A life-size bronze statue of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert is coming to Chicago, and a local filmmaker is the driving force behind the effort.
Pam Kasper, who has been working on a Siskel and Ebert documentary with director Michael Bonfiglio for the past two years, wanted to find a way to honor two famous Chicago film critics. He said he was inspired after seeing Ebert’s statue outside the Virginia Theater in Champaign.
“I noticed we had a lot of tributes to athletes, politicians who had such an impact in Chicago. But there was nothing about Roger and Gene,” Kasper said. “Despite how popular and influential they were, they never left Chicago. They were on the air nationwide for 25 years, and they could go.”
Siskel, whose burgeoning career included appearances on talk shows such as “Saturday Night Live” and “The Tonight Show,” served as the Chicago Tribune’s main film critic for 30 years until his death in 1999, and Ebert worked at the Chicago Sun-Times for 46 years until his death in 2013.
“They were stars, they were famous, but they always wanted to stay in Chicago and keep their jobs at the newspaper,” Kasper said. “I thought it was really important for Chicago to honor its legacy and give back.”
The statue is expected to be completed by 2028, Kasper said. He said he aims to raise $230,000 for the project by 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 enter to win items donated by movie studios and celebrities, including an apron signed by the cast of “The Bear” and gifted by series creator Christopher Storer.
Other items include a “Toy Story” Jessie doll by Evanston native John Cusack, a “Caddyshack” lobby card by Evanston native Bill Murray and two “Mad Men” costume designs by designer Janie Bryant. A cast tour of the renovated “Brady Brunch” home in Los Angeles and a 30-minute Zoom call with Lee Eisenberg, head writer of the sitcom “The Office,” will also be part of the auction.
People can donate, participate in the auction and follow the sculpture project through the website. Fundraising began on Thursday.
“Anyone can help pay this beautiful tribute to two men who were so important to our city,” Kasper said.
News about the statue was first reported by Crain’s Chicago Business on Thursday.
The statue of Siskel and Ebert, standing 6 feet tall, will be in Prudential Plaza. 130 E. Randolph St. was chosen for its visibility and proximity to where Siskel and Ebert once worked. Kasper said the ownership was “immediately open to the idea of having this public art piece in the plaza.”
The sculpture is being created by Preston Jackson, an Illinois sculptor, painter, and professor emeritus of sculpture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
“I wanted to make sure (the artist) was someone who understood who Roger and Gene were and frankly had the talent to pull it off,” Kasper said. “When I saw Preston Jackson’s work, I knew he was the man. Not only is he smart and talented, but he’s also an interesting guy, from the area.”
Titled “Siskel and Ebert: Two Thumbs Up,” the artwork will show Siskel and Ebert standing side by side, each giving a thumbs up in a nod to the movie rating system. After a heated discussion about a movie, the two would point out whether they liked or disliked the movie. If a movie received a coveted “Two Thumbs Up”, movie studios would often use it for advertising.
“I think there are a lot of people today who may have heard of Roger and Gene… but they don’t know how influential they really were,” Kasper said. “Just the ‘Two Thumbs Up’ rating system was a precursor to Letterboxd and Rotten Tomatoes.
“I want people to know and remember that … these were about passionate debates, but they were also about respecting each other and listening to each other, which you don’t really get in today’s world,” he said.
There will be two metal theater seats in front of Siskel and Ebert that will allow people to interact with the artwork.
“I thought it would be cool to have something where people could interact with Roger and Gene in their theater seats and give a thumbs up in tribute to two men who meant so much to so many people,” Kasper said.
“They are both very close to my heart, and the sculpture was born out of the work done on the documentary. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also fun and satisfying,” Kasper said. “Seeing people’s faces when they see the picture of the statue makes it all worthwhile. Even their families feel the same way; the Siskel and Ebert families have been so wonderful and supportive.”
Kasper also hopes it will be “something fun for the city.”
“I mean, how fun is it to walk down Michigan Avenue or walk down to Pru Plaza in Millennium Park and take a picture with this really cool piece of art,” he said.
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This story was first published by Block Club Chicago and distributed in partnership with The Associated Press.