Released · 1125 Collins Street, Joliet · in cinemas 20 June 1980
Two men in black suits, $5,000 to raise and a city that let them wreck it. Every place they tore through, and what stands there now.
Behind the bars: the old prison at Joliet, open to visitors now.
1125 Collins Street, Joliet
Jake is released from prison. The prison was built in 1858 and closed in 2002; the Joliet Area Historical Museum took over the empty site.
The city leases the property, and the museum runs tours and events there.
Closed as a prison, open for tours. Check in at the gift shop in the main car park off Collins Street.
Pick a pass
Self-guided visits cost $20 for adults and $10 for children aged 3 to 12. Flashlight tours of the north segregation building, the cafeteria and the east cell house cost $30, with a souvenir flashlight.
Joliet · Adults $20 · ages 3–12 $10
Walk the prison Jake walks out of. Guided options include Prison After Dark and tours led by two former guards. Check in at 1125 Collins Street.
Book a visitSouth Chicago · Calumet River · Jackson Park
The film’s ‘Calumet City’ scenes were shot in Chicago. Raise the 95th Street bridge, then hit it.
The bridge is down. Raise it first.
9114 South Burley Avenue, at East 91st Street
Jake and Elwood receive divine intervention from the pastor, James Brown.
James Brown plays the pastor, and Jake and Elwood receive their divine intervention here.
The outside is the real church; the inside was rebuilt on a soundstage in Los Angeles.
James BrownThe pastor
A working church. See it from Burley Avenue and leave services to the congregation. Metra’s 93rd Street station is two blocks south.
East 95th Street over the Calumet River
The Bluesmobile jumps the 95th Street bridge.
The film’s ‘Calumet City’ scenes were shot in Chicago.
A working lift bridge with pavements. Cross it on foot; stay off it while it is raised.
Off Columbia Drive, over the East Lagoon
The Nazis are driven off a bridge into the lagoon.
The bridge is off Columbia Drive, over the East Lagoon, south of the Museum of Science and Industry.
Jackson Park is part of the Chicago Park District.
A public park, south of the Museum of Science and Industry.
Putting the band together
Call each one to the place where they turn up.
Aretha Franklin · 807 West Maxwell Street, at Halsted Street
West & North Sides
Aretha Franklin sings in the Soul Food Cafe.
Aretha Franklin sings here as Mrs Murphy, the waitress.
The Soul Food Cafe was Nate’s Deli, which stood here for more than 70 years.
The deli closed in 1995, when the University of Illinois at Chicago expanded.
The deli is gone and the street redeveloped. Walk Halsted Street at Maxwell.
Aretha Franklin in 1968. Photographs of them as themselves, not from the film.
South Shore · Daily · 7am–7pm
The outside of the Palace Hotel Ballroom: a 1916 lakeside clubhouse, now a Park District building with gardens.
Plan a visitDispatch · all units
The whole film’s wreck count, one squad car at a time. Switch channels to see where the chase ran.
Wrecked000of 103
Quiet on the radio. Call in the first car.
151st Street and Dixie Highway, Harvey
The Bluesmobile leads the police through a shopping mall.
In summer 1979 John Landis rented it and had new shop windows and stock put in, so it could be wrecked on film.
The production drove police cars through its shops and walkways.
After decades of weather, vandalism and new forest growth, it was razed in May 2012.
The mall is gone. See the site from Dixie Highway; do not go onto the land.
Chicago
Live marketplace results for Chicago movie location tours by bus and on foot. Check each itinerary for Blues Brothers stops in the Loop.
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Compare toursLake View · the Loop
Driver’s licenceState of mind: Illinois
Elwood Blues
Address1060 W. Addison
CityChicago
An official address, on an official licence.
The Nazis come to the address looking for the Blues Brothers. The ballpark is still in use.
A working ballpark. The marquee is on the corner of Clark and Addison.
22 West Van Buren Street, between Dearborn and State
Elwood’s noisy, shaky room on the level of the L was at 22 West Van Buren Street.
The building has been demolished; the site is a grassy plot beneath the L. For the explosion, a photo of the building was pasted onto polystyrene blocks: Carrie Fisher did not blow it up.
A small grassy plot under the tracks, beside Library station.
Wrigleyville · 3630 North Clark Street
Sleep at Elwood’s official address, more or less: the hotel is just across Clark Street from Wrigley Field.
Check roomsLake View
Live marketplace results for tours of 1060 West Addison, Elwood’s official address.
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Compare toursDaley Plaza · Clark Street
Cook County AssessorReceipt No. 1980
Received fromJ. & E. Blues
ForSt Helen of the Blessed Shroud
Amount$5,000.00
Jake and Elwood run in to pay the $5,000 that saves St Helen of the Blessed Shroud orphanage.
Daley Plaza: Randolph, Dearborn, Clark and Washington
The final chase ends with dozens of police cars piling up under the building. Landis got permission for the Bluesmobile to crash through the building’s windows.
The building later played Wayne Enterprises in The Dark Knight.
An open public plaza with the Picasso at its centre; the lobby is a working court building.
The Chicago Picasso on the plaza is 50 feet tall, weighs more than 160 tons and was given to the city in 1967.
The Bluesmobile dies at the Clark Street entrance, and the National Guard abseils down the building.
Walk round from LaSalle Street to the Clark Street side, where the Bluesmobile stops.
Mission accomplished
John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd play ‘Joliet’ Jake and Elwood. John Landis directed. Aykroyd has said the film was made for $28 million.
Aykroyd’s first script ran to more than 300 pages.
