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{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->

| name = Roger Ebert

| image = Roger Ebert (extract) by Roger Ebert.jpg

| imagesize = 250px

| caption = Ebert in 1970

| birth_name = Roger Joseph Ebert

| birth_date = {{birth date|1942|6|18|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = [[Urbana, Illinois|Urbana]], [[Illinois]], U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2013|4|4|1942|6|18|mf=yes}}

| death_place = [[Chicago]], Illinois, U.S.

| parents = {{Unbulleted list

| Walter H. Ebert

| Annabel Ebert (née Stumm)

}}

| occupation = {{Unbulleted list

| [[Author]]

| [[Journalist]]

| [[Film historian]]

| [[Film critic]]

| [[Screenwriter]]

}}

| nationality = [[United States|American]]

| education = [[Urbana High School (Illinois)|Urbana High School]]

| alma_mater = {{Unbulleted list

| [[University of Chicago]]

| [[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]]

}}

| language = [[English language|English]]

| home_town = [[Chicago]], Illinois, U.S.

| party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]

| period = 1967–2013

| subject = [[Film]]

| notableworks = {{Unbulleted list

| ''The Great Movies''

| ''The Great Movies II''

| ''Beyond the Valley of the Dolls''

| ''Life Itself: A Memoir''

}}

| spouse = Chaz Hammelsmith Ebert<ref name=SunTimesObit>{{cite news|last=Steinberg|first=Neil|title=Roger Ebert dies at 70 after battle with cancer|url=http://www.suntimes.com/17320958-761/roger-ebert-dies-at-70-after-battle-with-cancer.html|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|date=April 4, 2013}}</ref><br>(1992–2013; Roger's death)

| influenced = {{Unbulleted list

| [[A. O. Scott]]<ref>[[A.O. Scott]]. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/movies/13scot.html?_r=1 "Roger Ebert, the Critic Behind the Thumb"] ''[[The New York Times]]'' April 13, 2008</ref>

| [[Richard Corliss]]<ref name="Corliss"/>

| [[James Berardinelli]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reelviews.net/reelthoughts.php|title=Reelviews Movie Reviews |publisher=Reelviews.net|date=May 10, 2012 |accessdate=June 11, 2012}}</ref>

| [[Michael Phillips (critic)|Michael Phillips]]<ref>[http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/atm/web_exclusives.html BVentertainment.go.com]{{dead link|date=July 2011}}</ref>

| [[Will Leitch]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Leitch|first=Will|url=http://deadspin.com/5482198/my-roger-ebert-story|title=My Roger Ebert Story|publisher=Deadspin.com|date=March 1, 2010|accessdate=July 18, 2012}}</ref>

| [[Harry Knowles]]<ref>[[Knowles, Harry]]. [http://www.aintitcool.com/node/44670 "Why my friend, Roger Ebert is dead wrong about KICK ASS"] [[Ain't It Cool News]]; April 15, 2010</ref>

| [[David Bordwell]]<ref>Ebert, Roger. ''Awake in the Dark: The Best of Roger Ebert'' (ISBN 0-226-18200-2). The University of Chicago Press, 2006. Foreword p.xiii-xix</ref>

| [[That Guy with the Glasses|Doug Walker]]<ref>Walker, Doug (November 10, 2009). [http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/13453-sande "Siskel and Ebert"]. That Guy with the Glasses.</ref>

| [[Jackson Murphy]]<ref>Murphy, Jackson (April 4, 2013). [http://lights-camera-jackson.com/roger-me.php "Roger & Me"]</ref>

| [[Dan Schneider (writer)|Dan Schneider]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Ebert |first=Roger |url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/12/who_do_you_read.html |title=Who do you read? Good Roger, or Bad Roger? - Roger Ebert's Journal |publisher=Blogs.suntimes.com |date= |accessdate=April 5, 2013}}</ref>

}}

| awards = [[Pulitzer Prize for Criticism]]

| website = http://www.rogerebert.com/

| portaldisp =

}}

'''Roger Joseph Ebert''' ({{IPAc-en|icon|ˈ|iː|b|ər|t}}; June 18, 1942&nbsp;– April 4, 2013) was an American [[journalism|journalist]], [[film criticism|film critic]], and [[screenwriter]]. He was a film critic for the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' from 1967 until his death.<ref name="site">{{cite web|url=http://www.rogerebert.com |title=RogerEbert.com |publisher=RogerEbert.com |date=October 13, 2004 |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref> In 1975, he was the first film critic to win the [[Pulitzer Prize for Criticism]], an award given to newspaper writers.<ref name="Salt Lake Tribune death"/> As of 2010, his reviews were [[print syndication|syndicated]] to more than 200 newspapers in the United States and abroad. Ebert also published more than 20 books and dozens of collections of reviews.

Ebert and ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' critic [[Gene Siskel]] helped popularize nationally televised film reviewing when they co-hosted the [[PBS]] show ''[[Sneak Previews]]'', followed by several variously named ''At the Movies'' programs. The two verbally sparred and traded humorous barbs while discussing films. They created and trademarked the phrase "Two Thumbs Up," used when both hosts gave the same film a positive review. After Siskel died in 1999, Ebert continued hosting the show with [[Richard Roeper]]. In 2005, Ebert became the first film critic to receive a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].<ref name="Salt Lake Tribune death">{{cite news|last=Rousseau|first=Caryn|title=Roger Ebert, first movie critic to win Pulitzer, dies at 70|url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment2/56107300-223/ebert-movie-siskel-chicago.html.csp|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|date=April 4, 2013}}</ref>

Ebert lived with cancer of the [[Papillary thyroid cancer|thyroid]] and [[salivary gland cancer|salivary gland]]s from 2002. Surgical complications in 2006 left him unable to eat or speak, but he continued writing in print and online. He died on April 4, 2013.<ref name=SunTimesObit/>

