Siskel and Ebert and The Movies

The series itself began in 1986 as Siskel & Ebert and The Movies, when Siskel and Ebert signed with Buena Vista Entertainment, the television division of the Walt Disney Company. The title of the show was shortened to simply Siskel and Ebert in mid-1987. The program was originally recorded in the studios of WBBM-TV, Chicago's CBS owned and operated station. Some time after Disney's purchase of Capital Cities/ABC, the show's tappings were moved to ABC's Chicago station, WLS-TV, were it remained for its duration.

Siskel and Ebert often had notably divergent tastes, and as a result, heated arguments and spats added to the series' popularity. Many viewers considered such "fights" to be the highlight of the program. In joint appearences on the talk show circuit, especially on David Letterman's shows, the two critics indicated a mutual respect and friendship off screen. Widely circulated outtakes from promo-recording sessions show the two both bickering and joking off-air.

Only once during his long asscociation with Roger Ebert did Gene Siskel ever change his vote to a movie. The 1996 film Broken Arrow had initially been give a "thumbs up", but after hearing Ebert's criticism, Siskel changed his mind to "thumbs down" to make it unanimous.

In 1998, Gene Siskel was hospitalized for treatment of a brain tumor. For a few weeks, the show was filmed with Siskel on the telephone (from his hospital bed) and Ebert in the studio. Although Siskel would eventually return to the studio, he seemed noticeably lethargic and mellow than usual. In February 1999, Siskel annouced he was taking a leave of absence for further treatment of the tumor, hoping to return. Less than three weeks later, Siskel died from complications of the surgery. The weekend following Siskel's death, Ebert devoted the entire half hour as a tribute to him. On the show were various clips from shows past as well their history together as journalists and then on television. Also, Ebert appeared on ABC's Good Morning America in a tribute to Siskel along with Diane Sawyer, Charles Gibson, Peter Jennings, and Joel Siegel, fellow critic and friend of Siskel.

The last show that Siskel and Ebert hosted together aired on Saturday, January 23, 1999. On that showed, they reviewed At First Sight, Another Day in Paradise, The Hi-Lo Country, Playing by Heart, and The Theory of Flight.