Blues Brothers Television Series in the Works

Published on: 2011/09/01 - in Entertainment Featured

According to Variety magazine, actor and SNL Alumnus (and long-time Kingston area resident) Dan Aykroyd will take part in a TV series based of his famous Blues Brothers characters.

Both Aykroyd and Judy Belushi – widow of Blues Brother John Belushi – own the TV rights to the characters, and she has reportedly been involved in penning a script for a pilot being shopped around to studios and networks. If successful, Aykroyd is slated to take on the role of Jake and Elwood’s parole officer. However, the article stated he will be “the voice” of that character, which implies he may be an off-camera character.

The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band created by Aykroyd and Belushi – who portrayed lead singer Jake Blues and harmonica playing vocalist Elwood Blues, respectively – for a recurring musical sketch on Saturday Night Live that first appeared in April, 1978.

The duo released an album entitled “Briefcase Full of Blues” in 1978 and then released a feature film “The Blues Brothers” in 1980, just two years before John Belushi’s death. After his death, the Blues Brothers continued the act with a variety of guest singers – including brother, Jim Belushi – and band members. They reformed in 1988 for a world tour and then again in 1998 for the sequel feature film “Blues Brothers 2000”.

“Blues Brothers 2000” Penitentiary scene

Prison scenes in the movie were filmed at Millhaven and Bath Correctional Institutions just outside Kingston, a snippet of which appeared in the official Trailer (embedded below).

In production notes featured on the Cinema Review website, it was revealed that despite a communication ban to prevent the film crew and inmates from speaking to each other, the prisoners made their sentiments known when they dropped a white sheet with the words “Blues Brothers Rule” from one of the windows.