R.I.P. Roger Ebert

A great film critic and a champion of filmmakers has died.

On Thursday the Chicago Sun-Times reported, “It is with heavy hearts that we report our legendary film critic Roger Ebert has passed away at the age of 70.”

On Tuesday, Mr. Ebert blogged that he had suffered a recurrence of cancer following a hip fracture suffered in December, and would be taking “a leave of presence.” In the blog essay, Ebert wrote “I am not going away. My intent is to continue to write selected reviews but to leave the rest to a talented team of writers hand-picked and greatly admired by me.”

Read the Sun-Times’ story here as well as the NY Times’ here.

Chaz Ebert issued the following statement Thursday about the passing of her husband, Roger Ebert:

“I am devastated by the loss of my love, Roger — my husband, my friend, my confidante and oh-so-brilliant partner of over 20 years. He fought a courageous fight. I’ve lost the love of my life and the world has lost a visionary and a creative and generous spirit who touched so many people all over the world. We had a lovely, lovely life together, more beautiful and epic than a movie. It had its highs and the lows, but was always experienced with good humor, grace and a deep abiding love for each other.

“Roger was a beloved husband, stepfather to Sonia and Jay, and grandfather to Raven, Emil, Mark and Joseph. Just yesterday he was saying how his grandchildren were “the best things in my life.” He was happy and radiating satisfaction over the outpouring of responses to his blog about his 46th year as a film critic. But he was also getting tired of his fight with cancer, and said if this takes him, he has lived a great and full life.

“We were getting ready to go home today for hospice care, when he looked at us, smiled, and passed away. No struggle, no pain, just a quiet, dignified transition.

“We are touched by all the kindness and the outpouring of love we’ve received. And I want to echo what Roger said in his last blog, thank you for going on this journey with us.”

SOURCE: Chaz Ebert

Every Movie Geek growing up in the ’70’s and ’80’s cut their cinema teeth by watching the weekly review show “Sneak Previews“.  Known for their “thumbs up/thumbs down” reviews, Roger Ebert, film critic from the Chicago Sun-Times and Gene Siskel, film critic from the Chicago Tribune, hosted the long running show. It was renamed “Siskel and Ebert and The Movies” and later “At the Movies with Ebert and Roeper”.

In 1998, Siskel underwent surgery for a cancerous brain tumor. He announced on Wednesday, February 3, 1999, that he was taking a leave of absence but that he expected to be back by the fall, writing “I’m in a hurry to get well because I don’t want Roger to get more screen time than I”. On Saturday, February 20, 1999, Siskel died from complications of another surgery at the age of 53. (NY Times).

The true originators of the Top 10 list, watch as Siskel and Ebert discussed the worst films of 1983 and 3D.

Sadly, Ebert died a day after he celebrated his 46th year at the Chicago Sun-Times. In his April 2nd post, A Leave of Presence, the Pulitzer Prize-winner concluded with…

“Thank you for going on this journey with me. I’ll see you at the movies.”