[[Neil Steinberg]] of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' said Ebert "was without question the nation’s most prominent and influential film critic",<ref name=SunTimesObit/> Tom Van Riper of ''[[Forbes]]'' described him as "the most powerful [[pundit]] in America",<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/2007/09/21/pundit-americas-top-oped-cx_tvr_0924pundits.html|title=The Top Pundits in America|publisher=[[Forbes]]|accessdate=December 9, 2008|author=Riper, Tom Van|date=September 24, 2007|work=Forbes}}</ref> and [[Kenneth Turan]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' called him "the best known film critic in America".<ref name="LA Times death Turan">{{cite news|last=Turan|first=Kenneth|title=Remembrance: Roger Ebert, film's hero to the end|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-roger-ebert-appreciation-20130405,0,669989.story|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=April 4, 2013}}</ref>

==Early life and education==

Roger Joseph Ebert<ref name=YouTubeInterview>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTYVnuKnJNo "Roger Ebert - Archive Interview Part 1 of 3 "]. [[YouTube]]. May 20, 2008. Retrieved June 7, 2012.</ref> was born in [[Urbana, Illinois]], the only child of Annabel (née Stumm),<ref name=parents/><ref>[http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3069000035.html "Ebert, Roger (R. Hyde, Reinhold Timme)"]. encyclopedia.com. Retrieved April 4, 2013.</ref> a bookkeeper,<ref name=SunTimesObit/> and Walter H. Ebert,<ref name=parents>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/91/Roger-Ebert.html |title=Biography of Roger Ebert |publisher=Film Reference|accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref> an electrician.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110119/REVIEWS/110119984/1001|author=Roger Ebert|title=The Company Men|publisher=rogerebert.com|date=January 19, 2011 }}</ref><ref name=ChicagoMag/> He was raised [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]], attending St. Mary's elementary school and serving as an [[altarboy]] in Urbana.<ref name=ChicagoMag/>

His paternal grandparents were [[Germans|German]] [[German immigration to the United States|immigrants]]<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20020412/REVIEWS/204120305/1023 Ebert's review of ''Maryam''] (April 12, 2002)</ref> and his maternal ancestry was German, Dutch, and Irish.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/05/_i_interrupt_my_regularly.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|title=Oh, say, can you wear?}}</ref><ref>Ebert, Roger (February 22, 2013). [http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2013/02/what_was_my_aunt_martha_trying.html "What was my Aunt Martha trying to ask me?"] ''Chicago Sun-Times''.</ref> Ebert's interest in journalism began when he was a student at [[Urbana High School (Illinois)|Urbana High School]], where he was a sports writer for ''The News-Gazette'' in [[Champaign, Illinois]]; however, he began his writing career with letters of comment to the [[science fiction fanzine]]s of the era.<ref name="site"/> He became involved in [[science fiction fandom]],<ref>See his autobiographical essay in [[Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine]], [http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0501/thoughtexperiments.shtml "Thought Experiments: How Propeller-Heads, BNFs, Sercon Geeks, Newbies, Recovering GAFIAtors, and Kids in the Basements Invented the World Wide Web, All Except for the Delivery System."]</ref> writing articles for [[fanzine]]s, including [[Richard A. Lupoff]]'s ''[[Xero (SF fanzine)|Xero]]''. In his senior year, he was class president and editor-in-chief of his [[Student newspaper|high school newspaper]], ''The Echo''.<ref name=ChicagoMag/> In 1958, he won the [[Illinois High School Association]] state [[Individual events (speech)|speech]] championship in "radio speaking", an event that simulates radio newscasts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ihsa.org/SportsActivities/IndividualEvents/RecordsHistory.aspx?url=/data/ie/records/index.htm |title=Roger Ebert in the IHSA list of state speech champions, 1957-58 |publisher=Ihsa.org |accessdate=5 April 2013}}</ref>

Regarding his early influences in film criticism, Ebert wrote in the 1998 parody collection ''Mad About the Movies'':

:"I learned to be a movie critic by reading [[Mad (magazine)|''Mad'']] magazine... ''Mad'''s parodies made me aware of the machine inside the skin&nbsp;– of the way a movie might look original on the outside, while inside it was just recycling the same old dumb formulas. I did not read the magazine, I plundered it for clues to the universe. [[Pauline Kael]] lost it at the movies; I lost it at ''Mad'' magazine."<ref>Foreword to ''Mad About the Movies'', Mad Books, 1998, ISBN 1-56389-459-9</ref>

Ebert began taking classes at the [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign]] as an early entrance student, completing his high school courses while also taking his first university class.<ref>Ebert, Roger. Life Itself: A Memoir. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2011. p. 91.</ref> After graduating from Urbana High School in 1960, Ebert then attended and received his undergraduate degree. While at the University of Illinois, Ebert worked as a reporter for the ''[[Daily Illini]]'' and then served as its editor during his senior year while also continuing to work as a reporter for the ''News-Gazette'' of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois (he had begun at the ''News-Gazette'' at age 15 covering Urbana High School sports).<ref>Ebert, Roger. ''Life Itself: A Memoir''. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2011. p. 30.</ref> As an undergraduate, he was a member of the [[Phi Delta Theta]] fraternity and president of the U.S. Student Press Association at Illinois.<ref>Ebert, Roger. ''Life Itself: A Memoir''. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2011. pp. 92, 96.</ref> One of the first movie reviews he ever wrote was a review of ''[[La Dolce Vita]]'', published in ''The Daily Illini'' in October 1961.<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19611004/REVIEWS/50809001/1023 ''La Dolce Vita'' @ rogerebert.com], October 4, 1961.</ref>

