At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert
Encyclopedia
At the Movies was a movie review television program
that aired from 1982 to 1990. It was produced by Tribune Entertainment
and created by Gene Siskel
and Roger Ebert
, who had left Sneak Previews
the previous year.
Siskel and Ebert left in 1986 in a dispute with Tribune Entertainment; they went on to create Siskel & Ebert (which later adopted the At the Movies title in 2008) with Buena Vista Television
. They were replaced by film critic Rex Reed
and Bill Harris
, a gossip correspondent for Entertainment Tonight
(ET). Under Reed and Harris, the show expanded beyond movie reviews, adding show business
news. Harris left in 1988 and was replaced by former ET
host Dixie Whatley.
During the Siskel and Ebert run, the two adopted the same format they had used in their previous series "Opening Soon at a Theater Near You" which ran on PBS. Two critics from opposing newspapers looking at clips from the week's new movies and then discussing them. During this run they would adopt several elements that would make the show lively. For example, they would bring on Spot the Wonder Dog to help the critics lead into "The Dog of the Week", the week's worst movie. Later, they used another animal Aroma the Educated Skunk. Plus, the critics would also occasionally featured an "X-Ray segment" in which they discussed current trends happening in the movies. None of these extra elements were carried over when the show moved to Buena Vista and the show became Siskel & Ebert.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
that aired from 1982 to 1990. It was produced by Tribune Entertainment
Tribune Entertainment
Tribune Entertainment was a television production and syndication company owned and operated by Tribune Broadcasting in the mid-1980s. Many programs offered from Tribune Entertainment have been broadcast on the company's television stations....
and created by Gene Siskel
Gene Siskel
Eugene Kal "Gene" Siskel 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....
and Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
, who had left Sneak Previews
Sneak Previews
Sneak Previews was an American film review show, running for over two decades on Public Broadcasting Service . It was created by WTTW, a PBS affiliate in Chicago, Illinois. It premiered on September 4, 1975 as a monthly local-only show called Opening Soon at a Theater Near You, and was renamed in...
the previous year.
Siskel and Ebert left in 1986 in a dispute with Tribune Entertainment; they went on to create Siskel & Ebert (which later adopted the At the Movies title in 2008) with Buena Vista Television
Buena Vista Television
Disney-ABC Domestic Television is the domestic television syndication firm of the Disney-ABC Television Group, a division of The Walt Disney Company, that handles the television distribution of product from Walt Disney Television, Walt Disney Television Animation, BVS Entertainment, and ABC...
. They were replaced by film critic Rex Reed
Rex Reed
Rex Taylor Reed is an American film critic and former co-host of the syndicated television show At the Movies. He currently writes the column "On the Town with Rex Reed" for The New York Observer.-Life and career:...
and Bill Harris
Bill Harris
- Sports :*Bill Harris , American MLB pitcher*Bill Harris , Canadian MLB pitcher*Bill Harris American basketball coach, head coach India national basketball team...
, a gossip correspondent for Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
(ET). Under Reed and Harris, the show expanded beyond movie reviews, adding show business
Show business
Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz, is a vernacular term for all aspects of entertainment. The word applies to all aspects of the entertainment industry from the business side to the creative element ....
news. Harris left in 1988 and was replaced by former ET
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
host Dixie Whatley.
During the Siskel and Ebert run, the two adopted the same format they had used in their previous series "Opening Soon at a Theater Near You" which ran on PBS. Two critics from opposing newspapers looking at clips from the week's new movies and then discussing them. During this run they would adopt several elements that would make the show lively. For example, they would bring on Spot the Wonder Dog to help the critics lead into "The Dog of the Week", the week's worst movie. Later, they used another animal Aroma the Educated Skunk. Plus, the critics would also occasionally featured an "X-Ray segment" in which they discussed current trends happening in the movies. None of these extra elements were carried over when the show moved to Buena Vista and the show became Siskel & Ebert.