I love “At the Movies.” It has been around since 1975 in one form or another. I remember watching Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel battle it out about movies when I was a teen, giving the thumbs up or thumbs down gesture. I had no idea the premise was that Ebert wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times and Siskel was the movie critic for the rivaling Chicago Tribune. I just knew it was a good show that reviewed movies and having always loved movies, I loved the show.
Of course, over the years, the show changed quite a bit. It moved away from its PBS origins into syndication. By 1989, the hosts were so popular, it was merely called “Siskel & Ebert.” But, less than 10 years later, Gene Siskel was hospitalized for a brain tumor. They filmed the show with him sitting in the hospital for a few weeks. But, in February 1999, although he expected to recover, Siskel died of complications from the surgery.
The show was briefly renamed “Roger Ebert & the Movies” with guest critics joining Ebert to talk about new films. However, in 2000, Ebert named fellow Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper as the permanent replacement for Siskel’s position. Naturally, the show was renamed to “At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper.”
Then tragedy struck again as Ebert was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had to undergo radiation treatments. In 2006, he had a section of his jawbone removed. He was also hospitalized that year in serious condition when a carotid artery burst and he almost died. Unable to speak, Ebert had to leave the show indefinitely. However, he still writes movie reviews for the Sun-Times.
That left Roeper to carry on the show with guest critics, just as Ebert once had after the death of Siskel. But, now he has announced he is leaving, which may mark the end for “At the Movies.” After eight seasons on the show, Roeper and Disney-ABC Domestic Television failed to agree on a contract extension and his last appearance on the show will air the weekend of August 16-17.
Apparently, Roeper is not happy with the parent company as he said in a statement that he plans to “proceed elsewhere … as the co-host of a movie review show that honors the standards established by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert more than 30 years ago.”
I know it sounds a bit corny, but it really made me sad when I read this today.