Gene Siskel
By Jack McMahon
Bio
Gene Siskel was born in Chicago, Illinois on January 26th, 1946.Orphaned by the age of 10, Siskel attended Culver Military Academy in Indiana and received his bachelor's degree in philosophy from Yale University in 1967 with the intention of becoming a lawyer. After winning a public-affairs fellowship, he joined the Army Reserve where he wrote press releases for the U.S. Department of Defense Information School.
How He Became A Journalist
His experiences in the army got him interested in becoming a journalist. When he returned to Chicago, he was hired by the Chicago Tribune. He originally worked as a news reporter and staff writer for the papers Sunday department. But short thereafter, he reviewed his first movie. weeks later he was named the newspapers official film critic at 23 years old.
Siskel and Ebert
in 1975 he paired up with Robert Ebert, a rival film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times for a new show called Opening Soon . . . at a Theater Near You. The show became a big hit and was later bought by Disney in 1982. The show was aired nationally under the name Siskel & Ebert & The Movies.
Death
Siskel had a brain tumor removed in may of 1998. Returned to television but took another leave in early February of 1999, noticing he needed more time to recover. He died on February 20, 1999 in Chicago.
5 Questions
1. What's your favorite movie?
2. What's your least favorite movie?
3. What made you want to be a film critic?
4. Who was your biggest inspiration?
5. Did you ever get tired of watching movies?
QUIZ
Where was he born?
a. chicago
b. new york
c. los angeles
what did Siskel want to be originally?
a. lawyer
b. firefighter
c. doctor
at what age did siskel become a film critic?
a.22
b.23
c.24
Sophisticated
I chose sophisticated cause he took his job very seriously.