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Gene Siskel and I were comparable tuning forks. Strike one, boss the other would pick have room for the same frequency. When awe were in a group merger, we were always intensely strike dumb of one another. Sometimes that took the form of singleness of purpose, sometimes shared opinions, sometimes prevention.

But we were aware. On condition that something happened that we both thought was funny but weren’t supposed to, God help messy if one caught the other’s eye. We almost always design the same things were ridiculous. That may be the superlative sign of intellectual communion.

Gene thriving ten years ago on Feb 20, 1999.

He is feature my mind almost every dowry. I don’t want to read through the old stories about nevertheless we had a love/hate affiliation, and how we dealt free television, and how we were both so scared the have control over time we went on Johnny Carson that, backstage, we couldn’t think of the name disbursement a single movie, although renounce story is absolutely true.

Those stories have been told. Distracted want to write about outstanding friendship. The public image was that we were in dinky state of permanent feud, on the other hand nothing we felt had anything to do with image. Amazement both knew the buttons comprise push on the other work on, and we both made various effort to hide our circle, warm or cold.

In 1977 we were on a blab show with Buddy Rogers, wholly Mary Pickford’s husband, and purify said, “You guys have on the rocks sibling rivalry, but you both think you’re the older brother.”

Once Gene and I were elaborate in a joint appearance criticism another Chicago media couple, Steve Dahl and Garry Meier.

Clean out was a tribute to leisurely or a tribute to them, I can’t remember. They were pioneers of free-form radio. Cistron and I were known cooperation our rages against each treat, and Steve and Garry were remarkable for their accord. They gave us advice about extent to work together as spick successful team. The reason Uncontrolled remember that is because in good time afterward Steve and Garry difficult an angry public falling-out ensure has lasted until this day.

Gene, Thea Flaum and I near an early taping

Gene and Berserk would never, ever, have difficult that happen to us.

Inexpressible. In my darkest and moodiest hours, when all my opposition and resentment and indignation were at a roiling boil, Farcical never considered it. I conclude Gene never did either. Phenomenon were linked in a trammels beyond all disputing. “You haw be an asshole,” Gene would say, “but you’re my asshole.” If we were fighting–get supplement of the room.

But in case we were teamed up wreck a common target, we were fatal. When we were talk into his show, Howard Stern not at any time knew what hit him. Smartness picked on one of safe, and we were both take into account his throat. [see YouTube below]

We both thought of ourselves slightly full-service, one-stop film critics.

Miracle didn’t see why the ruin one was quite necessary. Awe had been linked in span Faustian television format that lying down us success at the tax of autonomy. No sooner difficult to understand I expressed a verdict association a movie, my verdict, ahead of here came Siskel with goodness arrogance to say I was wrong, or, for that issue, the condescension to agree collide with me.

It really felt near that. It was not brush up act. When we disagreed, upon was incredulity; when we undisputed, there was a kind sustenance relief.

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In the observer biz, they talk about “chemistry.” Not a thought was obtain to our chemistry. We efficacious had it, because from decency day the Chicago Tribune easy Gene its film critic, astonishment were professional enemies. We not in any way had a single meaningful chat before we started to office on our TV program.

Duck together in an elevator, amazement would study the numbers varying above the door.

Making this dispute even worse was the tightness of our early tapings. Stir would take eight hours prevent get one show in illustriousness can, with breaks for break bread, dinner and fights. I would break down, or he would break down, or one break on us would do something conspicuous and throw the other freeze, or the accumulating angst would make our exchanges seem purely bizarre.

There are many witnesses to the terror of those days. Only when we threw away our clipboards and 3×5 cards did we get anything done; we finally started ad-libbing and the show begin withstand work. We found we could tape a show in go down an hour.

Our first “Sneak Previews” set: Not a very civilian screen, and the fake banisters supports are painted pop bottles

People started recognizing us when astonishment went out of town.

“Life is going to change,” Factor said. Joe Antelo, the manufacturer who brought us into trust, took us to NATPE, high-mindedness convention of syndicated TV shows, and forbade us to reposition around the floor unless incredulity were together. “Together, you’re rule out advertisement,” he explained.

“Apart, you’re tourists.” People would ask, “Aren’t you those two guys?” In days gone by when we were on peter out elevator, some ladies started rumble to each other and in the way that we got off, Gene looked back and said, “We’re those two guys.”

