Newberry Library - Interview with Arlyne Rothberg, clip 1, Mister Kelly's collection, 1945-2019

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Title Interview with Arlyne Rothberg, clip 1, Mister Kelly's collection, 1945-2019

Date 1945-2019

Subject Chicago Jazz, Clubs, Comedians, Jazz, Music, Nightclubs, Oral histories, Theater

Description Was working at Palmer House before working at Mister Kelly’s. Hired to do publicity as a summer job (was working as a teacher). Oscar Marienthal liked her work and hired her full time. Says Oscar was very charming and that she felt comfortable with him. Oscar had a “certain way he spoke….he was a very original person and it made me feel very comfortable.”

Arlyne sent press releases to newspapers and invited columnists to come to opening acts. “Kellys was such a tastemaking…it developed such a reputation that people would always be lined up…they didn’t always know what was playing, but they knew they would like the acts that were there.” The room size was intimate and properly sized for the types of interactive acts they did.

Talks about Oscar dying and getting his obituary in Time Magazine, how Oscar would take her to view acts and would ask her why she liked or didn’t like them. Took over all the booking work after Oscar died. Flew back and forth between Chicago and New York finding acts and booking them.

Talks about getting fired by Marienthal because she wouldn’t fire Richard Pryor. Hefner hired her immediately afterward to do publicity. Left Chicago when Dick Cavett hired her to be producer on his show in New York.

Talks about the lack of diversity in the audience members and how white audiences reacted to Black performers.

Duration 19m2s

Archival Collection Title Mister Kelly's collection

Rights Status In Copyright

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

Link to Catalog View Catalog Record | View Finding Aid

Call Number Midwest MS Mister Kellys

BibID 9911603832505867

Size 1920px × 1080px 2.87 GB

Original file name _DSC9274.MOV

Unique Identifier NL112LIX

Visibility Class Public

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