Roger Ebert, Legendary Film Critic, Dies At 70 After Battle With Cancer

The Chicago-Sun Times is reporting that legendary film critic Roger Ebert has died at age 70 after a long battle with cancer. Ebert reviewed movies for the Chicago Sun-Times for 46 and famously on television for 31 years. He was by far the most prominent and influential film critic in the nation, if not the world.

For the past decade Ebert has been battling cancers of the thyroid and salivary gland which has kept him in poor health. Back in 2006, he lost part of his lower jaw, restricting his ability to speak or eat. Even after being faced with a circumstance that would keep most men out of the public eye, Ebert refused to live in hiding. He embraced his illness, and by doing so, he garnered an entirely new generation of admiration.

Earlier this week we reported that Ebert blogged about his cancer coming back after he suffered a hip fracture back in December.

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.

His groundbreaking television program "Coming Soon To A Theater Near You" debuted in 1975 with fellow movie critic Gene Siskel. It was then that the world was introduced to the legendary tandem of 'Siskel & Ebert.' In addition to his wide popularity and many accolades, Ebert was also very tech savvy, being one of the early investors in Google.

Roger Ebert made an impact on the world through his profession and everyone in and around it, sometimes using only his thumbs. He is survived by his wife, a step-daughter and two step-grandchildren.

[via Chicago-Sun Times]