Where Is John Belushi’s Original ‘Blues Brothers’ Suit?

The Blues Brothers Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, poster art, 1980 — Universal Pictures/Everett Collection

John Belushi died tragically on March 5, 1982, at only 33 years old. When he passed, Belushi was not only one of the biggest breakout stars of the original cast of Saturday Night Live; he had also already starred in two era-defining comedies: 1978’s Animal House and 1980’s The Blues Brothers. While many pop culture artifacts from this time period are lost or hidden away in the treasure troves of private collectors, the good news is that you can see the famous suit that Belushi donned to play “Joliet” Jake Blues, alongside the outfit Dan Aykroyd wore while playing Elwood Blues — provided that you can get yourself to the Blues Brothers’ home turf.

How Belushi and Aykroyd got the blues

@bluesbrothersofficial Extended video of John Belushi singing King Bee back in 1979 on SNL. SMASH THAT LIKE BUTTON IF YOU’VE NEVER SEEN THIS 😎 🐝 #danaykroyd #danaykroydedit #thebluesbrothers #thebluesbrothersmovie #johnbelushi #johnbelushighost #fyp #dance #bluesmusic #snl #snlclassic #kingbee #stevemartin #billmurray #wow #trending #trend #buzz #bees #beehive #music #americanmusic ♬ original sound – The Blues Brothers

The roots of the Blues Brothers began in 1973, when the two men met in Aykroyd’s native Canada; Aykroyd turned rock fan Belushi on to the blues for the first time. Two years later, when both men joined SNL‘s inaugural cast, Aykroyd conceived of the roughest initial version of the Blues Brothers, but SNL producer Lorne Michaels wasn’t instantly convinced; the men spent a few months gigging around town and performing as a warm-up act for the show before they were allowed to snag any screen time.

When they were allowed on the show, it was with one major difference from their live act: They were dressed as bees. The Blues Brothers technically made their TV debut in a 1976 Saturday Night Live performance, where Belushi, dressed in his famous Killer Bee costume, sang a blues song called “I’m a King Bee,” with the house band decked in similar bee and bee-keeper get-ups. Aykroyd played harmonica.

The Brothers finally performed in proper attire on SNL in April 1978, playing as the musical guest with host Steve Martin. They appeared again in November of that year, playing “Soul Man,” having spent the summer in between opening for Martin’s live tour.

Another Belushi milestone occurred that summer: the release of Animal House. It turned Belushi from a TV star into a movie star and gave the music industry a reason to want to invest in the Blues Brothers. On Nov. 28, 1978, Atlantic Records released Briefcase Full of Blues, which had been recorded live at one of the gigs Aykroyd and Belushi had opening for Martin. The record hit No. 1, and their cover of “Soul Man” hit No. 14 on the Billboard singles chart. A film version was, of course, inevitable.

The Blues Brothers on the big screen

The Blues Brothers, which was released on June 20, 1980, was an intense production — filming often went off schedule and over budget, and the original Aykroyd-penned screenplay for the film came in at over 300 pages (a typical screenplay is closer to 100 pages). At the time, the film would hold the world record for most cars destroyed in the making of a single film.

But it turned out there was no reason for the studio to worry — the film was a hit, coming in second after The Empire Strikes Back (which also, like The Blues Brothers, costarred Carrie Fisher). It ended up the 10th most popular movie of 1980 and earned over $115 million on a $27.5 million budget.

While no original version of the Bluesmobile survived the film’s production, and the Dixie Square Mall, where the famous car chase scene was filmed, was demolished in 2012, Jake and Elwood’s costumes were preserved — an hour outside of Chicago, where Jake did his time.

Where to find the Blues Brothers suits

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You can find the Blues Brothers suits on display at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, located in Joliet, Illinois. The museum, which is open every Friday through Sunday, and costs $5-$10 for entry, has both Belushi and Aykroyd’s costumes on display. Visitors can also check out exhibits on the history of Route 66 and Old Joliet Prison, as well as displays honoring great Joliet natives. They also host events, including the Blues Brothers Con fan festival.