THE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN IS NOW OPEN!
THE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN IS NOW OPEN!
RENDERINGS BY STEVE HANNAH
ABOUT SISKEL & EBERT
Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert were film critics at rival Chicago newspapers when producers at local PBS station WTTW brought them together for Sneak Previews. What began as a local public television experiment grew into a remarkable 25-year partnership that reached audiences across the country and forever changed the way people talked about movies.Through Sneak Previews, At the Movies and Siskel & Ebert, Gene and Roger brought smart, passionate—and often heated—film criticism and discussion into millions of homes. Their iconic “Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down” ratings system became part of American popular culture, while their spirited disagreements showed audiences that arguing about movies could be as much fun as watching them.Their influence went far beyond reviewing Hollywood hits. Siskel and Ebert used their national platform to spotlight Independent films, overlooked movies and emerging filmmakers. They helped introduce wider audiences to films including Hoop Dreams, My Dinner with Andre and Fargo, and were early advocates for directors such as Werner Herzog, Spike Lee, Quentin Tarantino and Jane Campion.They became national celebrities, appearing frequently on The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman and Saturday Night Live. Yet despite their fame and influence, they remained deeply rooted in Chicago. Both kept their newspaper careers—Siskel at the Chicago Tribune and Ebert at the Chicago Sun-Times—and their television programs continued to be produced in the city they called home.Created with the support and approval of the Siskel and Ebert families, “Siskel & Ebert: Two Thumbs Up” will celebrate not only two extraordinary Chicagoans, but a partnership that changed film criticism, championed filmmakers and made talking about movies part of the national conversation.
ARTIST
Born in Decatur, Illinois, Preston Jackson began drawing at the age of seven. He has art degrees from Southern Illinois University and the University of Illinois and was a professor at the Art Institute of Chicago.He is best known for his work in bronze, including life-size statues of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable in Peoria, Irv Kupcinet for the City of Chicago and Richard Pryor for the City of Peoria. He created the Martin Luther King memorial bust for Danville, Illinois; “Let’s Play Two,” a bronze relief of Ernie Banks for ESPN Zone in Chicago and many other public and private art commissions throughout the United States.He lives in Peoria, where he owns the Raven Gallery.prestonjacksonart.com
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Help bring "Siskel & Ebert: Two Thumbs Up" to life at Pru Plaza in Chicago.
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Click HERE to make a secure contribution through OneCause.DONATE BY CHECK
Please make checks payable to Chicago Gateway Green, with “Two Thumbs Up” noted in the memo line, and mail to:Chicago Gateway Green
33 West Kinzie Street
Chicago, IL 60654BID ON HOLLYWOOD MEMORABILIA
Click HERE to view rare vintage and modern movie posters and lobby cards (many autographed), film premiere tickets and more at our online auction! Proceeds benefit the Two Thumbs Up Fund.
The Two Thumbs Up campaign is administered through Chicago Gateway Green, a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Contributions may qualify as charitable tax deductions as permitted by law. Donors will receive an official acknowledgment for their records.
PARTNERS
AUCTION CONTRIBUTORS
We gratefully acknowledge the studios and organizations that
have donated items to the Hollywood memorabilia auction benefiting
Siskel & Ebert: Two Thumbs Up:
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