Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <Neither Richard Roeper, nor Roger Ebert, will return to their nationally syndicated movie review show, “At the Movies With Ebert & Roeper,†next season. In a statement Monday Mr. Ebert wrote: “After 33 years on the air, 23 of them with Disney, the studio has decided to take the program named ‘Siskel & Ebert’ and then ‘Ebert & Roeper’ in a new direction. I will no longer be associated with it.†Also on Monday The Associated Press reported that after eight seasons, Mr. Roeper, a columnist for The Chicago Sun-Times, would leave the show. Mr. Roeper said in a statement that he and Disney-ABC Domestic Television had failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension. Mr. Roeper also said he planned to continue as a host of a movie review show elsewhere, but did not disclose details. His last appearance will be for the weekend of Aug. 16. Mr. Ebert has been on leave from “At the Movies†for the last two years because of health problems, but he said in his statement that the trademark for the program, which he began with the critic Gene Siskel in 1975 as “Sneak Previews†on PBS, “still belongs to me and Marlene Iglitzen, Gene’s widow, and the thumbs will return.†A Disney spokesman wasn’t available for comment, The Associated Press said.> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/arts/22arts-EBERTANDROEP_BRF.html?ref=arts" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07...ref=arts</a>
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<the studio has decided to take the program named ‘Siskel & Ebert’ and then ‘Ebert & Roeper’ in a new direction>> The hosts have to dress up and talk like pirates? "THARS A GOOD MOVIE, MATEY! ARRRGHHH!"
Originally Posted By RockyMtnMinnie <<the studio has decided to take the program named ‘Siskel & Ebert’ and then ‘Ebert & Roeper’ in a new direction>> They're replacing Ebert & Roeper with Stitch and Woody.
Originally Posted By basil fan Hey, I'd watch that. But they should trade off and use different characters each week to rate the movies. Think of the possibilities... "Nemo gives it 2 fins up!" Disney's Hercules <a href="http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/disney/hero.html" target="_blank">http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/...ero.html</a>
Originally Posted By Anatole69 It's going to be called At the Movies: Under new Management and will be a hip, cynical version of the old classic. - Anatole
Originally Posted By Mr X Wow, talk about "kicked to the curb". I hate corporate giants and their greed and arrogance.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA I agree with you in some respects, Mr. X. The movie review show that Siskel & Ebert perfected is a great show. On the other hand, from Disney's perspective, the show doesn't really include Roger Ebert anymore. Roger has been very ill, and while the show still is called 'Ebert & Roeper' -- it's actually been Richard Roeper and a revolving series of guest critics. Now it seems like Michael Philips is the other critic. My guess is that Ebert and Roeper are leaving together and will eventually produce their own show together.
Originally Posted By Mr X Yeah, I pretty much knew that. But reading how ticked off Roger Ebert sounds (especially given the fact that he's been ill!) makes me think that such an icon shouldn't be treated so callously. Business is business but there's such a thing as respect, too. He's surely earned it!
Originally Posted By DAR While Ebert is a welcome presence on tv, his strength is in his writing. Take for example his zero star review of a film called Mad Dog Time. This is how he opens his review: "``Mad Dog Time'' is the first movie I have seen that does not improve on the sight of a blank screen viewed for the same length of time." That is what I missed and will miss about Ebert. How he could be laugh out loud funny while writing a bad review. But if he loved a film you kind wanted to love it too.
Originally Posted By ToonKirby >My guess is that Ebert and Roeper are leaving together and will eventually produce their own show together.< Pretty much what Siskel and Ebert did when they left "Sneak Previews" to do "At the Movies". - kch
Originally Posted By JeffG In fact the Disney-produced show was their third show. They started off on PBS, then went into syndication via a show produced by Tribune Entertainment. After a contract dispute (kind of similar to what is happening now), they then moved over to Disney. Both the PBS and Tribune shows did continue for a while with different hosts after Siskel & Ebert left. It is actually kind of interesting that one of the replacement hosts on the PBS show after they left was Jeffrey Lyons (who co-hosted with Michael Medved) and Disney just announced that Lyons' son will be one of the new co-hosts on their show. Rex Reed took over the Tribune show, although I don't remember who his co-host was. It will be interesting to see if Ebert and Roeper are easily able to find a new distributor if Ebert continues to be unable to appear on the show. -Jeff
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Good recap of events, JeffG. I had some remembrance of the various changes, and Rex Reed et al, but no specifics. Thanks for adding that.
Originally Posted By DAR The At the Movies website has removed any mention of Ebert and Roeper. The reviews are still up but their bios are gone.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Roeper and Phillips made no mention that it would be their last show last week. Weird.
Originally Posted By DAR They did a repeat of the last show over the weekend and Roeper did say goodbye this time. He explained in his column last week that they were going to run two episodes prior to the new hosts taking over so it may have looked strange to see him saying it was the last show then popping up the next week.
