Just over a quarter century after my late husband Roger Ebert made his final television appearance with his fellow film critic, sparring partner, and friend, Gene Siskel, on their iconic show, “Siskel & Ebert At the Movies,” their legacies will be immortalized with a bronze statue in the town where they made their home: Chicago.
I approve and support this fundraising campaign for the sculpture of Roger and Gene, and I am so glad Pam Kasper suggested it. It will be a six-foot-five bronze, and I also approved the name: “Siskel & Ebert: Two Thumbs Up.” I understand the statue’s permanent location will be at Prudential Plaza, off Michigan Avenue, not far from the television stations and newspaper offices where Roger and Gene once worked. I extend hearty thanks to the property owners for approving its location.
The acclaimed Illinois sculptor, painter, and educator Preston Jackson, Professor Emeritus of Sculpture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, is tasked with bringing this sculpture to life. He has previously sculpted such notable figures as Ernie Banks, Gwendolyn Brooks, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, Martin Luther King Jr., and Richard Pryor. Spearheading this public tribute is Chicago film producer Pam Kasper, who is leading the fundraising campaign via Heritage Auctions, in partnership with Chicago Gateway Green, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving as the project’s fiscal sponsor.
“Gene and Roger were smart, entertaining, opinionated, and weren’t afraid to have passionate disagreements over a film,” said Kasper in a statement. “Yet underneath the arguing was a genuine respect for one another. They became national celebrities, yet Chicago always remained their home. They had an enormous influence on movies, filmmakers, and audiences, and their legacy deserves a permanent tribute.” Ms. Kasper and documentary filmmaker Mike Bonfiglio are also working on a documentary about Roger and Gene.
Up for bid in the live auction, which runs through Saturday, November 14th, are over 300 television and movie items, including vintage film posters and lobby cards signed by stars such as Julie Andrews, Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Helen Mirren, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington, as well as cast-signed posters from “The Sound of Music,” “The Big Lebowski” and “The Odyssey.”
All auction items are available for viewing at auction.siskelandebertstatue.org. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
