RIP Jane Byrne (1933-2014)

[Steam McQueen]

Jane Margaret Byrne (née Burke; May 24, 1933 – November 14, 2014) was an American politician who was Mayor of Chicago from April 16, 1979 to April 29, 1983. She was the first and only female mayor of Chicago, the third largest city in the United States, and the largest U.S. city to have had a female mayor as of 2014.

- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Byrne

Matt Bubala looks at a Chicago Tribune article chronicling “The Blues Brothers” and how late mayor Jane Byrne allowed Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi to make the film in the city of Chicago, breaking with previous administrations’ aversion to film making. The city and surrounding area became a character in the film, and planted the seeds for Chicago to become a production destination.

- wgnradio.com/2014/11/15/the-blues-brothers-and-how-jane-byrne-opened-the-door-for-film-in-chicago/

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In 1980, Mayor Jane Byrne accepts a check for $50,000 from Dan Aykroyd, left, and John Belushi in her office on
behalf of the cast and crew of their film "The Blues Brothers" and Universal Studios. The donation was for children's
and charitable organizations. (Ernie Cox Jr., / Chicago Tribune)

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Jane Byrne poses with John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and her daughter, Kathy.

- patch.com/illinois/northcenter-roscoevillage/jane-byrne-made-best-scenes-blues-brothers-possible

Byrne was a political novice when she overcame Richard J. Daley's powerful political machine in 1979 for her improbable win over Mayor Michael Bilandic. Byrne, who brought festivals and filmmakers to Chicago during a single term filled with upheaval at City Hall, never held elected office again.

She died Friday at age 81 at a hospice in Chicago, said her daughter, Kathy.

- abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/jane-byrne-chicagos-1st-female-mayor-dies-26916692

[Steam McQueen]

- A couple of extra pics of da Mayor and da boys ...






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The Richard J. Daley website lists the movies which feature Daley Center.

- www.thedaleycenter.com/sub_films.asp?page=thebluesbrothers

To this day, this movie holds the Daley Center record for most windows broken.

^ Lol.

When you think about seeing the Richard J. Daley Center in a movie, you may immediately think of the 1980 classic, The Blues Brothers. Certainly no film since has featured the Daley Center so prominently, or with so much artillery. But in fact, our building has been seen in several films, and many celebrities, including Sandra Bullock, Bruce Willis, Will Ferrell and Harrison Ford have walked our halls and sat in our plaza. Our facilities have seen helicopter landings, armored tanks, police chases, bus crashes, gun-wielding criminals and elderly characters hogging the pay phones. However, every movie that has been filmed in our facilities has the cast and crew of The Blues Brothers to thank for opening the door for them.

John Landis, Director: “Mayor Byrne was very instrumental. And there were other people in high places. …It was amazing the cooperation we got from the whole city.”

[tk826]

I was young during her time as mayor, but other than the President of the United states, she was the first politician that I ever paid attention to.
Not only the first and still only female mayor of Chicago, but she was out of the ordinary of what most would think of a major city mayor.
From hanging out a skyscraper window to talk with the "Spiderman" illegally climbing the John Hancock tower, to moving into an apartment at Cabrini Green, to of course giving the green light for the Blues Brothers, one couldn't help but to pay attention.

Even now in retrospect, I still believe she was better for this city than Richard M. Daley ever was.


For those interested, here are a few interesting links...

The recent radio tribute from the Jonathon Brandmeier show. (Johnny B. and Buzz Killman are Chicago radio institutions)
brandmeiershow.com/entertaining-memories-of-the-late-great-former-mayor-of-chicago-jane-byrne-she-starred-in-jbs-were-all-crazy-video/

The Easter celebration while living in Cabrini Green, that started out nice but turned into a protest.



1983 political ad.
www.fuzzymemories.tv/#videoclip-482