Filming Locations of Chicago and Los Angeles: The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers

(0:00) Opening Credits Showing The Smokestacks / South Works; 8580 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
(0:01) The View Of The Front Of The Prison / The Old Joliet Correctional Center; 1125 Collins Street, Joliet (Note: This Is On The South Side Of The Prison Property)
(0:01) The View Of The Prison Sign / Southeast Corner Of The Old Joliet Correctional Center

(0:01) The "Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers" Sign / Northeast Corner Of The Old Joliet Correctional Center

(0:02) The Guards Coming To Joliet Jake's Cell / Old Joliet Correctional Center West Cell Block Cell #415

(0:03) Jake Leaving The Cell Block / Old Joliet Correctional Center West Entrance (Note: They Are Actually Going Into The Prison Grounds From This Entrance)

(0:03) Walking In The Prison Yard / Old Joliet Correctional Center (Note: They Are Walking North And Of Course I Could Not Match The Exact View Because Of The Deteriorating Conditions On Where The Camera Was Located)

(0:04) The Exterior Of The Property Building / Old Joliet Correctional Center Honor Dorm

(0:06) Elwood Blues Picking His Brother, Jake, Up From Prison / Old Joliet Correctional Center East Entrance (Note: The Building Seen Behind Elwood Is No Longer There)

(0;07) Jake Blues Throwing The Broken Cigarette Lighter Out Of The Window / 9506 S. Houston Avenue, Chicago (Note: They Were Driving North And Today There Is A Fence Surrounding A Salvage Yard That Blocks Some Of The View)

(0:09) The Bridge They Jump / E. 95th Street Bridge; 3260 E. 95th Street, Chicago (Note: This Is A Block East Of S. Chicago Avenue And They Are Going East As They Make The Jump)
(0:10) The Entry To The Orphanage / 18th Street At Normal Avenue, Chicago
(0:17) The Church / Pilgrim Baptist Church; 3235 E. 91st Street, Chicago
(0:24) The Blues Brothers On An Off Ramp From The Highway / 8303 W. Higgins Road, Chicago (Note: They Are Exiting From The Westbound Kennedy Expressway As The Road Swings Around Toward Higgins And They Turn Left. You Can See What Is Currently The Holiday Inn In The Background In The Screen Shot Located At 5615 N. Cumberland Avenue)

(0:24) Jake And Elwood Talking As They Drive Past The Same Houses Over And Over / Universal Studios Colonial Street, Universal City (Note: Some Houses Are Still There Today While Others Have Since Been Remodeled Or Replaced But These Two Screen Shots Show Houses That Are Still There)

(0:25) Running The Red Light / S. Cumberland Avenue And W. Talcott Road, Park Ridge (Note: They Are Traveling North On S. Cumberland Avenue)
(0:25) The Light Was Yellow Sir Pullover Location / 729 S. Cumberland Avenue, Park Ridge (Note: The Side Of The House Shown In The Movie Was On Gillick Street)
(0:27) The Officers Running Back To Their Car As The Elwood Quickly Drives Off / Universal Studios Colonial Street, Universal City (Note: The Tall House Seen In The Background Is No Longer There)

