History UsefulNotes / Chicago

* ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'' takes place in the fictional Shermer, Illinois, which is a Chicago suburb.

* Creator/KevinDunn

* ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' has had a few stages set in what's implied, but never outright stated, to be Chicago; Cole Young, the protagonist of the [[Film/MortalKombat2021 2012 MK film]], is stated to be from the south side (presumably also being home to the gym he works at), while Sonya's home is in the nearby suburb of Gary, Indiana. This falls under CreatorProvincialism, as developer Creator/MidwayGames, and successor Creator/NetherRealmStudios, are/were based in the city (for the former being heavily linked to Creator/WilliamsElectronics beginning in the 1980s, [[CompanyCrossReferences leading to frequent references]] between Midway's video games and the Williams/Bally pinball machines of the era).

* ''Film/TheTimeTravelersWife''

!!Famous Chicagoans:

* Creator/AmyLandacker

* Creator/SarahWayneCallies

* Creator/JohnHughes

* Creator/AmyLandacker

* Creator/PiperCurda

Because the city has [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters loads and loads of teams]], both at the major and semi-major level we'll put them in their own folder.

[[folder:Film]]

Harpo Studios is home of ''Series/TheOprahWinfreyShow'' and conspicuous as one of the only local production firms; history and economics left Chicago stranded between the film companies on the West Coast and the television studios on the East Coast. While [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essanay_Studios Essenay Studios]] was a pioneer during the Silent Era and featured some of the biggest stars of the time, most notably Creator/CharlieChaplin, Chicago's highly variable weather convinced them and other filmmakers to move to the more agreeable climate of California. As a consequence, Chicago has been relatively unexposed in American fiction, especially when compared to the omnipresence of UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity and UsefulNotes/LosAngeles. What little got under the wire tended to be gritty crime dramas that were shot in Toronto. This was mitigated somewhat by the loyalty of Chicago-trained talents (like Creator/JohnHughes, Creator/DavidMamet, and legions of Creator/SecondCity improv troupe alumni), who often come back after hitting the big time to make affectionate, gangster-free movies. Lately, a weakening dollar and tax breaks have lured more and more films to the area, leading to an increase in cultural prominence that coincides with the rise of adopted Chicagoan UsefulNotes/BarackObama. Chicago is the last city in the country that has a national "Superstation"; Creator/WGNAmerica airs Chicago's news stories to a national audience in the overnight hours, formerly airing frequent broadcasts of the Cubs and White Sox (and the Bulls, to a lesser extent). In 2015, Tribune Media began the process of converting WGNA to a regular cable channel (including selling off broadcast rights to the Cubs [[WhatAnIdiot just before they won the World Series]]), thus striking the final nail in the "Superstation" concept in the US.

Music and radio, on the other hand, have flourished in Chicago. Chicago, thanks to its location on the main route between the Mississippi and the East Coast, and the fact that it was a major destination for Southern blacks migrating north in search of better lives, was was the first city outside of the South to really get hit by the waves of jazz and blues, developing unique styles of both. Various rock and pop bands also hit early, and as for hip-hop…well…let's just say that Music/{{Kanye|West}} is from Chicago (although he was born in UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}), and leave you to judge for yourself. On the other end of the musical spectrum, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (organized for the 1893 World's Fair when the city fathers wanted to show they could be just as cultured as older cities back East) is now considered one of the finest in the world, winner of 62 Grammies, and productions at the Lyric Opera of Chicago attract top-name international singers. On the radio front, Chicago is home to the notable [[Creator/{{NPR}} WBEZ]]-Chicago, which produces both ''Radio/ThisAmericanLife'' and ''Radio/WaitWaitDontTellMe''. Another Chicago station, WLUP ("The Loop", a rock station) was responsible (in part) for the original Disco Demolition Night, which had [[CondemnedByHistory a lasting effect]].

* ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'': Although it's set in Gotham City, Nolan's films were all filmed in Chicago.

* The [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague Bears]] have remained popular, and it's hard to find anyone who doesn't remember Walter Payton or the team's victory in Super Bowl XX. Unfortunately, this has a habit of creating a fan base that doesn't really understand [[SocietyMarchesOn that winning a Super Bowl in 1985 doesn't lay out a blueprint for victory today]].

* ''VideoGame/WatchDogs''

* ''Hyde Park'': A neighborhood that exists in symbiosis with the University of Chicago, which invested considerable money and resources into making sure that it wouldn't succumb to economic depression and decay the way most surrounding neighborhoods did. It is one of the few Chicago neighborhoods that can be considered integrated, but, as many have bitterly pointed out, most of the residents are middle-class. Hyde Park and the U of C enforce the peace with very heavy police presence and an extensive emergency alert system.

* The [[UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer MLS]] [[BlackComedy Chicago Fire]] won a championship in their first season and have maintained popularity throughout ups and downs over the years. Their former stadium, [=SeatGeek=] Stadium (originally Toyota Park, in suburban Bridgeview), is one of the first major soccer-specific stadiums built in the U.S. In 2019, they were purchased by a new owner, who promptly brought them back to Soldier Field... only for the COVID-19 pandemic to put their "homecoming" on hold. Also, they share their name with the [[Series/ChicagoFire TV show]]. Fans of the soccer team are annoyed about that.

** The Sky haven't done much in terms of winning—they never made the playoffs until 2011—but are still as popular as you would expect any other WNBA team to be, and notably were founded without the affiliation of an NBA team.

* ''Uptown Saturday Night''

* ''Film/WildCats''

One thing most non-locals don't know is that deep-dish isn't the city's most popular pizza. That honor belongs to thin-crust pizza, popular not only in Chicago but also in much of the Midwest. The crust is noticeably crunchy, and it's cut into squares instead of wedges. Also of note is that while pepperoni is the most popular pizza topping in most of the US, Chicago's most popular topping is sausage (regardless of the crust type).