With Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert becoming house hold names their popularity forced the duo to move from public TV and commercial TV. Tribune who Ebert worked for was ready willing and able to bring not only Ebert but his TV partner Siskel as well, along with their weekly discussions about current movies playing. The show was titled "At the Movies" which was taken from their closing while they were working for WTTW-TV, their local PBS outlet who got them started.
"At The Movies" was the show that introduced the viewers to their "Thumbs Up/Down" trademark, but it not become popular during the years at Tribune but rather when Siskel & Ebert made to move to Disney which they eventually did. They took the Thumbs but could not take the "At the Movies" phase in tow.
Tribune replaced them with Rex Reed and Bill Harris. The later would be replaced by female movie critic named Dixie Whatley. At the Movies however ran out of gas quickly than Sneak Previews did. The programming was really more of a stepping stone for Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert and their rise to fame.
You have to give the show credit for putting Siskel and Ebert in the original opening of the program, in which both wait in line with other people to go to a show. Best part is when one has a briefcase with refreshments inside. The other goes for notes from a vending machine. Then both quietly go up to the balcony (It's closed), and then take their usual places in begin their show.