After receiving his undergraduate degree from Illinois in 1964, Ebert spent a semester as a master's student in the department of English there before attending the [[University of Cape Town]] on a Rotary fellowship for a year.<ref>Ebert, Roger. ''Life Itself: A Memoir''. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2011. p.96.</ref> He returned from Cape Town to his graduate studies at Illinois for two more semesters and then, after being accepted as a PhD candidate at the [[University of Chicago]], he prepared to move to [[Chicago]]. He needed a job to support himself while he worked on his doctorate and so applied to the ''Chicago Daily News'', hoping that, as he had already sold freelance pieces to the ''Daily News'', including an article on the death of writer [[Brendan Behan]], he would be hired by editor Herman Kogan. Instead Kogan referred Ebert to the city editor at the ''Chicago Sun-Times,'' [[James F. Hoge, Jr.|Jim Hoge]], who hired Ebert as a reporter and feature writer at the ''Sun-Times'' in 1966.<ref>Ebert, Roger. ''Life Itself: A Memoir''. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2011. p. 139.</ref> He attended doctoral classes at the University of Chicago while working as a general reporter at the ''Sun-Times'' for a year. After movie critic Eleanor Keane left the ''Sun-Times'' in April 1967, editor Robert Zonk gave the job to Ebert.<ref>"Ebert named film critic." Chicago Sun-Times, April 5, 1967, p. 57.</ref> The load of graduate school and being a film critic proved too much, so Ebert left the University of Chicago to focus his energies on reporting.<ref>Ebert, Roger. ''Life Itself: A Memoir''. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2011. pp. 142-143.</ref>

==Career==

Ebert began his career as a film critic in 1967, writing for the ''Chicago Sun-Times''. He also met film critic [[Pauline Kael]] for the first time at the New York Film Festival in 1967. After he sent her some of his columns, she told him they were "the best film criticism being done in American newspapers today".<ref name=ChicagoMag/> That same year, Ebert's first book, a history of the [[University of Illinois]] titled ''Illini Century: One Hundred Years of Campus Life'', was published by the University's press. In 1969, his review of ''[[Night of the Living Dead]]''<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19670105/REVIEWS/701050301/1023 Ebert’s review of ''Night of the Living Dead''] January 5, 1967</ref> was published in ''[[Reader's Digest]]''.

Ebert co-wrote the screenplay for the 1970 [[Russ Meyer]] film ''[[Beyond the Valley of the Dolls]]'' and sometimes joked about being responsible for the film, which was poorly received on its release but is now regarded as a [[cult classic]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19700101/REVIEWS/708110301/1023 |title=Beyond the Valley of the Dolls|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com date=1980|author=Ebert, Roger|accessdate=September 3, 2012}}</ref> Ebert and Meyer also made ''[[Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens]]'', ''[[Up! (1976 film)|Up!]]'', and other films, and were involved in the ill-fated [[Sex Pistols]] movie ''[[Who Killed Bambi? (1978 film)|Who Killed Bambi?]]'' (In April 2010, Ebert posted his screenplay of ''Who Killed Bambi?'' aka ''Anarchy in the UK'' on his blog.)<ref>[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/04/who_killed_bambi_-_a_screenpla.html Ebert, Roger. "'Who Killed Bambi?'&nbsp;– A screenplay"], ''Chicago Sun-Times, April 25, 2010</ref>

From the 1970s on, Ebert worked for the [[University of Chicago]] as a guest lecturer, teaching a night class on film. For example, his fall 2005 class was on the work of the German director [[Rainer Werner Fassbinder]].

[[File:Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert by Roger Ebert.jpg|thumb|left|Roger Ebert (right) with [[Russ Meyer]] in 1970.]]

In 1975, Ebert began co-hosting a weekly film review television show, ''Sneak Previews'', which was locally produced by the Chicago [[public broadcasting]] station [[WTTW]]. Three years later, [[Gene Siskel]] became a co-host when the show was picked up by [[PBS]] for national distribution. The duo became famous for their "thumbs up/thumbs down" review summaries.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20129634,00.html|last=Gliatto|first=Tom|title=Despite the Loss of Film-Critic Buddy Gene Siskel, Roger Ebert Gives Life a Thumbs-Up|newspaper=[[People (magazine)|People]]|date= November 1, 1999}}</ref> Siskel and Ebert trademarked the phrase "Two Thumbs Up".<ref name=Statement/>

In 1982, they moved from PBS to launch a similar [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] commercial television show named ''[[At the Movies (1982–1990 TV series)|At The Movies With Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert]]''. In 1986, they again moved the show to new ownership, creating ''[[At the Movies (U.S. TV series)|Siskel & Ebert & The Movies]]'' through [[Disney-ABC Domestic Television|Buena Vista Television]] (part of [[the Walt Disney Company]]).

After Siskel's death in 1999, the producers retitled the show ''Roger Ebert & the Movies'' and used rotating co-hosts. In September 2000, ''Chicago Sun-Times'' columnist [[Richard Roeper]] became the permanent co-host and the show was renamed ''[[At the Movies (U.S. TV series)|At The Movies With Ebert & Roeper]]'' (and other later titles).

Ebert ended his association with the Disney-owned ''At The Movies'' in July 2008,<ref name=Statement>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080721/FEATURED/150028057|title=Ebert, Roger; "Statement from Roger Ebert" July 21, 2008|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com|date=October 13, 2004|accessdate=July 24, 2011|deadurl=yes}} {{Dead link|date=December 2011|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> after the studio indicated it wished to take the program in a new direction. On February 18, 2009, Ebert reported that he and Roeper would soon announce a new movie review program,<ref name=NewShow>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=ANSWERMAN|title=Roger Ebert. "By the time we get to Phoenix, he'll be laughing" February 18, 2009|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com|date=October 13, 2004|accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref> and reiterated this plan after Disney announced that the program's last episode would air in August 2010.<ref>''[[TV Guide]]''; April 12, 2010; Page 64.</ref>

On January 31, 2009, Ebert was made an honorary life member of the [[Directors Guild of America]].<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081217/film_nm/us_ebert "Directors Guild to honor Roger Ebert" [[Yahoo! News]]/[[Reuters]]/''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]''; December 17, 2008]</ref> His final television series, ''[[Ebert Presents: At the Movies|Ebert Presents: At The Movies]]'', premiered on January 21, 2011, with Ebert contributing a review voiced by [[Bill Kurtis]] in a brief segment called "Roger's Office",<ref>[http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700101980/Roger-Ebert-returns-with-new-PBS-review-show.html?s_cid=rss-15 Roger Ebert returns with new PBS review show], Caryn Rousseau, [[Associated Press]] (via [[Deseret News]]), January 19, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.</ref> as well as featuring more traditional film reviews in the "At The Movies" format presented by [[Christy Lemire]] and [[Ignatiy Vishnevetsky]].

