What do you think the over-under is on how long it takes the Gene Siskel Film Center at the Art Institute of Chicago to be renamed the Siskel and Ebert Film Center at the Art Institute of Chicago? I give it a year, but I was curious about what others thought.
Well, Siskel is a Chicago native and Ebert is not. I don’t know if that makes a difference, but I suppose it could.
My two cents and WAG: Gene Siskel was active in the Art Institute’s film center for many, many years (on the board, etc.) I don’t think that Roger Ebert was. And Siskel’s family is in the Chicago area and has significant money (and makes lots of very generous charitable donations.) I don’t know to what extent (if any) that influenced (directly or indirectly) the Art Institute named its film center after him.
Interesting. Thanks.
I’d expect any memorial to Ebert to come from University of Chicago, which he was involved with, rather than piggybacking on Siskel’s legacy with the Art Institute.
It depends on where the Ebert Foundation spends its money who will name something after him.
I think epbrown is likely to be right about U of C. Does anyone know yet what he arranged as far as his personal papers and writing? I would think there would be interest on the part of a university to have them.
And Dex is correct, Siskel’s family is very much still in the Chicago area. I consider myself very lucky to have become well acquainted with his wife several years and ago through my job. She is really a lovely lady and their kids strike me as being very delightful as well. The daughters are beautiful and his son bears a striking resemblance to his father. Knowing them and seeing how young they all are, his wife included, is a very sad reminder of how young he was when he passed.