(0:27) The Intersection Where The Chase Begins As They Make The Left Hand Turn / They Are On Glenlake Avenue Turning Left Or North On Courtland Avenue, Park Ridge
(0:27) The Crazy Intersection / W. Talcott Road, Courtland Avenue And Devon Avenue, Park Ridge
(0:28) The Mall / The Old Dixie Square Mall; 15201 S. Dixie Highway, Harvey (Note: The Mall Has Since Been Torn Down)
(0:32) Driving Downtown Chicago / State Street And W. Randolph Street, Chicago (Note: The Blues Mobile Is Going West On Randolph Street)
(0:32) Elwood Parking The Bluesmobile / Behind 315 S. Plymouth Court And Behind 314 S. State Street, Chicago (Note: This Alley Is Still There But The Small Building Where He Parks The Car Is Long Gone. The Entrance He Used Was Just South Of The Parking Garage At 331 S. Plymouth Court But The Building To The Right In The Screen Shot Has Since Been Torn Down)
(0:34) Elwood's Apartment Next To The El Tracks / The Old Plymouth Hotel; 22 W. Van Buren Street, Chicago (Note: This Has Since Been Torn Down And As You Can See The Pillars Elevated Tracks Has Changed In Some Spots)
(0:44) Mrs. Tarantino's House / 1623 S. 51st Court, Cicero (Note: This Is A One Way Street But In The Movie The Traffic Is Going The Opposite Direction)
(0:46) The Holiday Inn / Quality Inn; 3801 Mannheim Road, Schiller Park
(0:49) The Chez Paul Restaurant / 660 N. Rush Street, Chicago
(0:55) The Nazi Bridge / Jackson Park; South Of The Museum Of Science And Industry; Where Columbia Drive And Science Drive Meet Just Off Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
(0:57) Soul Food Cafe / 807 W. Maxwell Street, Chicago (Note: The Whole Block Has Since Been Torn Down And Is Now Part Of The University Of Illinois Chicago Campus)
(1:06) Curl Up And Die Salon / 8500 S. Burley Avenue, Chicago
(1:07) Ray's Music Exchange / 300 E. 47th Street, Chicago
(1:12) Howard Johnson's / Near The Tollway, Des Plaines (Note: This Has Since Been Torn Down)
(1:15) Wrigley Field / 1060 W. Addison Street, Chicago
(1:16) Bob's Country Bunker / Universal Studios Backlot; Universal City, California (Note: This Has Since Been Torn Down)
(1:29) The Blues Brothers Being Chased By The Good Ole Boys / Griffith Park; Griffith Park Drive, Los Angeles, California (Note: The Exact Spot Is Just Under A Half Mile From Crystal Spring Drive. The First Screen Shot Is Looking North. The Fake Billboard That The Officers Were Parked Behind Was On The West Side Of The Road Right Next To A Parking And Picnic Area)
(1:32) Stealing The Speaker From The Playground / Oscar Mayer School; 2250 N. Clifton Street, Chicago (Note: The Tower Has Since Been Taken Down)
(1:32) Jake And Elwood Driving In A Grassy Area Promoting Their Big Show / Still Searching For This Location

(1:32) The Blues Brothers Driving Past A Brown House With Distinctive Windows On The Side / 430 Robert Parker Coffin Road, Long Grove (Note: They Are Driving West)

(1:32) Curtis Handing Out Flyers To The Orphans To Hang Around Town / 116 N. Main Street, Wauconda (Note: The Camera Is Looking South. The Building With The Slanted Roof Way In The Background On The Left Is Wauconda Paint And Glass At 104 S. Main Street And The Building With the Balcony To The Left Of The White Van Is Middleton's On Main)
(1:33) The Blues Brothers Driving Past Another House And You See All Of The Small Windows / Scout And Forge Antique Furniture Store; 427 Robert Parker Coffin Road, Long Grove (Note: They Are Driving West)

(1:33) The Blues Brothers Putting The Word In The Streets / 127 N. Main Street, Wauconda (Note: The Culligan Building Is The Address I Used But That Business Is Now Slyce Pizza. The View Is Looking South Toward The Water Tower)
(1:33) The Blues Brothers Driving Past A House Promoting Their Show / 410 Robert Parker Coffin Road, Long Grove

(1:33) The Blues Brothers Still Promoting Their Gig / 1103 Schaeffer Road, Long Grove (Note: They Are On The Beginning Of Schaeffer Just After Turning From Robert Parker Coffin Road With The Car Is Going South. Unfortunately The Fence Has Since Been Removed)

