Name | Gene Siskel |
---|---|
Caption | Gene Siskel in 1989 |
Birthname | Eugene Kal Siskel |
Birth date | January 26, 1946 |
Birth place | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Death date | February 20, 1999 |
Death place | Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
Years active | 1969–1999 |
Occupation | Television journalist, film critic |
Religion | Jewish |
Spouse | Marlene Iglitzen (1980–1999) |
Children | KateCallieWill |
Credits | Opening Soon at a Theater Near You (1975–1977)Sneak Previews (1977–1982)At the Movies (1982–1986)Siskel & Ebert (1986–1999)CBS This Morning correspondent (1987–1992)Good Morning America correspondent (1996–1999) |
Eugene Kal "Gene" Siskel (January 26, 1946 February 20, 1999) was an American film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune. Along with colleague Roger Ebert, he hosted the popular review show Siskel & Ebert At the Movies from 1975 until his death.
Siskel and Ebert left WTTW and PBS in 1982 for syndication. Their new show, At the Movies, was produced and distributed by Tribune Broadcasting, the parent company that owned the Chicago Tribune and WGN-TV. Sneak Previews continued on PBS for 14 more years with other hosts. In 1986, Siskel and Ebert left Tribune Broadcasting to have their show produced by the syndication arm of The Walt Disney Company. The new incarnation of the show was originally titled Siskel & Ebert & the Movies, but later shortened to Siskel & Ebert. At the Movies also continued a few more years with other hosts.
A very early appearance of Siskel, taken from the 1970s program Coming to a Theatre Near You, is included in . In this 2009 documentary film he is seen debating with Ebert over the merits of the film version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
Normally, Siskel and Roger Ebert would refuse to guest star in movies or televisual series (except for talk shows) as they felt it would undermine their responsibility to the public. However, they both "could not resist" appearing on an episode of the animated television series The Critic, the title character of which was a television film critic. In the episode, Siskel and Ebert split and each wants Jay Sherman, the titular critic, as his new partner. They also once appeared in an episode of Sesame Street. Siskel also appeared as himself on an episode of The Larry Sanders Show.
On Saturday, February 20, 1999, Siskel died from complications of another surgery at the age of 53. After Siskel's death, the producers of Siskel & Ebert hired other film critics and began using them on a rotating basis as an audition for a permanent successor. Ultimately, Ebert's Chicago Sun-Times colleague Richard Roeper was hired and the show was renamed Ebert & Roeper at the Movies. The last film Siskel reviewed on television with co-host Ebert was The Theory of Flight on Saturday, January 23, 1999. The final film that he reviewed in print was the Sarah Michelle Gellar romantic comedy Simply Irresistible. He gave it a thumbs-down.
Siskel was survived by his wife, Marlene, and their children, Kate, Callie, and Will and is interred at Westlawn Cemetery.
The Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, which presents world-class independent, international and classic cinema, was renamed The Gene Siskel Film Center in honor of him in 2000.
When asked by a journalist to list his three favorite things about Chicago, Siskel named Michael Jordan, Mayor Daley, and the Film Center. Siskel was a member of the Film Center's Advisory Committee and a strong supporter of the Film Center mission. He wrote hundreds of articles applauding the Film Center's distinctive programming and he lent the power of his position as a well-known film critic to urge public funding and audience support. His favorite movies of all time were Saturday Night Fever (he even bought the famous white disco suit from it at a charity auction) and Dr. Strangelove. Another favorite from childhood was Dumbo, which he often mentioned as the first movie that made a mark on him.
He only walked out on three films during his professional career: the 1971 comedy The Million Dollar Duck starring Dean Jones; the 1980 horror film Maniac; and the 1996 Penelope Spheeris film Black Sheep. Only once during his long association with Ebert did Siskel ever change his vote on a movie. The film Broken Arrow had initially been given a "thumbs up," but after hearing Ebert's criticism, Siskel changed his mind to "thumbs down" to make it unanimous.
Siskel was also a die-hard Chicago sports fan, especially of the NBA's Bulls, and would cover locker-room celebrations for WBBM-TV news broadcasts following Bulls championships in the 1990s.
When both men appeared together on The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson conducted a "together and separately" interview with them, which at one point had each man wear Walkman-style headphones, playing loud music, while the other commented on his partner. When asked what he thought was the biggest difference between himself and Ebert, Siskel unhesitatingly replied: "I'm a better reviewer than he is." But a few moments later, he said that anyone who read a Roger Ebert review would read "an extremely well written review."
Category:1946 births Category:1999 deaths Category:American film critics Category:American Jews Category:American television personalities Category:Cancer deaths in Illinois Category:Chicago Tribune people Category:Deaths from brain cancer Category:Jewish American writers Category:People from Chicago, Illinois Category:Yale University alumni
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