New 'At the Movies' co-hosts named

BURBANK, Calif., July 22 (UPI) -- Critics Ben Lyons and Ben Mankiewicz have been named the new hosts of "At The Movies," the long-running U.S. film review program, it was announced Tuesday.

This follows the announcement that Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert and his co-host Richard Roeper left the weekly television series, Disney-ABC Television said.

Lyons and Mankiewicz are to begin their duties as co-hosts when the show's new season begins the weekend of Sept. 6.

Lyons' father is film critic Jeffrey Lyons and his grandfather was New York Post columnist Leonard Lyons. Mankiewicz's grandfather Herman Mankiewicz won an Oscar for writing the screenplay for "Citizen Kane" and his great uncle Joseph Mankiewicz won four Oscars for writing and directing "All About Eve" and "A Letter to Three Wives."

Ben Lyons is best known as E! Entertainment's resident film expert, while Ben Mankiewicz has been a popular host for Turner Classic Movies for five years.

"I am incredibly excited to be involved with such a prestigious show," Lyons said in a statement. "Reviewing films for a living is a thrill and, now that I will be a critic for 'At the Movies,' it is an honor and huge responsibility that I look forward to."

"I am thrilled and honored beyond words to be joining the series," added Mankiewicz. "As a movie fanatic, this is my dream job. Without question, I certainly have very big shoes to fill."