It was a hot day in Los Angeles, made more so by the pushing crowd on Hollywood Boulevard. But made less so because once again I was able to stand in the shadow of an old friend and former colleague, Roger Ebert.
This was Roger’s day, the day to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 2,288th person to get one, but the first critic to be so honored; just as he was the first movie critic to receive a Pulitzer Prize.
It was an eclectic gathering, long-time pals from Chicago, actors and directors and cinematographers, folks involved in Roger’s film festival that highlights his selection of overlooked films of the year, and, behind the barriers, fans who just wanted to share this moment.
And it was a day to remember, to think back to those years at the Chicago Sun Times before Rupert Murdoch.
After five decades in newsrooms and working with hundreds of wonderful journalists, few stand out as much as Roger when it comes to combining his talent with productivity and sensitivity and a constant search for the next level. Remember, this is a guy who makes much more money on television than he does writing for newspapers. His Hollywood star has a TV set on it.
But Roger has never forgotten who he is. He has never forgotten his roots. He started as a newspaper critic 38 years ago, christened as a critic in his early twenties. And at least 10,000 movies later, he still is a newspaper critic, albeit one who is now stopped for autographs because of his television gig. He has written that occasionally people ask if he will someday give up print reviews. “That will never happen,” he answers.
In a short biography, Roger wrote this: “In print, the breadth of the influence is harder to measure, but I think it may run a little deeper, because a written review holds the attention longer and more stubbornly. If I value television because it allows me to exchange views with a colleague I respect, I value print because it allows me to be uninterrupted.”
And after all these years, in print and on TV, all those years of sitting in the dark, he is still in love with movies.
That was so obvious as he accepted this latest honor, talking about the things moviegoers can share, the ability to be able to walk in the shoes of others unlike us, to be able to understand someone else’s world, to be able to escape for a short time the reality of our own lives.
And speaker after speaker praised Roger for his intellect, for his contributions to the role of independent filmmakers, and thanked him for the boost that his praise had given their careers.
Thumbs up or thumbs down. Roger’s thumb, along with his original TV partner, the late Gene Siskel, became one of the two most powerful thumbs in the entertainment world.
Yet, he was one of the easiest people to deal with in the newsroom. Maybe it was because his copy was always clean and crisp and on time. And unlike a number of critics, he not only didn’t mind doing interview pieces and profiles, he excelled in them.
I also don’t want to forget this terrific perk of being the Sun Times managing editor: Every once in a while, Roger would invite me to join him for a screening of a new film. First thing would be a stop at the popcorn shop to purchase a bag of caramel corn, even though I am sure the new slim Roger who walks 10,000 steps each day doesn’t do that anymore. Then we went to the private screening room above the beautiful Chicago Theater with those big seats and no one talking during the movie. Just Roger and Gene taking silent notes.
Now that’s a movie lover’s dream come true.
And if one of the main qualities that readers expect of a critic is consistency, Roger is a model in that category. He judges each movie in the context of its genre. A Disney movie is a Disney movie, not a Fellini movie. And vice versa.
Readers and viewers trust him. He recently was in Sacramento and person after person walked past him in the restaurant where we were having dinner and said in various ways, “I never go to a movie until I have seen what you think about it.”
Heady stuff for a reviewer, indeed. But Roger, as always, wears his celebrity well. Just as he did in L.A. when his star was unveiled. Thirty-eight years later, he’s still the smart kid from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, who became a movie critic.
There was only one problem with the ceremony. I would have given him four stars.
CORRECTION: Champaign-Urbana was misspelled in an earlier version of this article.
