Originally filmed December 2010
The story: Vivian Maier was a Chicago nanny whose masterful street photography appeared only after her death. Some 100,000 negatives were purchased by Chicago realtor John Maloof.
Behind the story: When this first aired on Chicago Tonight back in December, someone posted it on YouTube to show a friend. Within days, it had gone viral. As of this writing, just two months later, it has been viewed more than 300,000 times on YouTube and another 185,000 times on the Chicago Tonight page! 
And, for awhile, you could search for Vivian Maier on Twitter and see new tweets every few minutes. (just checked: three tweets in the last hour). I was getting emails from old friends I hadn’t seen in years who had been sent the link.
The other thing that has happened is that John Maloof has started to hear from a few people who knew her, including an Evanston woman I had just profiled weeks earlier on Chicago Tonight!
The best way to find out more about Vivian Maier is to visit John Maloof’s Vivian Maier blog, which includes new photos all the time. Another collector, Jeff Goldstein, owns (only!) 10,000 of her negatives. His website his here. And, if you are in Chicago, be sure to get to the Chicago Cultural for a Vivian Maier exhibit, thru April 3rd.
And now I hear there will be an exhibit at the Russell Bowman Art Advisory opening April 15. This will be drawn from Jeff Goldstein’s collection.
For more information:
Chicago Cultural Center Exhibit
John Maloof, Vivian Maier Blog
Jay,
Vivian Maier and Homeless Photographers were fabulous!
Today was the first time I watched your show. It is now on my list
of must watched shows.
With appreciation,
Jill
Hi Jay, This was the first time I came across your show. I loved all 3 photography stories but especially the Vivian Maier story! Talk about finding a rare, lost gem. Her personal brand of photog is exactly what I myself am attracted to. Hope her story is brought out to a much larger audience by your posting it. Sounds like a “Van Gogh-like” experience where she will only be appreciated posthumously. Please keep your unique show going-very interesting!
-C.
Outstanding piece! Saddened she’s gone…
“So close~but yet so far.”
Jay, Fantastic story about Vivian Maier and Homeless Photographers. Shows the power of emotional connection from photography and the fact that anyone can take a shot–altho a few can really make a personal statement that draws in an audience to share a personal moment on film. A great discovery for me since I have now discovered your show and look forward to the next discovery.
I’ve seen this piece at least 4 times, including the first time on Chicago Tonight. What hit me viewing it again tonight was the wonderful choice of music when the photographs are shown…just gives you a tingly feeling all over, and the sense the pictures are really special. I did see the exhibit at the Cultural Center, and see from John Maloof’s website that there’ll be an exhibition in London at the beginning of next month….wish I could be there. If you get any news from John re: his documentary or book, let us know!
Thanks for your comments on this story and on Vivian. You can keep up with John’s progress on the documentary and book here: http://www.vivianmaier.com/
Those photographs absolutely took my breath away. I honestly cannot find the words to express how they moved me.