The History
Opened in 1953 by brothers George and Oscar Marienthal at 1028 N Rush Street in the Gold Coast, Mister Kelly's was Chicago's premier supper club and one of the most important launching pads for comedy and music talent in American history. The intimate 250-seat room on Rush Street became the place where unknown performers became stars. In an era before late-night television could manufacture celebrity overnight, it was venues like Mister Kelly's that determined who would make it and who would not.
Barbra Streisand performed her first major nightclub engagement there in 1963, before she was famous. She was 21 years old, a Brooklyn kid with an extraordinary voice and an unshakable confidence, and her performances at Mister Kelly's generated the kind of word-of-mouth buzz that could not be bought. Richard Pryor developed his revolutionary comedy act on the Mister Kelly's stage, transforming himself from a conventional nightclub comic into the most daring voice in American comedy. Bob Newhart, Bette Midler, George Carlin, Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, and dozens of others all played Mister Kelly's early in their careers, honing their acts in front of a sophisticated Chicago audience that demanded excellence.
The club also featured major jazz and folk artists, making it a crossroads of American entertainment. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Oscar Peterson, and other legends graced the stage alongside the rising comedians. On any given night, the audience might include talent scouts, record executives, television producers, and the Gold Coast social set — all crowded into 250 seats on Rush Street, watching the future of American entertainment unfold in real time.
What Made It Famous
The sheer volume of talent that passed through Mister Kelly's is staggering. This small Rush Street club arguably launched more major entertainment careers than any venue outside of New York. The Marienthal brothers had an extraordinary eye for talent, booking performers years before they became household names. They did not simply wait for stars to come to them — they found raw talent, gave it a stage, and let Chicago audiences be the first to witness greatness.
Barbra Streisand's 1963 engagement is legendary. She was 21, virtually unknown outside of a few small New York clubs, and her performances at Mister Kelly's generated the buzz that led to her Broadway breakthrough in "Funny Girl" and her meteoric rise to superstardom. Richard Pryor's evolution from conventional comedian to revolutionary truth-teller happened partly on this stage, where the intimacy of the room allowed him to experiment with the confessional, boundary-shattering material that would redefine American comedy.
The club closed in 1975 as the supper club format gave way to arena concerts and television. The economics of live entertainment had shifted irreversibly — audiences who once discovered talent in intimate rooms like Mister Kelly's now found their stars through "The Tonight Show" and stadium tours. The Marienthal brothers could see the change coming, and when the club closed its doors after 22 years, an era ended with it. The age of the talent-launching supper club was over.
Key Facts
Barbra Streisand's Launch
In 1963, a 21-year-old Barbra Streisand played her first major nightclub engagement at Mister Kelly's. The performances generated the career-defining buzz that led directly to Broadway and superstardom.
Richard Pryor's Evolution
Richard Pryor developed his revolutionary, confessional comedy style on the Mister Kelly's stage, transforming from a conventional nightclub comic into the most important comedian of his generation.
The Marienthal Brothers
George and Oscar Marienthal ran Mister Kelly's with a legendary eye for talent, booking performers years before fame found them. Their instincts shaped the course of American entertainment.
Rush Street's Golden Age
At 1028 N Rush Street from 1953 to 1975, Mister Kelly's was the crown jewel of Chicago's nightlife district during the golden age of supper clubs and live entertainment.
What Remains
Mister Kelly's closed in 1975 after 22 years as Chicago's premier talent-launching supper club. The building at 1028 N Rush Street has been redeveloped, and the intimate room where Streisand and Pryor once performed no longer exists in any recognizable form.
The Rush Street nightlife district continues to draw crowds, but the supper club era — when audiences dressed up, ordered dinner, and discovered the next generation of American stars in a 250-seat room — is gone. What remains is the extraordinary legacy: a list of performers who played Mister Kelly's that reads like a hall of fame of 20th-century American entertainment.
Address: 1028 N Rush St, Chicago, IL (Gold Coast)
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