(1:33) The Blues Brothers Driving On A Beach / Phil's Beach Bangs Lake; 336 N. Main Street, Wauconda (Note: This Took Place On The West Side Of The Lake And Is A Private Beach. The Slide Is No Longer In The Water But Is Still On Their Property And My Pictures Could Not Be A Perfect Match As The Pier Was Not There When I Was There)
(1:34) Driving Past A House / 437 Robert Parker Coffin Road, Long Grove

(1:34) Driving Past A Second House / 445 Robert Parker Coffin Road, Long Grove

(1:35) The Blues Brothers Running Out Of Gas / 1110 Robert Parker Coffin Road, Long Grove (Note: A Lot Has Changed Since The Movie Was Made Including The Removal Of The Willow Trees)

(1:36) Lloyds Gas Station / S. Neltnor Blvd And Garys Mill Road, West Chicago
(1:43) Sneaking Into The Palace Hotel Ballroom / South Shore Cultural Center; 7059 S. South Shore Drive, Chicago
(1:45) The Interior For The Concert / The Hollywood Palladium; 6215 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles

(2:00) The Blues Brothers Escaping From The Tunnel / Still Searching For This Location
(2:02) The Motel Where The Girl Waits For Elwood / West Wind Motel; 28W721 Roosevelt Road, West Chicago
(2:01) The Good Ole Boys Exiting The Highway At A High Rate Of Speed / 7751 W. Higgins Road, Chicago (Note: They Were Exiting The Westbound Kennedy Expressway On The Canfield Exit)
(2:01) The Winnebago Crashing Into The Lake / Universal Studios Backlot; Universal City
(2:03) Police Car Pileup On The Highway / U.S. 12 And Illinois 176 Intersection, Wauconda (Note: This Takes Place With The Cars Going Northbound On Rand Road Just Past The Overpass Nearing The On Ramp From Slocum Lake Road)
(2:04) We're In A Truck / U.S. 12/Rand Road Just South Of The Barrington Road Overpass, Wauconda (Note: They Are Going North And This Is About A Half Mile South Of The Previous Scene)
(2:04) The Police On Horses / N. Franklin Street And Couch Place, Chicago (Note: The Camera Is Looking North With The Merchandise Mart Seen In The Background)
(2:04) The Police On The River / Chicago River Just West Of The LaSalle Street Bridge, Chicago (Note: The Camera Is Looking East)

(2:04) The Blues Brothers Breaking Through The Road Block / E. 23rd Street Bridge, Chicago (Note: This Bridge Is No Longer There As It Is Now Part Of The New McCormick Place Complex)
(2:05) Entering Lower Wacker Drive / South Entrance To Lower Wacker Drive (Note: Wacker Drive Has Changed A Lot Since Filming Of The Movie)
(2:05) The Blues Brothers Going Over A Bridge / Lower Michigan Avenue Bridge, Chicago (Note: They Are Going North)

(2:05) The Blues Brothers Driving Past An Exit From Lower Wacker Drive / W. Lower Wacker Drive At N. Garvey Court, Chicago (Note: They Are Going East And This Spot Has Changed A Lot Since The Movie Was Made)

(2:06) Exiting Wacker Drive And Jumping The Police Car / Lower Wacker Drive And Monroe Street, Chicago (Note: The Blues Mobile Is Heading South For The Jump And The Tunnel Entrance Is No Longer On The South Side)
(2:06) Elwood Driving The Car Past Some Stairs As He Is Changing Lanes To The Southbound Side / Lower Michigan Avenue And E. Lower Illinois Street, Chicago (Note: They Are Driving North)

(2:06) The Blues Brothers Causing A Small Police Car Pileup At A Ninety Degree Turn / N. Lower Michigan Avenue And E. Grand Avenue, Chicago (Note: The Blues Brothers Turn Right And Go East On Grand Avenue And In The Third Screen Shot The Camera Looks West On Grand)

(2:06) The Blues Brothers Making A Sharp Left Turn Just After Leaving Lower Wacker Drive / W. Hubbard Street And N. Wells Street, Chicago (Note: They Turn And Go South On Wells)