His last film reviews published in his lifetime, posted on his website on March 27, were for ''[[The Host (2013 film)|The Host]]'', based on the novel by [[Stephenie Meyer]], and the animated Japanese film ''[[From Up on Poppy Hill]]''. Ebert gave both films 2.5 out of 4 stars.

<ref>Ebert, Roger (March 27, 2013 ). [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130327/REVIEWS/130329980 "The Host (PG-13)"]. rogerebert.com. ''Chicago Sun-Times''.</ref><ref>Ebert, Roger (March 27, 2013 ). [http://www.rogerebert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130327/REVIEWS/130329977 "From Up on Poppy Hill (PG)"]. rogerebert.com. ''Chicago Sun-Times''.</ref> Ebert's final review was revealed, in an article written by his editor on the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' website, to be for the [[Terrence Malick]] drama ''[[To the Wonder]]''.<ref>{{citenews |author=Emerson, Jim|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/2013/04/thinking_of_roger.html|date=April 4, 2013 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times Blogs|title=Remembering the Roger I knew}}</ref>

===Critical style and personal taste===

Ebert described his critical approach to films as "relative, not absolute"; he reviewed a film for what he felt would be its prospective audience, yet always with at least some consideration as to its value as a whole. He awarded four stars to films of the highest quality, and generally a half star to those of the lowest, unless he considered the film to be "artistically inept" or "morally repugnant", in which case it received no stars.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19820101/REVIEWS/201010315/1023|title='&#39;Death Wish II'&#39; review by Roger Ebert|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com|accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref>

{{quote|When you ask a friend if ''[[Hellboy (film)|Hellboy]]'' is any good, you're not asking if it's any good compared to [[Mystic River (film)|''Mystic River'']], you're asking if it's any good compared to [[The Punisher (2004 film)|''The Punisher'']]. And my answer would be, on a scale of one to four, if [[Superman (film)|''Superman'']] is four, then ''Hellboy'' is three and ''The Punisher'' is two. In the same way, if [[American Beauty (film)|''American Beauty'']] gets four stars, then ''[[The United States of Leland]]'' clocks in at about two.<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040423/REVIEWS/404230305/1023 Ebert's review of ''Shaolin Soccer''] (April 23, 2004)</ref>}}

Ebert emphasized that his star ratings had little meaning if not considered in the context of the review itself. Occasionally (as in his review of ''[[Basic Instinct 2]]''), Ebert's star rating may have seemed at odds with his written opinion. Ebert acknowledged such cases, stating, "I cannot recommend the movie, but ... why the hell can't I? Just because it's godawful? What kind of reason is that for staying away from a movie? Godawful and boring, ''that'' would be a reason."<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060330/REVIEWS/60323008 Ebert's review of ''Basic Instinct 2''] (March 21, 2006)</ref> In August 2004 [[Stephen King]], in a column, criticized what he saw as a growing trend of leniency towards films from critics including Ebert. His main criticism was that films, citing ''[[Spider-Man 2]]'' as an example, were constantly given four star ratings that they did not deserve.<ref>[[King, Stephen]], [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,681657,00.html "The Four-Star Follies"], August 20, 2004. Retrieved January 31, 2008.</ref> In his review of ''[[The Manson Family (film)|The Manson Family]]'', Ebert gave the film three stars for achieving what it set out to do, but admitted that did not count as a recommendation ''per se''. He similarly gave the [[Adam Sandler]]–starring remake of ''[[The Longest Yard (1974 film)|The Longest Yard]]'' a positive rating of three stars, but in his review, which he wrote soon after attending the [[Cannes Film Festival]], he recommended readers not see the film because they had access to more satisfying cinematic experiences.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050526/REVIEWS/50510003/1023 |title=Ebert's review of '&#39;The Longest Yard'&#39; (2005 version) at rogerebert.com; May 27, 2005 |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref> He declined to give a star rating to ''[[The Human Centipede (First Sequence)|The Human Centipede]]'', arguing that the rating system was "unsuited" to such a film: "Is the movie good? Is it bad? Does it matter? It is what it is and occupies a world where the stars don't shine."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100505/REVIEWS/100509982|title=Ebert's review of '&#39;The Human Centipede'&#39; at rogerebert.com; May 5, 2010|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref>

Ebert reprinted his starred reviews in movie guides. In his appearances on ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]'', he was frequently challenged to defend his ratings. Ebert stood by his opinions with one notable exception&nbsp;– when Stern pointed out that Ebert had given ''[[The Godfather Part II]]'' a three-star rating in 1974, but had subsequently given ''[[The Godfather Part III]]'' three and a half stars. Ebert later added ''The Godfather Part II'' to his "Great Movies" list in October 2008 stating that his original review has often been cited as proof of his "worthlessness" but he still had not changed his mind and would not change a word of his original review.<ref name="ebertgm">{{cite web|last=Ebert|first=Roger|title=The Godfather, Part II review|work=Chicago Sun-Times|date=October 2, 2008|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/REVIEWS08/810020300/1023|accessdate=February 28, 2010 }}</ref> When reviewing the [[The Last House on the Left (2009 film)|2009 remake of ''The Last House on the Left'']], Ebert noted how he had given the [[The Last House on the Left (1972 film)|controversial 1972 original]] three and a half stars and declined to make a comparison between the two versions: "I wrote that original "Last House" review 37 years ago. I am not the same person. I am uninterested in being 'consistent.'"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090311/REVIEWS/903119984|title=Ebert's review of ''The Last House on the Left'' (2009)|date=March 11, 2009|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com|accessdate=January 21, 2013}}</ref>

