Chicago preps life-size Siskel, Ebert sculpture

CHICAGO — A life-size bronze sculpture of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert is coming to Chicago.

Pam Kasper, a producer who has been working on a Siskel and Ebert documentary with director Michael Bonfiglio for the past two years, wanted to come up with a way to honour the two famed film critics. She said she was inspired after seeing a statue of Ebert outside the Virginia Theatre in Champaign, Ill.

“I realized that we have so many tributes in Chicago to people who have had such an influence — athletes, politicians. But there wasn’t anything about Roger and Gene,” Kasper said. “Despite how popular and influential they became, they never left Chicago. They were on the air for 25 years nationally, and they could have left.”

Alongside burgeoning careers and appearing on talk shows, Siskel worked as the Chicago Tribune’s primary film critic for 30 years until his death in 1999, and Ebert worked for the Chicago Sun-Times for 46 years until his death in 2013.

“They were stars, they were celebrities, but they wanted to stay grounded in Chicago and always kept their newspaper jobs,” Kasper said. “I thought it was really important that Chicago gave back by honouring their legacy.”

The sculpture is expected to be complete by 2028, Kasper said. She said she’s aiming to raise US$230,000 for the project, partnering with Chicago Gateway Green for corporate sponsorships and public donations.

A Hollywood memorabilia auction will also help raise money for the project. People can bid on items including an apron signed by The Bear cast and gifted by Christopher Storer, the TV show’s creator.

Standing at 6-5, the Siskel and Ebert statue will be at Prudential Plaza, 130 E. Randolph St., chosen for its visibility and proximity to where Siskel and Ebert once worked. Ownership was “immediately open to the idea of having this piece of public art on the plaza,” Kasper said.

Titled Siskel and Ebert: Two Thumbs Up, the art piece will picture Siskel and Ebert standing side-by-side, each of them holding a thumbs-up gesture in a nod to their famed movie-rating system.

— The Associated Press