(2:06) The Bluesmobile Zooming Down The Street / S. Wells Street And W. Arcade Place, Chicago (Note: They Are Traveling South And They Have Changed The Street Light Location Near The Camera)
(2:07) Driving Real Fast Onto A Bridge And Almost Hitting A Delivery Truck On The Other Side / Wells Street, Bridge, Chicago (Note: They Are Going South)
(2:07) Almost Hitting The People On Bicycles / N. Wells Street And W. Washington Street, Chicago (Note: They Are Going South On Wells)
(2:08) Police Car Pileup / W. Lake Street And N. Lasalle Street, Chicago (Note: The Blues Brothers Are Heading East On Lake Street When They Turn Left And Go North As Some Of The Officers Start Shooting At Them With The Camera Now Looking South)
(2:08) Where The Nazi's Enter The Chase / 915 W. Jackson Blvd, Chicago (Note: They Turn Right And Go East On Jackson Toward Peoria Street And The Building On The Right In My Picture Is New)
(2:08) Turning Right Into An Alley / 855 W. Jackson Blvd, Chicago (Note: This Alley Is Between S. Peoria Street And S. Green Street And Too Much Has Changed To Match Up The View Seen In The Movie)
(2:08) Exiting The Alley / 860 W. Van Buren Street, Chicago (Note: They Turn Right And Go West Toward Peoria Street)
(2:09) The Blues Brothers Entering An Unfinished Highway / East Interstate 794 Entry Ramp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Note: They Are Going South And Are Entering From The E. Clybourn Street Intersection. The Smokestack Seen In The Distance Is Part Of Jones Island And Is Still There)

(2:10) Running Out Of Road / Interstate 794, Milwaukee Wisconsin
(2:10) Spot Where The Bluesmobile Starts To Flip / Interstate 794 Just Over N. Van Buren Street, Milwaukee Wisconsin (Note: The Car Is Going West And The Big White Building Seen Is The U.S. Bank Building Located At 777 E. Wisconsin Avenue)

(2:10) The Blues Brothers Driving Back The Other Way / Interstate 794 Over N. Jackson Street, Milwaukee Wisconsin (Note: The Building Seen In The Screen Shot Is The Back Side Of The Brengel Technology Center Building And It Is Still There)

(2:11) The Nazi's Falling Into The Hole / Universal Studios Backlot, Universal City
(2:11) Entering Daley Plaza / N. Dearborn Street And W. Washington Street, Chicago
(2:11) Crashing Into The Daley Center / 50 W. Washington Street, Chicago
(2:11) Entering The Assessors Building / 118 N. Clark Street, Chicago

70 comments:

AnonymousJuly 12, 2010 at 1:01 PM
Nicely done!!!!
A great, modern day sequential tour!!!

-Blueblood, BB Central
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Mark HowellFebruary 19, 2011 at 2:34 PM
Thank you, THANK you, THANK YOU! I love this movie and have probably seen it over 100 times. Seeing these sites like this is a real treat for any and all fans of this gem!!! Thanks again!
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AnonymousSeptember 15, 2013 at 1:08 PM
great compilation....seen this movie 28 times at the original chicago theatre, several double n triple features at a time...also was on the corner of dearborn and washington on day of filming siege of city hall
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UnknownMarch 5, 2014 at 5:07 PM
A little background information... Chicago PD was able to unload most, if not all their old police cars for the movie. They were in the process of buying new squad cars, so the timing was good. They weren't supposed to destroy the mall. It was set to close in 6 months to a year and some stores were still operating. Destroying the mall wasn't part of the plan because the remaining stores had to shut down for repairs.
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AnonymousNovember 2, 2014 at 4:11 PM
Thank you for the memories! I lived in Schiller Park and Park Ridge and have been to almost all the places in the photos. Missed the South Side motel, but not much else. I moved from Park Ridge to Houston the summer the movie was being filmed. When I saw it in Houston, I felt like I was back home! Great photographic recap of the movie, which is one of my favorites!
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AnonymousNovember 15, 2014 at 6:20 PM
GREAT JOB, WAS IN THE WISCONSIN AREA FOR COLLEGE WHEN FILMING AND HAVE SEEN ALOT OF THESE LOCATIONS.FANTASTIC REVIEW OF FILMING!!!!
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AnonymousJanuary 25, 2015 at 8:00 AM
very very very thanks.
federico,milano,italy
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UnknownJanuary 8, 2016 at 12:42 PM
This was great thank you! I live on Bang's Lake in Wauconda. It is cool to see Main St. In one of my favorite movies.
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UnknownApril 1, 2016 at 2:56 AM
The Palace Hotel Ballroom / South Shore Country Club.

