Roger Ebert Dies at 70 Following Battle with Cancer

Ebert experienced health problems over the past ten years, suffering illnesses including thyroid cancer and cancer of the salivary gland. In 2006 he lost part of his lower jaw, but — as his obituary in the Sun-Times points out — it didn’t drive him out of the spotlight.

President Obama, also from Chicago, released a statement on Ebert’s passing:

Michelle and I are saddened to hear about the passing of Roger Ebert. For a generation of Americans – and especially Chicagoans – Roger was the movies. When he didn’t like a film, he was honest; when he did, he was effusive – capturing the unique power of the movies to take us somewhere magical. Even amidst his own battles with cancer, Roger was as productive as he was resilient – continuing to share his passion and perspective with the world. The movies won’t be the same without Roger, and our thoughts and prayers are with Chaz and the rest of the Ebert family.

Many may not know, but Ebert was an early investor in Google and believed in the power of the Internet to share his messages — especially through his site on rogerebert.com.

The acclaimed writer enjoyed wide and varied accolades, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1975 and was added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005. He also won a Webby “Person of the Year” award in 2010 for special achievement.

Fresh off the heels of his Pulitzer, Ebert launched his television show — along with Gene Siskel (who died in 1999) — the same year he was honored with the esteemed writing award. It started as a local Chicago show, but its popularity eventually pushed it into the national spotlight, making the duo’s famed “thumbs up, thumbs down” a household gesture.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *