I first saw or noticed Roger Ebert in the Seventies on Public TV, co-hosting a movie review show with Gene Siskel. The show was interesting because film criticism was usually reserved to print, at least it was when I was kid. Those on TV (Gene Shalit, Rex Reed) didn’t go to such lengths and they were “too East/West Coast” for where I lived…Central Illinois.
Due to my parents having a subscription to The Chicago Tribune, Siskel had more sway. I think The Chicago Sun-Times was perceived as the Dean Koontz newspaper, the faltering Tribune Corporation would want you to think this.
As I grew older, Siskel & Ebert moved their criticism show around. I also gained more respect for Ebert when I learned he had written screenplays, not great ones since Russ Meyer isn’t synonymous with quality. At least he had experience making a film unlike other critics.
I liked Roger’s sense of humor too, he had that in common with Gene. They did their criticism bit on an episode of SNL, ripping on skits during the “breaks” between and playing themselves on The Critic.
He had a great intellect too. The best demonstration was how he ripped Ben Stein a new one for Expelled. Ebert tore it apart as a film and Stein’s willful ignorance on how evolution works.
Thanks for all the insights, reviews and proving there were some great writers from Flyover Country.