"A Night at Mister Kelly's" Video Tour

This video takes the viewer on a guided tour of the Newberry's "A Night at Mister Kelly's" exhibition, on view from March 21 through July 20, 2024.

Mister Kelly's was one of the hotspots of Chicago nightlife in the 1950s through the mid-1970s. Located on Rush Street in the city's Gold Coast neighborhood, the club was a welcoming venue where people could be entertained by top-shelf jazz and comedy talent and see rising stars who later gained international fame. Names like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Mort Sahl, Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, and Richard Pryor regularly graced the marquee of Mister Kelly's. And club founders and brothers George and Oscar Marienthal thought of everything to ensure a quality experience for their patrons. This exhibition draws on the Mister Kelly's Collection at the Newberry to re-create the excitement of a night at Mister Kelly’s.

"A Night at Mister Kelly’s" is supported by the Rosaline G. Cohn Endowment for Exhibitions and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation. The Newberry also thanks David Marienthal for his gift of the Mister Kelly’s Collection.