It is with great sadness we announce that Eugene Kal Siskel professionally known as Gene Siskel an American film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune passed away on February 20, 1999. His fans want to know about his cause of death. In this post, you will get all the information related to it.
What is Gene Siskel’s Cause of Death?
Gene Siskel has passed away after suffering from a Brain tumor. On May 8, 1998, Siskel was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Three days later, brain surgery was performed on him.
For a few weeks after the surgery he did the Siskel & Ebert show on the telephone from his hospital bed. After his recuperation, Siskel ultimately made a comeback to the studio, but others noticed that he seemed more calm and listless than normal.
He said on February 3, 1999, taking a leave of absence from the show that he planned to return by the fall, adding, “I’m in a hurry to get well because I don’t want Roger to get more screen time than I.”
Suddenly he passed away on February 20, 1999. The North Suburban Synagogue Beth El hosted his burial two days later. He is buried in Norridge, Illinois, at Westlawn Cemetery. Have a look at Gene Siskel’s journey in the below paragraphs.
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A Look at the Journey of Film Critic “Gene Siskel”
Siskel was the son of Nathan William Siskel and Ida and he was born in Chicago. His parents immigrated as Russian Jews. Siskel was raised by his aunt and uncle after losing both of his parents when he was a young boy. He moved in with them when he was nine years old.
After attending Culver Academies, he studied writing under Pulitzer Prize–winning author John Hersey at Yale University, where he earned a philosophy degree in 1967. In 1969, Hersey’s reference helped him land a job at the Chicago Tribune.
His most well-known role has been co-hosting a number of television movie review shows alongside colleague Roger Ebert. In 1969, Siskel began contributing to the Chicago Tribune, where he quickly rose to the position of film critic.
He and Roger Ebert co-hosted the monthly program Opening Soon at a Theater Near You, which broadcast locally on PBS member station WTTW, in 1975. The program was expanded to weekly episodes and broadcast on PBS affiliates across the country in 1978 when it was renamed Sneak Previews.
Siskel and Ebert both departed Sneak Previews in 1982 to start At the Movies, a syndicated program. Siskel and Ebert formed Siskel & Ebert & the Movies (later renamed Siskel & Ebert in 1987 and again multiple times following Siskel’s passing) after a contract disagreement with Tribune Entertainment in 1986 led to their signing with Buena Vista Television.
Siskel and Ebert rose to fame in American popular culture thanks to their scathing humor, fierce professional rivalry, passionate disagreements and signature “Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down” movie rating system. As Ebert’s professional colleague, Siskel continued to be well-known until his death on February 20, 1999, at the age of 53.
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