It is now the South Shore Cultural Center. Correct address is 7059 S South Shore Dr, Chicago. Not S Lake Shore Dr.
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LShackleyApril 18, 2016 at 5:25 PM
I lived about a mile from the fake gas station that they blew up. We received no warning, so one night there was a huge explosion and I thought my furnace had blown up. The next morning I drove down Rt. 59 and there was a burned-out gas station where no station had been before. The explosion blew windows out of the church across the street.
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AnonymousApril 25, 2017 at 9:43 PM
There is also a brief scene shot in Long Grove during the times of Wauconda shots. Very hard to tell. From the four corners, the camera is on the bridge side with the car driving towards it.
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UnknownSeptember 6, 2017 at 6:03 PM
There was a Curl Up and Dye on N Clark Street. I always assumed that was the one they filmed it at.
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RobertZeurunklOctober 16, 2017 at 1:22 AM
THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!!!

I love sites like this. One of my fav things to do is watch classic movies like BB and go and find the scenes as they look today on Google Earth.

While I generally enjoy the fun of the hunt, sometimes, things have changed so much that you just cannot do it with Google Earth alone.

To that end, I am looking for the scene where Jake and Elwood exit LWD, jump the police car, and then go back to Lower Wacker Drive. Right there, there is a sign that says "200 South Wacker". But 200 is is near the ENTRANCE to LWD. So, some editing must have taken place???

Where is this place where they jump the police car, then go back down a ramp to underground, between two upper lanes?

Does it still exist?

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RobertZeurunklOctober 16, 2017 at 1:44 AM
So, while I'm here, can anyone tell me what Chicago building this is?

https://imgur.com/a/vu8kB
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España Plus UltraNovember 7, 2017 at 12:11 AM
Uno de los mejores musicales de la historia.
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Warren SpencerDecember 17, 2017 at 8:57 AM
Brilliant work! If I ever go to Chicago I'll use this site!
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AnonymousDecember 18, 2017 at 1:23 PM
Thanks for the fantastic work that was done to create this site ! Any B.B. fan should study this page like preparation for a final exam ! I'm absolutely amazed !

I do have a question that I've been trying to find the answer to for years . It's regarding the scene in which Curtis , Jake and Elwood indulge in a drink . My question ..... was this an actual boiler room or a production set ? If real , where ? Kudos to the production team if this is a set !

I've been in the building maintenance field for 20+ years and would assume this is an actual boiler/maintenance room , judging by the boiler and asbestos pipe insulation !

Thanks in advance for any answers to this !
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AnonymousDecember 31, 2017 at 12:54 AM
We're in a truck was actually Rte 53 between Dundee Rd overpass (pictured in scene) and where it ended ar the time, Old Hicks Rd. Later extended to Lake-Cook Rd
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UnknownJanuary 26, 2018 at 1:38 AM
We watched them build the gas station set on Rt. 59 and thought it was going to be an actual little gas station. We heard it was going to be a set for the movie so we went on Friday night to watch. They didn't shoot anything that night, were going to shoot the gas station blowing up on Sat. night but I couldn't go back to watch. My buddy did and saw the whole thing, listened to the fire department on his handy talkie. The power lines crossing 59 caught fire too but they put it out quickly he said. Also, they were prepared for the church windows across 59 being blown out and their crew had them replaced in time for Sunday morning services.
Tom Whittle
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UnknownMarch 23, 2018 at 5:23 PM
the beach that they used in wauconda will be opening again in a year or 2 after many years of being closed. the big j slide that was in the movie is still on the property although they aren't sure if it will be kept for history sake or dismantled.
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AnonymousMay 25, 2018 at 8:38 PM
If you're still looking for the location of the tunnel, I found this online:

