Chicago celebrates 50 years of 'Siskel & Ebert' TV show

CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's the 50th anniversary of Siskel & Ebert, two legendary film critics from Chicago who starred in a groundbreaking TV show where they just talked about the movies.

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Hosea Sanders shared some highlights of that dynamic duo in the balcony, starting with the reason the show was called "Siskel and Ebert!"

"I'm older, I've been a movie critic longer - E comes before S in the alphabet - I've got the Pulitzer Prize and yet it's called Siskel & Ebert and if you want to know why that is you can ask Siskel," Roger Ebert said.

"When I saw 'She's Out of Control' - I became so depressed I thought about quitting my job as a film critic feeling as though the movies had abandoned me," Gene Siskel

Roger and Gene became regulars on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson."

READ ALSO | Chicago film lovers celebrate 50th anniversary of 'Siskel & Ebert' TV show

David Letterman invited them to wander New Jersey with him and hang with the locals.

Gene died in 1999 and Roger in 2013, the balcony forever closed for Siskel and Ebert.

"You can't have everything, and it can't last forever - so if you had almost everything and it lasted a long time what are you complaining about?" Ebert said.

Tuesday will be the final movie showing in a series hosted by the City Of Chicago to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Siskel and Ebert.

"Lone Star," one of their favorites, is showing at the Chicago Cultural Center at 7 p.m.