Ebert, Roeper quit; ABC replaces with Lyons and Mankiewicz

Veteran film critic Roger Ebert, who gave his weekly opinions of film with "At the Movies" for 23 years, quit the show Monday after Richard Roeper could not come to financial terms for his new contract with Disney-ABC Domestic Television, which distributes the syndicated TV show. Roger Ebert - 18th Annual IFP Independent Spirit Awards - Arrivals - Santa Monica Beach - Santa Monica, CA, USA © Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos

Roger Ebert - 18th Annual IFP Independent Spirit Awards - Arrivals - Santa Monica Beach - Santa Monica, CA, USA © Lee Roth / RothStock / PR PhotosRoeper's contract had expired after eight seasons, reported Variety.Disney announced that E! critic Ben Lyons and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz have signed on to co-host the new show.Lyons co-hosts "Reel Talk" with his father, WNBC film critic Jeffrey Lyons; Mankiewicz is the son of Frank Mankiewicz, the first president of National Public Radio, and grandson of screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, reported Variety. Beginning on PBS, Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert and Chicago Tribune critic Gene Siskel's show "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies" was sold in 1986 to Buena Vista Entertainment.Following the death of Siskel, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper joined "Ebert & Roeper" in 2000.Variety published a written statement from Roger Ebert: "After 33 years on the air, 23 of them with Disney, the studio has decided to take the program named 'Siskel & Ebert’ and then 'Ebert & Roeper’ in a new direction. I will no longer be associated with it. … Gene and I felt the formula was simplicity itself: Two film critics, sitting across the aisle from each other in a movie balcony, debating the new films of the week. We developed an entirely new concept for TV that has lasted all these years."Few shows have been on the air so long and remained so popular. We made television history and established the trademarked catchphrase 'two thumbs up.’ The trademark still belongs to me and Marlene Iglitzen, Gene’s widow, and the thumbs will return. We are discussing possibilities and plan to continue the show’s tradition."

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Michael KatzJul 22nd, 2008 - 07:12:10

What a lalme site. I want news not a rehsh of what some other site is saying.
Get new reportrs.

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MKJul 22nd, 2008 - 07:13:37

Sorry that was 'lame'. My typing error.

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you go ebertJul 22nd, 2008 - 07:32:54

put your stuff on youtube man.. tese big companies just dont understand people anymore.

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Zyskandar A JaimotJul 22nd, 2008 - 14:12:13

Mundane, boring, crappola ABOUT a supercilious 'politically correct' view of movies - both 'news' + this so-called show should be ignored or hidden under a rock someplace.

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Steven MillanJul 22nd, 2008 - 19:28:49

With Roger Ebert's badly declining health and Richard Roeper's sheer mediocrity(as Gene Siskel's ill-fated replacement),I knew that this show would end,although I find it quite ironic that one of their replacements is Ben Lyons,whose father Jeffrey Lyons(along with Neal Gabler,and[later]Michael Medved])replaced Siskel and Ebert during their 'Sneak Previews' PBS days(followed by Siskel and Ebert's 'At The Movies' run[when they left to do 'Siskel and Ebert']being replaced by Rex Reed and Bill Harris).

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