Fan Seeks $230,000 for Siskel and Ebert Statue
Pam Kasper is leading a fundraising effort and auction to bring a bronze tribute to the critics to Chicago.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Pam Kasper is raising $230,000 for a bronze statue of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert in Chicago, with the support of the critics' widows. To help fund the effort, Kasper has gathered more than 300 items, many signed, for an auction.
Why it matters
The statue would recognize that Siskel and Ebert remained in Chicago, raised their families there, and kept their newspaper jobs there despite their national fame. The project ties a local legacy to a broader film-criticism heritage.
The effort seeks $230,000 for the bronze statue, supported by an auction of more than 300 items, many signed. The source does not report how much of the goal has been raised so far.
The players
Pam Kasper
Kasper is leading the effort to raise $230,000 for the statue and is also developing a documentary about Siskel and Ebert.
Christopher Knight
Knight, who played Peter Brady on The Brady Bunch, is set to guide the Los Angeles house tour offered in the auction.
The details
Kasper gathered auction items with help from her collector boyfriend, including signed posters from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, along with a Sound of Music poster signed by the entire cast. The auction also offers a guided tour of The Brady Bunch house in Los Angeles led by Christopher Knight, and Kasper is developing a documentary about Siskel and Ebert.
Timeline
The statue could be unveiled in Chicago in 2028 if auction proceeds and corporate and public sponsor funds come through.
Market Landscape
Siskel and Ebert's television partnership, which ran from Chicago, helped define modern film criticism as a popular TV format. A bronze tribute in Chicago would anchor that legacy to the city where the show was produced.
Chicago residents and film fans can attend or contribute to the auction and fundraising effort, which will shape whether the statue is completed. The Los Angeles Brady Bunch house tour offered in the auction gives bidders a direct way to take part.
The takeaway
Local legacies like the Siskel and Ebert partnership can be preserved through community fundraising, and readers who value Chicago's cultural history can support efforts like this directly through auctions and sponsorships.
What happens next
If the auction and sponsor funding come through, the statue could be unveiled in Chicago in 2028.
Further reading
For more on how donors back civic memorials, explore Philanthropy coverage tied to Chicago.
Source note: This article includes information reported by abc13 News.
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