"The secret underground entrance where the Blues brothers sneak into (and later escape from) the theater was a tunnel off Cannon Drive under West La Salle Drive in Lincoln Park in Chicago, which has since been replaced.

GPS Coordinates:
41.912477,-87.629299"
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AnonymousAugust 24, 2018 at 3:34 PM
This is really great to see. Being from Chicago, Blues Brothers is in my blood. I went to law school in Chicago right where Elwood's SRO was. I will have to dig up some of the pics I have of these locations. As a side note, my Father-In-Law was an ISP trooper. The car that jumped into the truck was his former "take home" squad car!
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AnonymousOctober 3, 2018 at 12:07 PM
The bridge jumping scene was filmed at Hoan bridge in Milwaukee. (It wasn't finished at that time.) https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoan_Bridge
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UnknownOctober 30, 2018 at 10:52 PM
I remember all of the smashed up squad cars from the chase through Chicago all ended up sitting under the Stevenson expressway and Western ave for years after the movie. It was a big Pyle of cars the city must have used spare parts until the newer model mid 80's 4 door squads were introduced. After sitting under the Stevenson interstate for nearly a decade the city finally junked them.
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UnknownNovember 27, 2018 at 6:11 AM
id love to see the tunnel where they hid out and richard j daley plaza
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UnknownJuly 2, 2019 at 4:43 PM
I used to work in South Chicago and drive over the 95th Street bridge every day. Gotta stop off at Calumet Fisheries!
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AnonymousJuly 23, 2019 at 5:51 PM
Do we have any updates on the missing location?
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UnknownSeptember 1, 2019 at 7:51 PM
Was the jail at the very end cook county jail???
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UnknownSeptember 28, 2019 at 6:22 PM
Hi BB fans. I’m a big lifelong fan in London, England.
I’m heading over to Chicago 15-17th October 2019 for the sole purpose of a complete Blues Brother location tour. Gonna photograph everything in as much detail as possible. If anyone has any requests or locations that you want photographed then drop me an email at: mr_saqib18@yahoo.co.uk

Much Love
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UnknownOctober 27, 2019 at 3:56 PM
My husband and I were married at 118 N. Clark St. Being Cook County residents, we could have been married anywhere in the county, but as BB fans we just had to go downtown.
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Mock26April 21, 2020 at 2:56 PM
RE: The tunnel where Carrie Fisher shoots at the Blues Bothers.

This is a pedestrian tunnel under LaSalle Dr., between Clark St. and Lakeshore Dr. There are two tunnels in that section and this is the Easternmost tunnel.
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UnknownJune 5, 2020 at 2:50 AM
Rays music has now been torn down
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UnknownDecember 23, 2020 at 8:29 PM
The INTERIOR of the Palace Hotel Ballroom was filmed at the Hollywood Palladium.
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UnknownMay 15, 2021 at 7:17 AM
Opening sequence was US Steel SOUTH WORKS in Chicago (since closed down) NOT Gary Works (still in operation)
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Mountain MikeDecember 13, 2022 at 6:12 PM
The Howard Johnson's is a little on the vague side. Which tollway? I don't know Chicago. I realize all the Howard Johnson's restaurants are gone (RIP I loved their food & service) but I'm still curious.
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AnonymousAugust 7, 2023 at 2:43 AM
The Blues Brothers Escaping From The Tunnel location looks like one of the underpasses that go under DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Lincoln Park between North Avenue and Fullerton; there's a lot of underpasses in that area that look like that.
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