John BelushiJake
Dan AykroydElwood, and the script
John LandisDirector
14 places you can visit or see from the street: 13 in and around Chicago and one ballroom in Hollywood. 3 are gone (the mall, the deli and Elwood’s building); the map shows where they stood.
Pins mark public places; private homes are named but not pinned.
General reference · Public access · Coordinate precision: site · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A small grassy plot under the tracks, beside Library station.
General reference · Public access · Coordinate precision: site · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. Busy streets: watch from the pavement on Lake Street, under the L.
General reference · Public access · Coordinate precision: building · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. An open public plaza with the Picasso at its centre; the lobby is a working court building.
General reference · Public access · Coordinate precision: building · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. Walk round from LaSalle Street to the Clark Street side, where the Bluesmobile stops.
22 West Van Buren Street, between Dearborn and State
Elwood’s noisy, shaky room on the level of the L was at 22 West Van Buren Street.
A small grassy plot under the tracks, beside Library station.
Lake Street at LaSalle Street, and Lower Wacker Drive
A police chase ends in a big pile-up at Lake Street and LaSalle Street, on Lower Wacker.
Busy streets: watch from the pavement on Lake Street, under the L.
Daley Plaza: Randolph, Dearborn, Clark and Washington
The final chase ends with dozens of police cars piling up under the building.
An open public plaza with the Picasso at its centre; the lobby is a working court building.
121 North LaSalle Street; the Clark Street entrance
The Bluesmobile dies at the Clark Street entrance, and the National Guard abseils down the building.
Walk round from LaSalle Street to the Clark Street side, where the Bluesmobile stops.
Stay
A hotel just over Clark Street from Wrigley Field, Elwood’s 1060 West Addison.
Wrigleyville · 3630 North Clark Street
Sleep at Elwood’s official address, more or less: the hotel is just across Clark Street from Wrigley Field.
Check roomsGo there
The prison at Joliet, the Palace Hotel’s clubhouse on South Shore Drive, and live marketplace tours of the Loop and the ballpark.
Joliet · Adults $20 · ages 3–12 $10
Walk the prison Jake walks out of. Guided options include Prison After Dark and tours led by two former guards. Check in at 1125 Collins Street.
Book a visitSouth Shore · Daily · 7am–7pm
The outside of the Palace Hotel Ballroom: a 1916 lakeside clubhouse, now a Park District building with gardens.
Plan a visitChicago
Live marketplace results for Chicago movie location tours by bus and on foot. Check each itinerary for Blues Brothers stops in the Loop.
Live marketplace results · itineraries change
Compare toursLake View
Live marketplace results for tours of 1060 West Addison, Elwood’s official address.
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Compare toursWhat’s on
Torchlit evening tours at Old Joliet Prison through October. No Blues Brothers Con is announced on or after 7 October 2026.
Checking current event dates…
Take it home
Original 1980 posters from the US, Britain, Italy and Germany from our store, two books, and the soundtrack on Atlantic.
An original 1980 US one-sheet, 27 x 41 in; very good condition, stored rolled, previously folded.
In stock
View posterAn original 1980 British quad, 40 x 30 in; near mint, stored rolled, previously folded.
In stock
View posterAn original 1980 Italian 2-fogli, 39 x 55 in; near mint, stored rolled, previously folded.
In stock
View posterAn original 1980 German A1, 23.4 x 33.1 in; near mint, stored rolled.
In stock
View posterDaniel de Visé
Daniel de Visé’s history of the film, 2024.
Find the bookJudith Jacklin Belushi
Judith Jacklin Belushi’s book about John Belushi, 2005.
Find the bookThe Blues Brothers · LP, Atlantic, 1980
The 1980 US Atlantic LP, with Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown and Cab Calloway.
Live marketplace search · listings and condition change
Find a copyThe Blues Brothers · 2 CD, Atlantic / East West, 1998
The fuller 1998 double-CD set.
Live marketplace search · listings and condition change
Find a copyDates, prices, rooms and stock change: confirm with the provider before you travel or buy. A stay or tour is described as a filming location only where the card says so.
Every place and moment behind this page, with sources.
14 of 14 places · 14 of 14 Moments
1125 Collins Street, Joliet
Jake is released from prison.
151st Street and Dixie Highway, Harvey
The Bluesmobile leads the police through a shopping mall.
East 95th Street over the Calumet River
The Bluesmobile jumps the 95th Street bridge.
9114 South Burley Avenue, at East 91st Street
Jake and Elwood receive divine intervention from the pastor, James Brown.
Off Columbia Drive, over the East Lagoon
The Nazis are driven off a bridge into the lagoon.
7059 South Shore Drive, at East 71st Street
The band arrives at the Palace Hotel Ballroom.
300 East 47th Street, at Prairie Avenue
The street dances outside Ray’s music store.
807 West Maxwell Street, at Halsted Street
Aretha Franklin sings in the Soul Food Cafe.
1060 West Addison Street, Lake View
The Nazis call at 1060 West Addison.
22 West Van Buren Street, between Dearborn and State
Elwood’s room shakes every time a train goes by.
Lake Street at LaSalle Street, and Lower Wacker Drive
Police cars pile up at Lake Street and LaSalle.
Daley Plaza: Randolph, Dearborn, Clark and Washington
The Bluesmobile crashes through the Daley Center’s windows.
121 North LaSalle Street; the Clark Street entrance
Jake and Elwood pay the orphanage’s $5,000.
6215 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood
Inside the Palace Hotel Ballroom.
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