Friday, September 10, 2010

Roger Ebert Update

"Roger Ebert presents At the Movies" - Roger Ebert's Journal: "'Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies,' a weekly half-hour film review program, was announced today by its producers, Chaz and Roger Ebert. The program continues the 35-year-old run of a reviewing format first introduced by Gene Siskel and Ebert and later by Ebert and Richard Roeper.

It will return to its birthplace, launching nationally on public television with presenting station WTTW Chicago, where it began in 1975 as 'Opening Soon at a Theater Near You' and then in 1976 as 'Sneak Previews,' became the highest rated entertainment show in PBS history. The original format moved into syndication as 'At the Movies' in 1982 with Tribune Entertainment and a quarter-century with Buena Vista Television."

5 comments:

Jayme Lynn Blaschke said...

I remember watching "Sneak Previews" before any of these folks were famous. Wow. I'm old.

mybillcrider said...

Sure you are, whippersnapper.

Todd Mason said...

I'm not sure that SNEAK PREVIEWS consistently outdrew MASTERPIECE THEATRE back in the day...it might've. To say "entertainment show" to rule out NOVA, NATURE, NATIONAL GEOGRPAHIC, AN AMERICAN FAMILY and THE CIVIL WAR seems a bit PR-speak precious, but that's as may be. But they did get pretty famous pretty quick after the show went national...I certainly watched 'em, along with THE INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL hosted by Jean Marsh (after UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS), and a locally-selected package of Janus Film Collection international films tagged PBS THEATER. A good night on tube in '76-'77.

Todd Mason said...

Good to know...it won't be on PBS proper, but instead syndicated by American Public Television (and quite probably on the smaller World network that APT administers, as opposed to the MHz WorldView network, which runs all those European mystery film series, such as WALLANDER and INSPECTOR COLIANDRO and the Bruno Cremer MAIGRETs)...so non-PBS public stations might well have it, as well (such as the World stations). (Can't tell your networks without a program schedule! Peanuts, popcorn, HD antennas!)

My goodness, get that one woman a sandwich. Thanks, Bill.

Stephen B. said...

As a kid I recall At The Movies was the first show I'd remembered learning about the reviews from these gentlemen. They'd speak on new movies (and some very bad films) and give frank, open reviews even when they didn't agree...