Roger Joseph Ebert
- Born:
- June 18, 1942, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Died:
- April 4, 2013, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Film Critic, Journalist, Author, Screenwriter
Early Life and Education
- Graduated from Urbana High School in 1960.
- Earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1964, where he was editor of The Daily Illini.
- Briefly attended graduate school at the University of Cape Town on a Rotary Scholarship.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began writing for The News-Gazette of Champaign-Urbana while in high school.
- Joined the Chicago Sun-Times in 1966 as a copy editor.
- Became the Chicago Sun-Times' film critic in 1967.
- Won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 1975.
- Co-hosted the nationally syndicated film review show Sneak Previews (later At the Movies) with Gene Siskel from 1975 until Siskel's death in 1999.
- Continued the show with various co-hosts, including Richard Roeper, until 2010 under the title Ebert & Roeper.
- Maintained a highly influential online presence through his website, rogerebert.com.
- Authored numerous books on film and culture.
Notable Works
Books:
- Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook (Annual compilation of reviews)
- I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie
- Life Itself: A Memoir
- The Great Movies series (multiple volumes)
Filmography (Screenwriter):
- Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)
- Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens (1979)
Legacy and Impact
Roger Ebert revolutionized film criticism by bringing insightful analysis and engaging commentary to a wide audience through his writing, television appearances, and online presence. His passionate advocacy for quality filmmaking and his ability to articulate the power of cinema made him one of the most respected and influential voices in the field. Information regarding the details of his career, life and work can be found in sources like the Roger Ebert biography imdb database entry.