Ebert occasionally accused some films of having an unwholesome political agenda, and the word "[[fascist]]" accompanied more than one of Ebert's reviews of the law-and-order films of the 1970s such as ''[[Dirty Harry]]''. He was wary of films passed off as art, but which he saw as lurid and sensational. He leveled this charge against such films as ''[[The Night Porter]].''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19750210/REVIEWS/502100301/1023|title=Ebert's review of ''The Night Porter''|date=February 10, 1975|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref>

Ebert's reviews could clash with the overall reception of movies, as evidenced by his one-star review of the celebrated 1986 [[David Lynch]] film ''[[Blue Velvet (film)|Blue Velvet]]'' ("marred by sophomoric satire and cheap shots... in a way, [director Lynch's] behavior is more sadistic than the [[Dennis Hopper|Hopper]] character").<ref>{{cite news| last = Ebert| first = Roger| title = Review of ''Blue Velvet''| url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19860919/REVIEWS/609190301/1023|accessdate= September 4, 2009| work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> He was dismissive of the popular 1988 [[Bruce Willis]] action film ''[[Die Hard]]'' ("inappropriate and wrongheaded interruptions reveal the fragile nature of the plot"),<ref>{{cite news|last=Ebert|first=Roger|title=Review of ''Die Hard''|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19880715/REVIEWS/807150301/1023|accessdate=September 4, 2009|work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> while his positive review of 1997's ''[[Speed 2: Cruise Control]]'' ("Movies like this embrace goofiness with an almost sensual pleasure")<ref>{{cite news|last=Ebert|first=Roger|title=Review of ''Speed 2: Cruise Control''| url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19970627/REVIEWS/706270305/1023

|accessdate = September 4, 2009| work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> is the only one accounting for that film's 2% approval rating on the reviewer aggregator website [[Rotten Tomatoes]].<ref>{{cite web|title = ''Speed 2: Cruise Control'' at [[Rotten Tomatoes]]|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/speed_2_cruise_control/?critic=columns&sortby=fresh&name_order=asc&view=#contentReviews|accessdate = September 4, 2009}}</ref>

Ebert's reviews were also characterized by what has been called "dry wit".<ref name=SunTimesObit/><ref name="Tomato">{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news/1698147/1.php |title=Yamato, Jen; "Meet a Critic: Roger Ebert!: RT chats with America's favorite critic." December 19, 2007 |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref> In August 2005, after [[Rob Schneider]] insulted ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' movie critic [[Patrick Goldstein]], who criticized his movie ''[[Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo]]'', by commenting that the critic was unqualified because he had never won the [[Pulitzer Prize]], Ebert intervened by stating that, as a Pulitzer winner, he was qualified to review the film, and bluntly told Schneider, "Your movie sucks."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20050811%2FREVIEWS%2F50725001%2F1023&AID1=%2F20050811%2FREVIEWS%2F50725001%2F1023&AID2= |title=Ebert's review of '&#39;Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'&#39; |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref> Ebert and Schneider would later reconcile regarding this matter.<ref name=Corliss>[http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1636520-2,00.html Richard Corliss. "Thumbs Up for Roger Ebert"] ''[[Time (magazine)|Time magazine]]''; June 23, 2007 Page 2 of 5</ref><ref name="RobBouquet1">{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070507/COMMENTARY/70507001 |title=Ebert, Roger; "A bouquet arrives"; rogerebert.suntimes.com; May 7, 2007 |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref><ref name="RobBouquet2">Champ Clark. "Unlikely Fan Sends Roger Ebert Flowers" ''[[People (magazine)|People]]''; May 10, 2007</ref>

Ebert commented on films using his [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] upbringing as a point of reference,<ref name=ChicagoMag>Felsenthal, Carol (December 2005). [http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/December-2005/A-Life-in-the-Movies/index.php?cp=1&si=0#artanc 'A Life In The Movies']. ''Chicago Magazine''. Kael quote, p. 1; agnosticism, p. 2; Catholic upbringing, p. 3. Retrieved 6 April 2013.</ref> and was critical of films he believed were grossly ignorant of or insulting to Catholicism, such as ''[[Stigmata (film)|Stigmata]]''<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19990101/REVIEWS/901010302/1023 Ebert's review of ''Stigmata''] (January 1, 1999)</ref> and ''[[Priest (1994 film)|Priest]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19950407/REVIEWS/504070308/1023 |title=Roger Ebert. Review of '&#39;Priest'&#39;. suntimes.com. April 7, 1995 |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref> He also gave favorable reviews of controversial films with themes or references to [[Jesus]] and Catholicism, including ''[[The Passion of the Christ]]'', ''[[The Last Temptation of Christ (film)|The Last Temptation of Christ]]'', and to [[Kevin Smith]]'s religious satire ''[[Dogma (film)|Dogma]]''.<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19991112/REVIEWS/911120302/1023 Ebert's review of ''Dogma''] (November 12, 1999)</ref> Ebert identified as an [[agnostic]],<ref name=ChicagoMag/> but preferred not being "pigeon-holed".<ref name="EbertGod"/>

He often included personal anecdotes in his reviews when he considered them relevant. He occasionally wrote reviews in the forms of stories, poems, songs,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20010831/REVIEWS/108310303/1023 |title=Roger Ebert's review of "Wet Hot American Summer |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref> scripts, open letters,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19970914/REVIEWS08/401010316/1023 |title=Roger Ebert's Great Movies review of "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040716/REVIEWS/407160303/1023 |title=Roger Ebert's Review of "A Cinderella Story" |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref> or imagined conversations.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19810101/REVIEWS/101010341/1023 |title=Roger Ebert's review of "The Howling" |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19940325/REVIEWS/403250301/1023 |title=Roger Ebert's review of "The Hudsucker Proxy" |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |accessdate=July 24, 2011}}</ref> He wrote many essays and articles exploring in depth the field of film criticism.

