<P> Soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them . This caused friction between Landis and Universal later in the production, as its costs far exceeded the original budget . Since none of them except Charles had had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with or add performances by younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name . </P> <P> Other notable musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene). The members of The Blues Brothers band are notable for their musical accomplishments, as well . Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s . Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the Saturday Night Live band . Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar - Kays and backed Isaac Hayes . Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist . As the band developed at Saturday Night Live, pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and was cast in the film . However, due to contractual obligations with SNL, he was unable to participate, so actor - musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role . </P> <P> Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles . The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment - industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, John Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before Pee - wee Herman) as a waiter in the Chez Paul restaurant scene, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir . Muppet performer Frank Oz plays a corrections officer, and in the scene where the brothers crash into Toys R Us, a Grover and Kermit the Frog toy can be spotted . Right before the brothers crash into the Toys R Us, a customer (played by stunt coordinator Gary McLarty) asks the cashier if they have a Miss Piggy doll, a Muppet character that is voiced by Oz . Singer / songwriter Stephen Bishop is a deputy sheriff who complains that Jake and Elwood broke his watch (a result of the car chase in the mall). Makeup artist Layne Britton is the old card player who asks Elwood, "Did you get me my Cheez Whiz, boy?" The character portrayed by Cab Calloway is named Curtis as an homage to Curtis Salgado, a Portland, Oregon, blues musician who inspired Belushi while he was in Oregon filming Animal House . </P> <P> Over 500 extras were used for the next - to - last scene, the blockade of the building at Daley Center, including 200 National Guardsmen, 100 state and city police officers, with 15 horses for the mounted police (and three each Sherman tanks, helicopters, and fire engines). </P>

Who played the clerk in the blues brothers