding my breath for the revolution."

    Hey, I wrote a bestseller. Check it out: www.ren-shen.com

    Comment

    • Mastika
      Member
      • Feb 2010
      • 503

      #3
      If it is Qyteze in Korce region, then there are some connections with a Macedonian population. The village is located in the Devoll region, which many years ago was heavily populated by both Macedonian Christians and Muslims, alongside Albanian Christians and Muslims and Christian Vlachs at the edges of this region. Today it is an almost entirely Albanian speaking region, with very few Macedonian speakers remaining, most which are in Bilisht.

      According to these older sources, Qyteze is not mentioned as being an Macedonian village and it is not part of the Vlach villages found higher in the mountains. It would appear that Belushi is entirely of Albanian descent, however, there is no doubt that at one stage his ancestors would have interacted with Macedonians from the surrounding villages.

      Bellios should be only understood as affiliation with the Greek Orthodox church, nothing more.

      Comment

      • George S.
        Senior Member
        • Aug 2009
        • 10116

        #4
        it's an interesting story that could have possible macedonian connections.
        "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
        GOTSE DELCEV

        Comment

        • Soldier of Macedon
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2008
          • 13670

          #5
          Originally posted by Mastika View Post
          Bellios should be only understood as affiliation with the Greek Orthodox church, nothing more.
          Scratch the surface and it may mean something more. Bellios is a surname which doesn't appear to have a meaning in either Greek or Albanian, but it does in Macedonian (minus the suffix).
          In the name of the blood and the sun, the dagger and the gun, Christ protect this soldier, a lion and a Macedonian.

          Comment

          • Commander Bond
            Junior Member
            • Nov 2008
            • 72

            #6
            Whilst watching According to Jim a few months ago, I mentioned to my wife and sister that Jim and John Belushi were of Albanian background and out of further interest we researched them.

            As SOM said, " Bellios is a surname which doesn't appear to have a meaning in either Greek or Albanian, but it does in Macedonian (minus the suffix)."

            Perhaps his surname is an old preker - Beliot, meaning the white one or Belushi, meaning white ears.

            Comment

            • Risto the Great
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2008
              • 15658

              #7
              Originally posted by Commander Bond View Post
              Perhaps his surname is an old preker - Beliot, meaning the white one or Belushi, meaning white ears.
              "White nose" would have made sense for his brother given his penchant for drugs.
              Risto the Great
              MACEDONIA:ANHEDONIA
              "Holding my breath for the revolution."

              Hey, I wrote a bestseller. Check it out: www.ren-shen.com

              Comment

              • Commander Bond
                Junior Member
                • Nov 2008
                • 72

                #8
                Originally posted by Risto the Great View Post
                "White nose" would have made sense for his brother given his penchant for drugs.
                True.

                Comment

                • Soldier of Macedon
                  Senior Member
                  • Sep 2008
                  • 13670

                  #9
                  The 'ushi' part of the surname is just the Albanianised version of 'ios' in the Greek version (Albanians often add the -i suffix to their surnames), which may ultimately come from the Macedonian version.
                  In the name of the blood and the sun, the dagger and the gun, Christ protect this soldier, a lion and a Macedonian.

                  Comment

                  • Bij
                    Member
                    • Oct 2009
                    • 905

                    #10
                    Sort of off topic but similar notion - yesterday at work I was trying to find a JP in Melbourne CBD for some documents I needed signed.

                    Did a quick search on google and found a lady by the name of Efstathia Assimakopoulos with a LOTE - Macedonian.

                    I spent half an hour trying to explain to my Greek colleague who was guffawed and considered it a mistake on the part of the department of justice before I gave up.


                    Comment

                    • George S.
                      Senior Member
                      • Aug 2009
                      • 10116

                      #11
                      beliushi white ears.
                      "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
                      GOTSE DELCEV

                      Comment

                      • Soldier of Macedon
                        Senior Member
                        • Sep 2008
                        • 13670

                        #12
                        Although it looks very similar, that isn't what it means.
                        In the name of the blood and the sun, the dagger and the gun, Christ protect this soldier, a lion and a Macedonian.

                        Comment

                        • makedonche
                          Senior Member
                          • Oct 2008
                          • 3242

                          #13
                          Originally posted by George S. View Post
                          beliushi white ears.
                          George S
                          HaHa!!! - I was thinking the very same thing!
                          On Delchev's sarcophagus you can read the following inscription: "We swear the future generations to bury these sacred bones in the capital of Independent Macedonia. August 1923 Illinden"

                          Comment

                          • ProMKD
                            Member
                            • Oct 2011
                            • 367

                            #14
                            Not sure why the sudden interest in the albanian part of the name by jim, but his comrade Eliza Dushku (dark angel tv show, other stupid shows/movies) recently visited Tetovo and kosovo with her current boyfriend to "show him her albanian roots". Bunch of BS

                            EDIT
                            I just looked an article of her visit to Macedonia. The bitch is from Korce (formerly Macedonian town) and visited the sharena dzamija in Tetovo, and said "I wanted to visit Tetovo because many great albanians came from here, like Mother Theresa, Alexander the Great, etc.". Is this idiot on crack?


                            Google Translation:
                            After a visit to her hometown of Korca did where it was awarded the title of ambassador for culture and after obtaining citizenship by President Bamir Topi of Albania, Albanian Holivoodit star Eliza Dushku, today visited the Tetovo.

                            Eliza Dushku covered with handkerchiefs and society actor visited Tetovo Blerim Destani Colorful Mosque and later Arabati Baba Tekke in Tetovo, this part of the project "Discover Albania".

                            I chose to visit Macedonia, because Macedonia is also home to several large Albanians as Mother Teresa, Alexander the Great, etc., Eliza Dushku said.



                            This is more like it, whore.

                            Last edited by ProMKD; 10-10-2011, 10:22 AM.
                            www.everythingmacedonia.com
                            Support tourism to Macedonia!

                            Comment

                            • United MKD
                              Member
                              • Jul 2011
                              • 547

                              #15
                              Interesting, I had no idea she was in Macedonia I knew she visited Albania a couple of times. Cool, so now Alexander is Albanian according to her, probably from a village just outside of Tetovo and that documentary is going to be awful "Discover Albania" while she is in Macedonian land visiting mosques and acting like she knows something about our country. However, good on her for being proud of where she comes from and helping put Albania on the map in whatever way she can even though she was born in the US and is only half Albanian (her father). Don't know how many Macedonian 'stars' would be so willing and proud to do such a thing.

                              Btw, welcome ProMKD.

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