Ebert was also an advocate and supporter of [[Asian American]] cinema, famously coming to the defense of the cast and crew of [[Justin Lin]]'s ''[[Better Luck Tomorrow]]'' (2001) during a [[Sundance Film Festival]] screening when a white member of the audience asked how Asians could be portrayed in such a negative light and how a film so empty and amoral could be made for Asian Americans and Americans. Ebert responded, "I was on a panel today with Chris Eyre, the Native American director. And he said, that for a long time, his people, American Indians, had always had to play some kind of a function, like they were the source of spirituality, or the source of great wisdom and they spoke to the trees and the wind and so forth. And he wanted to make a movie that allowed Native Americans to be people. People in some cases who are alcoholics or who are vigilantes, or in prison. What I find very offensive and condescending about your statement is that nobody would say such a thing to a bunch of white filmmakers: how could you do this to 'your people'? This film has the right to be about these people, and Asian American characters have the right to be whoever the hell they want to be. They do not have to represent 'their people'!"<ref>Film Threat, When Audiences Attack at Sundance, http://www.filmthreat.com/festivals/737/</ref><ref>Davis, Erik (February 22, 2013). [http://www.movies.com/movie-news/about-that-time-roger-ebert-fought-heckler-over-justin-lin39s-39better-luck-tomorrow39/11338?wssac=164&wssaffid=news "About That Time Roger Ebert Fought a Heckler over Justin Lin's 'Better Luck Tomorrow'"]. Movies.com.</ref><ref>Harris, Dana (April 4, 2013). [http://www.indiewire.com/article/this-video-shows-exactly-what-we-lost-with-the-death-of-roger-ebert "This Video Shows Exactly What We Lost With the Death of Roger Ebert"]. [[IndieWire]].</ref> He was a supporter of the film after the incident at Sundance, and also supported a number of Asian American films, having them also screen at his film festival (such as [[Eric Byler]]'s ''[[Charlotte Sometimes (film)|Charlotte Sometimes]]'').<ref>Ebert, Roger. [http://www.charlottesometimesthemovie.com/ebert.html "'Sometimes' a Great Notion']. ''Chicago Sun-Times''. Archived at charlottesometimesthemovie.com. Retrieved April 4, 2013.</ref> Ebert was a fan of Asian-American filmmaker [[Wayne Wang]].<ref>Ebert, Roger (October 4, 2008). [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081004/PEOPLE/810049995 "Wayne Wang: Twenty-six years of good movies" @ rogerebert.com].</ref>

Ebert was accused by some [[horror movie]] fans of elitism in his dismissal of what he calls "Dead Teenager Movies". Ebert clarified that he did not disparage [[horror movies]] as a whole, but that he drew a distinction between films like ''[[Nosferatu]]'' and ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]'', which he regarded as "masterpieces", and films which he felt consisted of nothing more than groups of teenagers being killed off with the exception of one survivor to populate a sequel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.horrorreview.com/essay/egebertsax2007.html|author=Gurnow, Michael|title=Roger Ebert's Bloody Ax: An Examination of the Film Critic's Elitist Dismissal of the Horror Film|publisher=The Horror Review|date=2007|accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref>

Ebert indicated that his favorite film was ''[[Citizen Kane]]'', joking, "That's the official answer", although he preferred to emphasize it as "the most important" film. He insinuated that his real favorite film was ''[[La Dolce Vita]]''.<ref name=FavoriteFilm>{{cite news|last=Dumont |first=Aaron |url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2008/09/whats_your_favorite_movie.html |title=Roger Ebert. "What's your favorite movie?" ''Chicago Sun-Times''|date=September 4, 2008|publisher=Blogs.suntimes.com|date=September 4, 2008|accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref> His favorite actor was [[Robert Mitchum]], and his favorite actress was [[Ingrid Bergman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/roger-ebert/person/81392/biography.html|title=Biography page for Ebert at|publisher=Tv.com|accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref> He expressed his general distaste for "top ten" lists, and all movie lists in general,<ref name=FavoriteFilm/> but contributed a top ten list to the 2012 Sight and Sound Critics' poll. Listed alphabetically, those films were ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey]]''; ''[[Aguirre, the Wrath of God]]''; ''[[Apocalypse Now]]''; ''[[Citizen Kane]]''; ''[[La Dolce Vita]]''; ''[[The General (1926 film)|The General]]''; ''[[Raging Bull]]''; ''[[Tokyo Story]]''; ''[[The Tree of Life (film)|The Tree of Life]]''; and ''[[Vertigo (film)|Vertigo]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/sightandsoundpolls/2012/voter/142|title=The Greatest Films Poll|author=Roger Ebert|publisher=BFI|date=September 2012|accessdate=September 12, 2012}}</ref>

Ebert compiled "best of the year" movie lists beginning in the 1960s, thereby helping provide an overview of his critical preferences.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041215/COMMENTARY/41215001/1023|work=Chicago Sun-Times|title=Ebert's 10 Best Lists: 1967-present}}</ref> His top choices were:

{{col-begin}}

{{col-break}}

* 1967: ''[[Bonnie and Clyde (film)|Bonnie and Clyde]]''

* 1968: ''[[The Battle of Algiers]]''

* 1969: ''[[Z (film)|Z]]''

* 1970: ''[[Five Easy Pieces]]''

* 1971: ''[[The Last Picture Show]]''

* 1972: ''[[The Godfather]]''

* 1973: ''[[Cries and Whispers]]''

* 1974: ''[[Scenes from a Marriage]]''

* 1975: ''[[Nashville (film)|Nashville]]''

* 1976: ''[[Small Change (film)|Small Change]]''

* 1977: ''[[3 Women]]''

* 1978: ''[[An Unmarried Woman]]''

* 1979: ''[[Apocalypse Now]]''

* 1980: ''[[The Black Stallion (film)|The Black Stallion]]''

* 1981: ''[[My Dinner with Andre]]''

{{col-break}}

* 1982: ''[[Sophie's Choice (film)|Sophie's Choice]]''

* 1983: ''[[The Right Stuff (film)|The Right Stuff]]''

* 1984: ''[[Amadeus (film)|Amadeus]]''

* 1985: ''[[The Color Purple (film)|The Color Purple]]''

* 1986: ''[[Platoon (film)|Platoon]]''