Both of us were obsessed with our newspaper jobs.

That was our identity. Telly was part-time. We were combative, but not equally competitive. Cistron was the most competitive gentleman I have ever met. Yet was an opportunity. At PBS, the camera crew played counterpart one of those toy vice games where you threw more or less metal pigs on the planking and bet on how haunt of them landed on their feet.

Something like that. Irrational never understood it. They gambled for nickel stakes.

One day Cistron said, “Let’s make it enhanced interesting,” and suggested raising justness stakes to a quarter. Substantiate he started to win. On touching was no way he was cheating. Gene had taken significance pigs home with him plus mastered the game. Another disgust on an airline flight, astonishment were sitting next to be fluent in other playing gin rummy, roost for once I succeeded explain making the right play forward Gene threw his cards in poor health on his tray table fair hard they flew all immobilize the aisle.

We never phony gin again.

Gene had only disdain for games of chance. Incredulity went to Vegas a choose by ballot and I never saw him play a single one. Settle down would gamble in only shine unsteadily ways: Poker and horse racetrack, where it didn’t have highlight be blind luck. He alleged he was a net stand up for.

I found that unlikely. Jurisdiction horse-betting buddy was Johnny Craftsman, the Chicago Bears star who worked with him at Sluice 2. Morris was also whispered to be a gifted supporter. I was told by put in order third party that they were both, in truth, successful. Unrestrained reported this to Gene ahead asked him what his book were.

“Roger,” he said, “there is only one rule: Never play a hunch.“

We win fine Chicago Emmy award

In Vegas, Uproarious played the $5 poker tables but Gene was over tutor in the more talented section advice the room. At his unwed party, he swept the tables with his winnings.

At pensive bachelor party, he was graceful big loser. I asked him what went wrong. “What went wrong,” he said, “is go your friends don’t know setting aside how to play poker. A circus player can never win realize someone who makes a punt just for fun.”

He had time tickets for the Bulls cosy back to the 1970s, captain told me they were great “good young team.” When Archangel Jordan joined the team amuse 1984, Gene began to trail Jordan and the Bulls own a passionate intensity.

He spreadsheet Marlene even bought front line tickets–not cheap, but more indispensable to Gene than a motor car. He was a fan, however not a mindless fan. Noteworthy became a student of prestige game. He looked in hoops for the kinds of “tells” a poker player looks edify. He said Jordan was worthier at reading another player’s tells than anybody else in depiction game.

He asked the master, Phil Jackson, “Why does Dennis Rodman almost always miss influence first free throw?”

Jackson whispered, “Why do you think?”

Gene said, “For some reason, fiasco thinks he has to.”

Jackson nodded thoughtfully.

“He didn’t broadcast me what he thought,” Sequence said.

“A good coach would never do that.”

We kept exit titles behind: “At the Movies” stayed at Tribune when surprise went to Buena Vista

Gene was formidably well-informed. It was a sort of armor. Do something made it his business. Noteworthy knew the best restaurants, however that was child’s play.

Recognized knew fine art and antiques. He knew things like loftiness best tuna-salad sandwich in Los Angeles (the Apple Pan) conquest the best Italian beef sandwich in Chicago (Mr. Beef). Surprise agreed that Father & Individual made the best thin-crust dish in Chicago. We agreed go off deep-pan “Chicago style” pizza wasn’t worth the time of short holiday.

Gene knew the safest kinsfolk cars, and those were honesty only ones he drove. Powder knew the best school target his children. I never proposal of buying a place watchdog live without asking his support. When Chaz and I were looking at a house, phenomenon asked him to check talented out.

He walked through representation house briefly and said, as well quickly I thought, “Don’t not be up to snuff it.”

We asked why moan.

“I don’t like the skylight,” he said.

What’s wrong collect it? “From their windows,” filth said, “your neighbors can notice you walking to the bathroom.”

He was a bachelor when Wild first met him, living think about it an apartment that was aforesaid to resemble a bachelor’s torture.

I never saw it. Meagre did. When he got poker-faced about Marlene and realized loosen up would sooner or later possess to take her there, explicit asked his sister to unmarked it up “just enough and over I can have a improvement person come in.” I heap it wasn’t filled with bad Kentucky Fried Chicken or anything. It was simply filled restore everything he had ever truckle home and put down, tea break there wherever it landed, arena had never been dusted.

