Roger Ebert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roger Ebert
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Roger Ebert in 2007
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| Born | Roger Joseph Ebert June 18, 1942 Urbana, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | April 4, 2013 (aged 70) Streeterville, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Resting place | Graceland Cemetery, Uptown, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author, journalist, film historian, film critic, screenwriter |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | American |
| Education | Urbana High School |
| Alma mater | University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Period | 1967–2013 |
| Subject | Movies |
| Notable works | The Great Movies; The Great Movies II; Beyond the Valley of the Dolls; Life Itself: A Memoir |
| Notable awards | Pulitzer Prize for Criticism |
| Spouse | Chaz Hammelsmith Ebert (m. July 18, 1992 – April 4, 2013, his death) |
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Roger Joseph Ebert (born June 18, 1942 – died April 4, 2013) was a famous American movie critic. He wrote movie reviews for the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper starting in 1967. He continued writing reviews until he passed away in 2013.
Ebert became very well-known for his movie reviews on television. He helped make watching movie reviews on TV popular across the country. He was 70 years old when he died.
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About Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert was born on June 18, 1942, in Urbana, Illinois. His parents were Annabel and Walter H. Ebert. He grew up in a Catholic family. He went to St. Mary's elementary school and was an altarboy.
Ebert studied at Urbana High School. He also went to the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He later lived in Chicago, Illinois.
Ebert's Career as a Critic
Roger Ebert started his job as a professional movie critic in 1967. He wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper. In the same year, his first book was published. It was about the history of the University of Illinois.
In 1969, one of his movie reviews was printed in Reader's Digest magazine. He also taught a night class about movies at the University of Chicago.
Working with Gene Siskel
In 1975, Ebert teamed up with another movie critic, Gene Siskel. Siskel wrote for the Chicago Tribune. They started a weekly TV show called Sneak Previews. It was made by a local TV station in Chicago.
The show became very popular and was shown across the country by PBS in 1978. Later, they moved to a new show called At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. In 1986, they created Siskel & Ebert & The Movies.
Ebert and Siskel were famous for their "thumbs up/thumbs down" reviews. If they both liked a movie, they would give it "Two Thumbs Up." This phrase became very well-known.
After Gene Siskel died in 1999, Ebert continued the show with different guest hosts. In 2000, Richard Roeper became his permanent co-host. The show was then called At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper.
Ebert's TV Shows
Roger Ebert was the co-host of the TV show Ebert and Roeper. Before that, it was called Siskel and Ebert. On the show, he and another critic would talk about new movies.
Ebert stopped appearing on the show in mid-2006. This was because of health problems after surgery. He was not able to speak for a while. Experts later made a special device that allowed him to "speak" by typing. He called this device "Sir Olivier."
Ebert left the show in 2008. However, he later started a new show called Ebert Presents at the Movies in 2011. He appeared in a short part of the show called "Roger's Office."
In 2013, it was announced that Richard Roeper would take over as the main movie critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Roger Ebert's Favorite Movies
Roger Ebert often said his favorite movie was Citizen Kane. He also joked that his real favorite movie was La Dolce Vita. His favorite actor was Robert Mitchum, and his favorite actress was Ingrid Bergman.
He made lists of his "best of the year" movies. Here are some of his top choices over the years:
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Ebert sometimes changed his mind about movies over time. For example, he ranked E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial high in 1982. It was still one of his top movies of the 1980s later on.
Awards and Honors
In 1975, Roger Ebert made history. He became the first movie critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. This is a very important award for writers.
In 2005, he received another special honor. He became the first movie critic to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a famous sidewalk in Hollywood, California, with stars for celebrities.
People in his hometown of Champaign, Illinois, are trying to raise money for a statue to honor him. In 2014, a documentary movie about his life called Life Itself was released. Many people liked the movie.
Roger Ebert's Personal Life
Roger Ebert was married to Chaz Hammelsmith. They got married on July 18, 1992. They stayed married until his death in 2013. They did not have any children. Roger and Chaz lived in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois.
He was a supporter of the Democratic Party. He was also an agnostic, meaning he wasn't sure about the existence of God. In 2011, he won a caption contest in The New Yorker magazine. He had tried to win for a long time.
Ebert's Health Challenges
In 2002, Ebert was diagnosed with a type of thyroid cancer. Doctors successfully removed the cancer. He had more surgeries in 2003 for cancer in his salivary gland. This changed his voice a little.
Even with his health problems, Ebert kept reviewing movies. He did not miss any movie openings while he was getting treatment. The cancer made it hard for him to speak and he used a wheelchair. As mentioned, he used a special computer that spoke for him.
He also had some falls that caused broken bones. In 2008 and 2012, he broke his hip.
Roger Ebert's Passing
Roger Ebert passed away from cancer on April 4, 2013. He was 70 years old. He had been battling cancer for 11 years. He died at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
His wife, Chaz, said that he smiled at them just before he passed away. His last blog post, written two days before he died, ended with a touching message: "I'll see you at the movies."
His Funeral and Tributes
Many people attended his funeral in Chicago on April 8, 2013. Important people like Pat Quinn (the governor) and Rahm Emanuel (the mayor) were there. His co-host, Richard Roeper, also attended. They remembered him as a great film critic and a kind person.
A large public event called Roger Ebert: A Celebration of Life was held on April 11, 2013. It took place at the Chicago Theatre. There were speeches, videos, and music. It was a mix of laughter and sadness.
Reactions to His Death
Many famous people shared their thoughts when Roger Ebert died. President Barack Obama said that Roger "could capture the unique power of the movies." He added that "The movies won't be the same without Roger."
Actor Robert Redford called Ebert "one of the great champions of freedom of artistic expression." Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg both said his death was the "end of an era." Spielberg also said Ebert's reviews "went far deeper than simply thumbs up or thumbs down."
Images for kids
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Roger Ebert (right) with Russ Meyer in 1970
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Ebert and his wife Chaz Hammelsmith Ebert (left) giving the thumbs up to Nancy Kwan (right) at the Hawaii International Film Festival on October 20, 2010
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A statue of Ebert giving his 'thumbs up' outside the Virginia Theatre in Champaign, Illinois
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See also
In Spanish: Roger Ebert para niños