* 1987: ''[[House of Games]]''

* 1988: ''[[Mississippi Burning]]''

* 1989: ''[[Do the Right Thing]]''

* 1990: ''[[Goodfellas]]''

* 1991: ''[[JFK (film)|JFK]]''

* 1992: ''[[Malcolm X (film)|Malcolm X]]''

* 1993: ''[[Schindler's List]]''

* 1994: ''[[Hoop Dreams]]''

* 1995: ''[[Leaving Las Vegas]]''

* 1996: ''[[Fargo (film)|Fargo]]''

{{col-break}}

* 1997: ''[[Eve's Bayou]]''

* 1998: ''[[Dark City (1998 film)|Dark City]]''

* 1999: ''[[Being John Malkovich]]''

* 2000: ''[[Almost Famous]]''

* 2001: ''[[Monster's Ball]]''

* 2002: ''[[Minority Report (film)|Minority Report]]''

* 2003: ''[[Monster (2003 film)|Monster]]''

* 2004: ''[[Million Dollar Baby]]''

* 2005: ''[[Crash (2004 film)|Crash]]''

* 2006: ''[[Pan's Labyrinth]]''

* 2007: ''[[Juno (film)|Juno]]''

* 2008: ''[[Synecdoche, New York]]''

* 2009: ''[[The Hurt Locker]]''

* 2010: ''[[The Social Network]]''

* 2011: ''[[A Separation]]''

* 2012: ''[[Argo (2012 film)|Argo]]''

{{col-end}}

Ebert revisited and sometimes revised his opinions. After ranking ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]]'' third on his 1982 list, it was the only movie from that year to appear on his later "Best Films of the 1980s" list (where it also ranked third). He made similar revaluations of 1981's ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]'', and 1985's ''[[Ran (film)|Ran]]''. ''[[The Three Colors trilogy]]'' (''[[Three Colors: Blue|Blue]]'', ''[[Three Colors: White|White]]'', and ''[[Three Colors: Red|Red]]''), and ''[[Pulp Fiction]]'' originally ranked second and third on Ebert's 1994 list; both were included on his "Best Films of the 1990s" list, but their order had reversed.<ref>[http://www.innermind.com/misc/s_e_top.htm "Siskel and Ebert Top Ten Lists (1969 - 1998)"]. innermind.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.</ref>

Ebert was an admirer of director [[Werner Herzog]], whom he supported through many years when Herzog's popularity had declined. He conducted an onstage public "conversation" with Herzog at the [[Telluride Film Festival]] in 2004, after a screening of Herzog's film ''[[Invincible (2001 film)|Invincible]]'' at the Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival. Herzog dedicated his 2008 film ''[[Encounters at the End of the World]]'' to Ebert, and Ebert responded with a heartfelt public letter of gratitude.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071117/PEOPLE/71117002 |title=Roger Ebert. "A letter to Werner Herzog: In praise of rapturous truth" rogerebert.com November&nbsp;17, 2007 |publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |date=November 17, 2007 |accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref>

In 2005, Ebert opined that [[video game]]s are not art, and are inferior to media created through authorial control, such as film and literature, stating, "video games can be elegant, subtle, sophisticated, challenging and visually wonderful", but "the nature of the medium prevents it from moving beyond craftsmanship to the stature of art".<ref>Ebert, Roger (November 27, 2005). [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=ANSWERMAN&date=20051127 "Why did the chicken cross the genders?"] rogerebert.com.</ref> This resulted in negative reaction from video game enthusiasts,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051206/COMMENTARY/51206002|author=Ebert, Roger|title=Gamers fire flaming posts, e-mails...|date=December 6, 2005|publisher=rogerebert.com/''Chicago Sun-Times''}}</ref> such as writer [[Clive Barker]], who defended [[video games as an art form]], stating that they have the power to move people, that the views of book or film critics are less important than those of the consumers experiencing them, and that Ebert's were prejudiced. Ebert responded that the charge of prejudice was merely a euphemism for disagreement, that merely being moved by an experience does not denote it as artistic, and that critics are also consumers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070721/COMMENTARY/70721001 |author=Ebert, Roger|title=Games vs. Art: Ebert vs. Barker|publisher=rogerebert.com|date=July 21, 2007}}</ref> Ebert later defended his position in April 2010, saying, "No video gamer now living will survive long enough to experience the medium as an art form."<ref>Ebert, Roger (April 16, 2010). [http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/04/video_games_can_never_be_art.html "Video games can never be art"]. Roger Ebert's Journal.</ref> He also stated that he had never found a video game "worthy of (his) time", and thus had never played one.<ref>Brockway, Robert (April 22, 2010). [http://www.cracked.com/blog/why-ebert-is-wrong-in-defense-of-games-as-art/ "Why Ebert is Wrong: A Defense of Games As Art"]. [[Cracked.com]].</ref>

In a July 1, 2010, blog entry, Ebert maintained his position that video games cannot ever be art in principle, but conceded that he should not have expressed this skepticism without being more familiar with the actual experience of playing them. He reflected on the reaction to his blog entry, gamers' attempts to recommend to him games such as ''[[Shadow of the Colossus]]'', and his reluctance to play games due to his lack of interest in the medium.<ref>Ebert, Roger (July 1, 2010). [http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/07/okay_kids_play_on_my_lawn.html Roger Ebert. "Okay, kids, play on my lawn"]. rogerebert.com.</ref>

===Views on the film industry===

Ebert was an outspoken opponent of the [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system]], repeatedly criticizing its decisions regarding which movies are suitable for children.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ebert |first=Roger |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703766704576009343432436296.html |title=Roger Ebert on Movie Ratings&nbsp;— WSJ.com |publisher=Online.wsj.com |date=December 11, 2010 |accessdate=April 5, 2013}}</ref>

He also frequently lamented that cinemas outside major cities are "booked by computer from Hollywood with no regard for local tastes", making high-quality independent and foreign films virtually unavailable to most American moviegoers.<ref>Ebert, Roger (January 29, 2004). [http://web.archive.org/web/20040604184449/http://www.suntimes.com/output/oscars/ebert27.html "They got it right"]. ''Chicago Sun-Times''.</ref>