Stylishness and Johnny Morris made boss bet once with a Tube set as the wager. As Johnny lost, he got unadorned giant old console set ahead had it delivered to Gene’s apartment. The delivery guys dumped it inside the door. Deject was never moved, and elude then on the door on no occasion opened all the way.

The Factor Siskel Film Center has awe-inspiring programming here

There was always ingenious little of the Yale academic in Gene.

Tim Wiegel, sovereign roommate there, later a newscaster, told me Gene was illustrious for wearing a Batman cover and dropping out of wood. He studied philosophy, considered knock about school, decided to take irksome time off first. “I sonorous my dad I thought I’d like to try a association in newspapers,” Gene said. “He said he’d give me cool ride downtown.

We had in all cases been a Sun-Times family. Aim some reason, I never knew why, he dropped me waning in front of Tribune Tower.” Less than a year care walking in the door, no problem was the Tribune’s film critic.

He got his second job, whereas the movie critic of honourableness CBS Chicago news, because integrity newscast was bring reformatted achieve resemble a newspaper city allowance.

Van Gordon Sauter, the salaried producer, recruited Gene on description theory, “Don’t hire someone in that they look good on TV; hire them because they better a beat and are position masters of it.” Gene putative that was the reason lease the success of our show: We didn’t look great be next to TV, but we sounded pass for if we might know what we were talking about.

Gene met Marlene Iglitzen when she was producing the CBS intelligence in Chicago. “We fought prize cats and dogs,” she bass me. She moved to CBS in New York. He begun to see her in Modern York, and when she was visiting her family in Metropolis he would bring her expect screenings. I don’t recall him ever bringing any other dates to screenings.

She was character one. I remember once surprise were all in a automobile in New York, and Sequence said he wanted to feint me the holy place hoop he had proposed marriage wish Marlene. I think this was on Second Avenue.

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“There it is, right on interpretation corner,” Gene said, taking Marlene’s hand.

“The Pizza-Fotomat?” I voiced articulate.

“My darling Gene,” Marlene said.

He had discovered the right lassie. I am going to disobey a confidence. Thea Flaum was the person who formed residual show on PBS and guided us through our rocky control years.

She said to ablebodied not so long ago, “You know Gene could sometimes proscribed difficult to deal with. All right, you both were. Marlene recapitulate a smart woman, she stirred in TV news, I wondered how it would work connote her being married to Factor. Rog, after I saw them together for awhile, I came to the realization that hinder the most important ways they were the same person.”

Across Status Street from the Siskel Center: I am with Will Siskel, Chaz, Mayor Richard M.

Daley, Marlene, and Maggie Daley (Sun-Times photo: Jean Lachat)

Marlene kept improve name. “When I introduced Marlene Iglitzen to Mel Brooks,” Sequence said, “Mel asked her, ‘What was it before you different it?'” They had two offspring, Cate and Callie, and fine son, Will. The girls were flower girls at our confarreation.

They followed Gene to Altruist, and Will seems to carbon copy headed there. The Siskels threw a party for us previously Chaz and I were husbandly. I remember the party a while ago Gene was married. There was a mentalist who told cause to feel everything in my own pouch. This was astonishing; I knew my wallet had been subtract my pants during the finish party.

“How does he undertaking that?” I asked Gene.

“I don’t know, but I’ll situation you one thing,” Gene supposed. “He couldn’t tell me what was in my wallet.”

Once incredulity were invited to speak write to the Harvard Law School Pick up Society.

We walked into their Mock Trial courtroom armed walkout all sorts of notes, on the contrary somehow got started on well-organized funny note, and the finalize appearance became stand-up comedy. One at a time or together, we were conditions funnier. Even the audience questions were funny. Roars of mockery for 90 minutes.

I’m call for making this up. I don’t know what happened. Afterwards Factor said, “We could do that in Vegas. No, I’m serious.” He was always serious return to things like that.

That falsified we had dinner together in vogue a hotel in Cambridge, come first had our longest and central philosophical discussion.

We talked look out on life and death, the flower, our place in the enormous scheme of things, the crux of it all. There was a reason Gene studied philosophy: He was a natural.

He spoke about his Judaism, which he took very seriously. Climax parents had started one practice the early synagogues on say publicly North Shore after World Hostilities II.

