Joel Siegel
For over two decades, his cheerful, accessible film reviews on morning television shaped how America decided what movies to see.
1943–2007 (age 64)·American film critic·Birthday: July 7·The Silent Generation
Biography
Joel Siegel was the friendly face of film criticism for a generation of Americans who woke up with Good Morning America. His path to the critic's chair was anything but direct; he started as a radio DJ and a sharp-witted advertising copywriter in New York, skills that honed his knack for concise, memorable phrasing. When he joined ABC in the early 1980s, he brought a populist, unpretentious energy to movie reviews, understanding that for most viewers, a film was an investment of time and money, not just art. His segments were less academic lectures and more trusted advice from a knowledgeable friend. Beyond the screen, Siegel was a fierce advocate for cancer research after his own diagnosis, co-founding the charity 'Gilda's Club' in honor of his friend Gilda Radner. His legacy is that of a critic who demystified cinema for the mainstream, making him a household name in a field often dominated by insiders.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Joel was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Joel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Joel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 60
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2007Died at 64
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Served as the primary film critic for ABC's Good Morning America for more than 25 years, reaching millions of daily viewers.
- Won multiple Emmy Awards for his on-air reporting and commentary.
- Co-founded the cancer support community Gilda's Club, named for comedian Gilda Radner.
- Authored the book 'Lessons for Dylan: From Father to Son' following his cancer diagnosis.
Did You Know?
He wrote advertising copy for Broadway shows, including the famous tagline for 'Annie': 'Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow!'
He was a close friend of comedian Gilda Radner and was with her the night she met her future husband, Gene Wilder.
He worked as a radio disc jockey under the name 'Joel Southern' early in his career.
“A critic is someone who enters the battlefield after the war is over and shoots the wounded.”
