The Blues Brothers Filming Locations

Joliet Correctional Center (aka Joliet Prison) – SR IL 171, Joliet, Illinois

Joliet Prison - The Blues Brothers, Joliet, Illinois

November 2005:

Building across from Joliet Prison featured in The Blues Brothers, Joliet, Illinois

Joliet Prison - The Blues Brothers, Joliet, Illinois

Joliet Prison - The Blues Brothers, Joliet, Illinois

November 2005:

Joliet Prison featured in The Blues Brothers, Joliet, Illinois

Dixie Square Mall – Harvey, Illinois

Dixie Square Mall, Harvey, Illinois

August 2010:

Dixie Square Mall - Harvey, Illinois

Dixie Square Mall, Harvey, Illinois

August 2010:

Dixie Square Mall - Harvey, Illinois

Dixie Square Mall, Harvey, Illinois

August 2010:

Dixie Square Mall - Harvey, Illinois

Quality Inn – 3801 North Mannheim Road, Schiller Park, IL

In trying to put the band back together, Jake and Elwood discover that many of their former band members are now in a band called “Murph and the Magic Tones” and playing at the lounge at a Holiday Inn. Jake and Elwood are horrified to find them in red velvet suits, singing “Quando Quando Quando.”

Holiday Inn - The Blues Brothers

August 2009: Of course, all of the glorious Holiday Inn “Great Signs” have gone away, and even the iconic Holiday Inn font is gone too. Holiday Inn has of course, deemed it too dated, and replaced it with a “fresh, modern” look. (In other words, a boring, generic corporate logo).

This location is now a Quality Inn. My photo is not at the same angle as the one above, I was on the opposite side of the street, but it is in the same direction. If you click on the screen capture above and view the full-size version, you should be able to see the interstate overpass more clearly. The traffic signal on the right is just visible as well.

Quality Inn - O'Hare Airport

Illinois SR 59, West Chicago, Illinois

Jake and Elwood run out of gas, and arrive at this gas station (also out of gas!).

Out of Gas - The Blues Brothers

August 2009: This location is nothing more than a concrete foundation overgrown with weeds. In some ways, it’s difficult to identify this location as the correct one, but upon closer look, it’s obvious. The curve of the road, the power lines, and even the billboards are in the correct location. There are also several cuts in the curb for the entries.
IL 59 - West Chicago, Illinois

West Wind Motel – IL SR 38, West Chicago, Illinois

Elwood propositions the Chic Lady (Twiggy) to meet him at a nearby motel, and surprise…she shows up! But Elwood will not, so here she is, waiting (and waiting) at the West Wind Motel.

Waiting for Elwood - The Blues Brothers

The West Wind Motel is located at 28W721 Roosevelt Road (IL SR 38) in West Chicago, Illinois. The location doesn’t look too different now, with the exception of a change of color of the bottom portion of the motel, and a sign on the building appears to have been removed, along with the phone booth. The old neon sign is still there, though!

West Wind Motel - West Chicago, Illinois

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2 Responses to The Blues Brothers Filming Locations

  1. Robert says:

    I grew up about 4 blocks east of the Holiday Inn. The movie was filmed when Mannheim Rd. was being widened – hence the traffic barricades in the shot. The Tri-State Tollway (Interstate 294) is the elevated road in the background and Mannheim Rd is both federal highways 12 and 45 together. The motel is approx. 3/4 miles from the southern boundary of O’Hare Int. Airport.

  2. Adam says:

    I grew up in West Chicago and I drove by the old site for the gas station along with the motel almost daily. It was an awesome reminder to the history of cinema in Chicagoland or more specifically DuPage County.

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