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The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists’ strike has affected not only Hollywood and Chicago productions but also events such as the Blues Brothers Con in Joliet.
Days after announcing the festival would return on Sept. 9 at Old Joliet Prison, the Joliet Area Historical Museum announced it would postpone the second annual event, which was to feature actors Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi portraying the Blues Brothers.
“Everyone knows the strike has expanded to public appearances and promotional activities,” said Greg Peerbolte, CEO of the nonprofit museum, which has operated the Old Joliet Prison Historic Site since 2018.
“In talking with Jim, in talking with Dan’s publicist and talking with Judy (Belushi Pisano) and our own people, we mutually decided it was the right decision. We did not want to put anyone in a position where they felt uncomfortable attending or felt like they were crossing picket lines.”
The strike began July 14 after negotiations between Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to result in a deal on issues including artificial intelligence, minimum earnings and streaming revenue.
“It is with a heavy heart that we are putting this year’s Blues Brothers Con on hold to honor the directive of the Screen Actors Guild,” said Judith Belushi Pisano, who was married to John Belushi until his death in 1982 and is among the event organizers of the event.
“We ultimately understand their decision to stand in solidarity with the union,” she said in a news release. “Thank you all for your patience and we look forward to seeing you next year.”
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About 850 tickets had been sold for Blues Brother Con, according to Peerbolte. The event celebrates the 1980 movie “The Blues Brothers,” filmed on the Old Joliet Prison grounds and starring John Belushi as Joliet Jake and Aykroyd as Elwood.
Joliet Area Historical Museum representatives said ticket holders were contacted and any purchased tickets will be honored for the rescheduled event in 2024 or fully refunded.
“Unions were responsible for eliminating the convict labor system that pervaded at the prison for the entirety of the 1800s,” said Peerbolte.
He said building trade union members were the first volunteers in 2018 to lead the effort to restore the former Joliet Correctional Center for public use.
“We have an interesting historic connection and we consider ourselves a site of conscience and conversation.”
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Peerbolte of Channahon noted Blues Brothers Con organizers hope to bring the event back in early summer 2024 pending the resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
The inaugural Blues Brothers Con took place in August 2022 at Old Joliet Prison, which is open for self-guided tours while restorations are underway at the 16-acre site.
“As many Chicagoans know, ‘The Blues Brothers’ has such a pronounced fan base, following and identity,” said Peerbolte, who estimated nearly 6,000 people attended the first festival, which was marketed internationally to raise awareness of the site and led to more visitors for events and tours.
“There’s no place to go to celebrate and acknowledge ‘The Blues Brothers.’ You’d think there would be a variety of Blues Brothers locations but a lot of them have been lost to history so it made sense for us to celebrate the film, the life of John Belushi and the prison’s connection to blues music,” he said.
Peerbolte cited the 1930s song “Joliet Bound” by Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy as Old Joliet Prison’s first connection to the blues.
“Joliet is an amazing community,” he said. “The prison itself is just an endlessly fascinating place.”
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.