After being on the air for over twenty years, it appears that the balcony has closed forever.  That’s right, the show originally created by Roger Ebert & Gene Siskel aired its final show ever on August 16, 2010.   

Created by Siskel & Ebert, the show has seen many changes throughout its history.   

Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert became household names with their thumbs up/thumbs down movie review style when they started in 1986.  The duo would continue to review movies together until Siskel’s untimely & unfortunate death in 1999.   

Richard Roeper would step in to become the new permanent cohost in 2000. 

Unfortunately, due to complications from thyroid cancer, Roger Ebert was forced to take a leave of absence from the show in 2006.  Little was he aware at the time that he would never be able to return to the show because of his difficulty speaking.  The show would continue with Michael Phillips cohosting until the show ended in 2008. 

The name At the Movies would continue on with two different hosts, two guys named Ben, Ben Lyons & Ben Mankiewicz.  The two Bens were eventually dropped from the show due to low ratings in 2009. 

Michael Phillips returned to the show with new cohost A.O. Scott.  Unfortunately, after being on the air for over twenty seasons, Disney announced that the show was being cancelled.   

Thank you Gene Siskel, Roger Ebert, Richard Roeper, Michael Phillips, Ben Lyons, Ben Mankiewicz, A.O. Scott, & everyone who was a part of At the Movies.   

The good news is, Roger Ebert & his wife are apparently planning on starting a new movie review show in the near future.     

The final movie ever reviewed was The Expendables.  A.O. Scott said rent it while Michael Phillips said skip it.

The balcony is closed.