Chicago native George Kirby got his start in show business at the South Side’s legendary Club DeLisa, where he was a blues singer and comedian.

He was one of the first Black comedians to appear on TV staples such as “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In” and the “Tonight Show.” And Kirby became known for his humorous storytelling style.

READ: Rediscovered Interviews from WTTW Show ‘Our People’ Still Resonate, 50 Years Later

In this rediscovered 1969 interview from the WTTW series “Our People,” host Jim Tilmon talks with Kirby about his jewelry-making business and gets Kirby to tell one of his signature stories.