The era of Siskel and Ebert.
Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert were Movie critics, Mr. Siskel working for the Chicago Tribune and Mr. Ebert with the Sun Times.
Rival Newspapers that employed these two tremendous talents that drove readers to buy more papers and to watch more films.
Opposites is many ways, Siskel a Yale grad, a close, personal friend to Hugh Hefner, traveled on the Playboy private Jet. A Dynamic Mind with untouchable depth. A natural in front of the camera, lost both parents young. In many ways Gene Siskel lived the life that Roger Ebert wrote about in his now famous book.
Ebert, an only child, came from the old boys network, not that he wasn't talented, he was...very much so, Roger Ebert was a writer that gave life to films, that allowed your mind to grasp the story in a way most everyone could accept.
Close personal friends with countless Actors, Directors and Writers.
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Both Men are gone now.
Both drank with kings for their part. Helped us see things in films and life through their eyes. By doing so, they expanded us as well...
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Most importantly...these two Men from different places, with different Styles, Fashions, Desires and path's...
Competitors working for Rival Companies...found a way to create a TV show that was on air for 15 years, 1975-90.
PBS Sneak Peeks until '82, At the Movies after that.
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They made it work. All differences aside.
It Worked.
This is what's missing today.
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Gene Siskel in his time owned the White suit used in the film "Saturday Night Fever".
Roger Ebert wrote "Valley of the Dolls". For his film criticism during 1974 he won the 1975 Pulitzer Prize.
Perfect: Roger wrote a book and Gene partied.