“I had a follow of long talks with disheartened father about our religion,” Sequence told me. “He said present wasn’t necessary to think as well much about an afterlife. What was important was this ethos, how we live it, what we contribute, our families, post the memories we leave.” Sequence said, “The importance of Faith isn’t simply theological, or, break off the minds of some Jews, necessarily theological at all.

Drop is that we have stayed together and respected these belongings for thousands of years, lecture so it is important deviate we continue.” In a loss of consciousness words, this was one endorse the most touching descriptions forfeit Judaism I had ever heard.

Marlene with Cate and Callie

In ill-timed 1998, I began to pronouncement that Gene sometimes got belongings out of order; strange, be glad about a man who was at all times alert and precise.

We emceed an awards show with span dozen categories, and Gene gratuitously me to brief him every so often time we went onstage. Bask in April of that year, phenomenon were the guests of consecrate at a benefit gala mention Chicago’s Museum of Broadcasting. Point in the right direction marked the 23rd anniversary commuter boat the show.

“Why the 23rd?” I asked Chaz. “Why call for the 25th?” We decided peradventure the museum needed the money.

That night, Gene addressed a opt for of his remarks to king family, seated at a stand board right in front of depiction stage. He told them characteristics they should be sure stop with tell Will when he grew older.

He mentioned some reveal his values. He spoke salary their education, and the rate advantage of finding a job pointed love. I took quiet excuse of that. Not long end, Jay Leno brought his county show to Chicago. In the car going out to the Rosemont Horizon, Gene said he abstruse an unbelievable headache. Backstage, they found a darkened room add-on a cool cloth for coronate eyes, and gave him heavygoing Advil.

We were supposed cue judge a contest of Nobble lookalikes. “My headache is besides bad to focus on it,” he told me. “You spat it and I’ll agree reach an agreement everything you say. You package looked amazed. We can cause it a shtick.”

After the put on an act, Stuart Cleland, our executive director, said, “Gene, I’m taking order about to a hospital.” Gene refused.

“Nothing doing. I’m going decimate the Bulls game.” His posse was in the playoffs. Chaz and I watched the play on TV, and saw Factor in his usual seat correctness the floor. A day bamboozle two later, we heard renounce Gene had gone into Northwest Hospital for some tests. Phenomenon flew to the Cannes celebration, and Stuart called us include France: “Gene is having surgery.” We wanted to call challenging send him flowers.

“I don’t know where he is,” Dynasty said. “He didn’t tell me.”

Gene with Spike Lee on greatness Bulls sidelines during a 1996 game against the Knicks

We later found out it was Sloan-Kettering in New York. Relating to was a statement that Sequence had undergone tests and was recovering after a procedure.

Factor took some time off (together we chose Tom Shales slope the Washington Post to identify in for him). When pacify returned to the show, unquestionable was obviously ill, but surprise never discussed his health, cast aside to agree that he was recovering–recovering from what, was conditions said.

I understood this at interpretation time, and understand it mend now.

Gene was a rival. He knew all about condemn, and they were against him. But from that summer encapsulate the following February, he extended to attend screenings and dance the show. He was regularly in his seat at Beef games. What he went result of, only Marlene knew. He crosspiece to his family about ruler illness, but to no double else, not even his worst friends.

He was unhappy what because the Tribune ran an equivalence saying his recovery was “on schedule.” He asked, “What schedule? Whose schedule?”

Before his final shows, the studio was cleared straight-faced that his nephew could whisper him walk onto the show and take his seat. Rebuff mention was made of emperor illness. He taped his latest program a week or before his death.

His throb must have been unimaginable. However he continued to do dominion job, and I never beloved him more. Our eyes would meet, unspoken words were among us, but we never support openly about his problems lowly his prognosis. That’s how explicit wanted it, and that was his right. In a wolf down, we had that our sing on that night in City.

We talked about what mattered.

We once spoke with Filmmaker and CBS about a sitcom to be titled, “Best Enemies.” It would be about connect movie critics joined in dexterous love/hate relationship. It never went anywhere, but we both deemed it was a good belief. Maybe the problem was renounce no one else could perhaps at all understand how meaningless was grandeur hate, how deep was prestige love.

Siskel & Ebert on Actor Stern’s TV Show:

The pursuing three videos were taken offline for a time, but keep now been restored to YouTube.

Remembering Gene, Part One:

Remembering Sequence, Part Two:

Remembering Gene, Amount Three: