John Belushi's Final Party: Part 2

Thursday, March 4th, 1982. John Belushi had been running hard all week. Flying on coke and heroin, he was abusing his body at a alarming intensity. The day started with him meeting with his manager, Bernie Brillstein, and Paramount head honcho, Michael Eisner. They were determined to settle the question of Belushi's next movie. Eisner, pulling the strings, said a firm no to the wine movie, ''Noble Rot''. He wanted Belushi to do the sex comedy, ''The Joy Of Sex.'' Brillstein supported Eisner and both pressured John to do it. Eisner said it could be a big movie, meaning, big money. In the meantime, as a concession, Eisner said that John could rewrite ''Noble Rot'' and they would do the movie down the line. John finally agreed to do the sex comedy, albeit, very reluctantly. The movie was packaged into a broader deal with the studio. Eisner offered Belushi a four-picture studio deal, with ''The Joy Of Sex'' and ''Noble Rot'' part of the package. The other two movies were to be determined. John mentioned that his partner, Dan Aykroyd, was in New York right now writing a new project for them. It had to do with grown men exterminating ghosts. Eisner, Brillstein, and Belushi concluded their business dealings and parted. But, not before Belushi asked Brillstein for some money to buy a guitar. Brillstein, who managed John for years and loved him like a son, knew John inside and out. He figured John wanted the money for drugs. But, the request, in front of a studio head, was a canny move on John's part. He knew Brillstein would not challenge the request in front of Eisner. So, Brillstein gave John the money, but he was deeply suspicious on what John would do with it......... Back at the Chateau Marmont, John called Cathy Smith. They had not seen each other in twenty four hours. The previous day, John had his disappearing act going, crashing at the home of Leslie Marks and not doing the shots of ''speedballs''. So, by Thursday, John was jonesing for a fix. Cathy said she would meet John at one of his favorite private clubs called ''On The Rox'', which was on top of the famous ''Roxy Theater'' on the Sunset Strip. ''On The Rox'' was a playground for the rich and famous who wanted to party without the public bothering them. The roster of customers there throughout the years was impressive: Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Jack Nicholson, etc had all frequented the ''Rox'' for many years. The bar was little more than a big living room. John Belushi, like all of his famous friends, loved the place for its seclusion and privacy. On one memorable night a few years earlier, John was at the club with Dan Aykroyd, Joe Pesci, Alice Cooper and Harry Nilsson. Bernie Taupin, the co-writer of Elton John songs, had gotten into fight with Belushi and both men had to be separated. A lot of drug craziness had happened at ''On The Rox''. This Thursday night in March would be no different......... Back in New York, Judy Belushi and Dan Aykroyd sensed impending doom. Both had talked to John earlier that day, and, both concluded that he was in trouble. Deep trouble. They each had a telekinetic ability to read John and his behavior. They knew he was messing with the vermin out on the Strip. The drug cycle of John out of control had not reared its ugly head for a long time----John had pretty much been clean for over a year. But, the last month, he slipped, badly. They knew he could not handle the abuse anymore, his body was no longer young and healthy. That Thursday night, the two people closest to John Belushi had dinner and made plans. If John was not home by the next day, Friday the 5th, Judy threatened to move out, to scare John into coming home. Dan Aykroyd had a much more physical solution. He promised if John was not home by Friday, he would go out to Hollywood and handcuff John, if he had to, and drag him out of town........ Back in Hollywood, early in the evening of Thursday, March the 4th, John Belushi hooked up with an old friend, Robert De Niro. Belushi and De Niro had known each other for years and were quite good friends. Each admired the other enormously. De Niro liked John for his crazy personality, for even in his most drug addled moments, John Belushi was a decent and kind person who was tremendous fun to be around, a party unto himself. And, John liked ''Bobby D'', as he called him, for his intensity that he had in acting. Both wanted to branch out into the other's arenas: John wanted more serious roles, De Niro wanted to do comedy. They also shared a love of cocaine and late nights. De Niro was a regular coke user around this time, as was much of Hollywood. Coke was the drug of influence and show business---everyone seemed to be doing blow. When they met for dinner that night, John said he was meeting friends later on at ''On The Rox''. De Niro said he would stop by........ Cathy Smith and John met at ''On The Rox'' and immediately went into a bathroom and she shot him up again with a speedball. In the last few days, the amount of shots that Cathy had given John was around a dozen, with each shot more potent, and, therefore, more dangerous than the last. John was growing more dependent on Smith, as he spun more out of control on drugs. And, there was a third party hovering around: John's friend, Nelson Lyon. Lyon, a distant friend of Belushi's, had hooked up with John a few days earlier in the week. He also became a willing ''patient'' for ''Nurse Cathy'', taking the shots that she was giving out. Lyon would later testify that John was far-gone that night, as if he did not know what he was asking for........ Also watching the scene at ''On The Rox'' were rogue officers of the LAPD. They were in contact with Cathy Smith and knew whom Belushi was with that night. They noted De Niro and Lyon. They had spies in the club among the bouncers. John Belushi, unbeknownst to him, was being set up for a bust very soon...... As the evening went on, various people came and went at ''On The Rox'', including the club owner, Lou Adler and actor Harry Dean Stanton. Johnny Rivers, famous for his song ''Secret Agent Man'' was introduced to Belushi and they sang the song ''Kansas City'' together. Rivers later said that John was very quiet that night and seemed down. And, John's mood was very bleak. He was still smarting over the Paramount rejection of his script. And, he missed Judy, for she was his soulmate. John was very aware of the strain that his drug use put on his marriage, on his relationship with Judy. They adored each other, going back to when they were kids in Wheaton, Illinois. They had traveled a long road together, were inseparable. Those who knew them both always were impressed over the control that Judy had over John. It was a good control, a stabilizing influence. They loved each other deeply and wanted to grow old together. But, the cocaine was a barrier and threatened their relationship. And, no one was more aware of this than John. He hated that he was using again and could not control his appetites......... Around midnight, Robert De Niro came into ''On The Rox''. He spotted John and John invited De Niro to meet up later at the Chateau Marmont, where De Niro was also staying. They both tried getting in touch with Richard Pryor but could not get ahold of Pryor. Soon, De Niro left the club, going back to the Marmont, where he had planned a threesome with two women....... John and Cathy left ''On The Rox'' soon after De Niro. They had Nelson Lyon with them. John had invited them to the Marmont , where he wanted the party to continue. On the way out of the club, John bought some cocaine from a stranger in the parking lot. After the buy, John drove them towards the hotel but had to pull over when he became violently sick to his stomach. Once in the Marmont, John and Cathy did another shot, along with Lyon. Soon after, John and Cathy went out. Where they went, no one can say. Smith has never revealed their destination. But, they were under surveillance from the police......  Down the Strip, at the famous ''Comedy Store'', Robin Williams was finishing a set onstage. Being up there onstage, without a net, was a high for Robin. He enjoyed the give-and-take from the audience. Robin Williams also enjoyed the high of the Hollywood fast lane, with its abundance of drugs, alcohol, and women. After he was done at the ''Comedy Store'', Robin headed out down the Strip towards ''On The Rox''. Robin was not looking for anyone in particular to party with, per se. He just wanted something to do. The doorman at the ''Roxy'' nightclub, below ''On The Rox'' had told Williams that Belushi and De Niro were looking for him. And, they wanted Williams to go over to the Marmont for a big party. Robin Williams got in his car and drove the short distance to John's bungalow. For years afterword, Robin Williams would firmly believe that the mysterious ''doorman'', who quit after that night, was setting him up for a bust.......... Bungalow 3 at the Chateau Marmont in the early morning hours of March 5th, 1982, has always been the subject of much speculation and gossip for years. ''Who'' was there is an open question. Cathy Smith would cite ''big, famous people'' as being in the hotel room. Their names have never been released because no one who survived the encounter is talking. Hollywood has maintained the age-old ''Omerta'', or, code of silence. What has come out was information Cathy Smith would later tell the police in her ''official'' statement. Seeing as she was working undercover with the police in a sting operation, her story must be taken with much skepticism. And, rightly so....... Robin Williams walked into Bungalow 3 around 2 am looking for his pal, John Belushi. They had been casual friends for a few years but had recently grown closer. When Robin entered, the only person there was Nelson Lyon. Lyon, stoned beyond reason from coke and heroin, told Robin that John had left. Robin waited a short time to see if John would return. In the meantime, Robin called Robert De Niro's room looking for him. De Niro, busy having his threesome with the two women, said he could not talk. At that moment, Robin Williams became highly suspicious. He had been told by the ''doorman'' at the ''Roxy'' that both Belushi and De Niro were waiting for him at the bungalow. Now, neither one was there. His unease continued when John and Cathy returned. John acted surprised that Robin was there. He wasn't expecting him. Robin got the impression that John seemed embarrassed that Robin was seeing him in this kind of condition and atmosphere. It was seedy, especially, with Cathy Smith hovering around in the background. Williams developed an instant dislike for the woman and was shocked that John was associating with her. After a few awkward moments, John offered some coke, which Robin snorted. Not much was said and soon Robin decided to leave. Still feeling very uncomfortable---both for John and for being led to the bungalow mysteriously--- Robin Williams left and drove home........ Cathy Smith shot up John and Nelson Lyon again. Both were zonked. The patio door slid open and Robert De Niro walked in looking for coke. He later stated to Judy Belushi that he thought Smith was trashy and was surprised John was with her. He felt John was strung-out and tired. De Niro snorted a few lines and left. As did Nelson Lyon, who was tired and needed sleep. He soon caught a cab as dawn rose over the Sunset Strip.........