Roger Ebert Dead: Legendary Film Critic and Pulitzer Prize Winner Dies at 70

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the longtime employer of the legendary film critic, Roger Ebert has died today at the age of 70 years old. Ebert had fought a perilous battle with cancer throughout his life. He was regularly treated for salivary gland cancer, thyroid cancer and cancer of the jawbone. Eventually, he lost his jaw and his ability to talk. This however did not slow the critic whom some describe as a poet to slow down. He continued his work despite setbacks, right up until the end of his life.

He reviewed nearly 200 movies a year for the Chicago Sun-Times, eventually becoming arguably the most powerful movie critic in the history of the medium. Ebert also authored 15 books, contributed to magazines and was an inspiring teacher and lecturer at the University of Chicago. Also, in 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism, which was the "first such criticism prize to be awarded for film criticism by the Pulitzers."

Towards the end of his life, Ebert kept a blog. Here is an exceprt:

"At this point in my life, in addition to writing about movies, I may write about what it's like to cope with health challenges and the limitations they can force upon you. It really stinks that the cancer has returned and that I have spent too many days in the hospital. So on bad days I may write about the vulnerability that accompanies illness. On good days, I may wax ecstatic about a movie so good it transports me beyond illness."

Roger Ebert became a household name when he and then-rival Gene Siskel were paired up for a movie review show that was eventually titled "Siskel and Ebert at the Movies." Siskel died at the age of 53 years old in 1999. Ebert considered him a brother.

Ebert was planning on hosting the 15th annual Roger Ebert's Film Festival later this month in his hometown of Champaign-Urbana.