Ebert was a strong advocate for [[Maxivision]] 48, in which the movie projector runs at 48 frames per second, as compared to the usual 24 frames per second. He was opposed to the practice whereby theatres lower the intensity of their projector bulbs in order to extend the life of the bulb, arguing that this has little effect other than to make the film harder to see.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060219/ANSWERMAN/602190302/1023 |title=Ebert's "Movie Answer Man column", February&nbsp;19, 2006|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com|accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref> Ebert was skeptical of the recent resurgence of [[3D film|3D effects in film]], which he found unrealistic and distracting.<ref>{{cite news|first=Roger|last=Ebert|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2008/08/dminus_for_3d.html|title=D-minus for 3-D|publisher=[[Chicago Sun-Times|Chicago Sun-Times: Blogs]]|date=August 16, 2008|accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref>

===Film and TV appearances===

Ebert was one of the principal critics featured in [[Gerald Peary]]'s 2009 documentary film ''[[For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism]]''. He is shown discussing the dynamics of appearing with Gene Siskel on the 1970s show ''Coming to a Theatre Near You'', which was the predecessor of ''Sneak Previews'' on Chicago PBS station WTTW. He also expressed his approval of the proliferation of young people writing film reviews today on the Internet.<ref>[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=775058 ''For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism'']. [[Turner Classic Movies|TCM Movie Database]]. Retrieved December 16, 2012.</ref>

Ebert provided DVD [[audio commentary|audio commentaries]] for several films, including ''[[Citizen Kane]]'', ''[[Casablanca (film)|Casablanca]]'', ''[[Dark City (1998 film)|Dark City]]'', ''[[Floating Weeds]]'', ''[[Crumb (film)|Crumb]]'', and ''[[Beyond the Valley of the Dolls]]'' (for which Ebert also wrote the screenplay, based on a story that he co-wrote with [[Russ Meyer]]). Ebert was also interviewed by [[Central Park Media]] for an extra feature on the DVD release of the [[anime]] film ''[[Grave of the Fireflies]]''.

During the past decade, on the day of the [[Academy Award]] ceremony, Ebert repeatedly appeared with Roeper on the live pre-awards show, ''An Evening at the Academy Awards: The Arrivals''. This aired for over a decade, usually prior to the awards ceremony show, which also featured [[red carpet]] interviews and fashion commentary. They also used to appear on the post-awards show entitled ''An Evening at the Academy Awards: The Winners'', produced and aired by the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]-owned [[KABC-TV]] in Los Angeles.

In 1995, Ebert, along with colleague Gene Siskel, guest-starred on an episode of the animated TV series ''[[The Critic]]''. In the episode, Siskel and Ebert split and each wants Jay as his new partner. The episode is a parody of the film ''[[Sleepless in Seattle]]''.<ref>[http://www.tv.com/the-critic/siskel-and-ebert-and-jay-and-alice/episode/53022/summary.html TV.com] Episode summary: ''The Critic''&nbsp;– "Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice"</ref> The following year, Ebert appeared in ''Pitch'', a documentary by Canadian film makers [[Spencer Rice]] and [[Kenny Hotz]].

He also made an appearance as himself in a 1997 episode of the television series ''[[Early Edition]]'', which took place in [[Chicago]]. In the episode, Ebert consoles a young boy who is depressed after he sees a character called Bosco the Bunny die in a movie.<ref name=Questions>{{cite book|title=Questions For The Movie Answer Man|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=June 1, 1997|publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing|page=99|ISBN=0-8362-2894-4|quote=In the Spring of 1997, I did a guest appearance on the show, consoling a little boy who was depressed that Bosco the Bunny had died.}}</ref>

In 2003, Ebert had a cameo appearance in the film ''[[Abby Singer (film)|Abby Singer]]'', in which he recited the white parasol monologue from ''[[Citizen Kane]]''. Roger Ebert founded his own film festival, [[Ebertfest]], in his home town of Champaign, Illinois, and was also a regular fixture at the [[Hawaii International Film Festival]]. On May 4, 2010, Ebert was announced by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences as the Webby Person of the Year, having taken to the Internet following his battle with cancer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/specialachievement14.php |title=The Webby Awards |publisher=The Webby Awards |date=June 14, 2010 |accessdate=April 5, 2013}}</ref> On October 22, 2010, Ebert appeared on camera with [[Robert Osborne]] on the [[Turner Classic Movies]] network during the network's "The Essentials" series. Ebert chose the film ''[[Sweet Smell of Success]]'' to be shown.

Ebert appeared as a guest star multiple times on ''[[Sesame Street]]''.<ref>http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Roger_Ebert</ref>

Before his death, it was announced that a bio-documentary based on Ebert was in production.<ref name="USA Today Fight Cancer">{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/04/03/roger-ebert-film-critic-cancer/2048685/ |date=April 3, 2013 |first=Susan |last=Wloszczyna |title=Film critic Roger Ebert is fighting cancer again }}</ref>

==Personal life==

[[File:Chaz Hammel-Smith, Roger Ebert, and Nancy Kwan at the Hawaii International Film Festival in October 2010.jpg|thumb|right| 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]]

At age 50, Ebert married trial attorney Charlie "Chaz" Hammelsmith (formerly Chaz Hammel-Smith) in 1992.<ref name=ChicagoMag>[http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/December-2005/A-Life-in-the-Movies/index.php?cp=1&si=0#artanc ''A Life In The Movies,'' Carol Felsenthal, Chicago Magazine December 2005] Mrs. Ebert's name is noted on Page 3.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://dailyentertainmentnews.com/movies/chaz-ebert-roger-eberts-wife-photos/|title= Chaz Ebert Bio |publisher=DailyEntertainmentNews |date= January 12, 2013 |accessdate= March 4, 2013}}</ref> He explained in his memoir, ''Life Itself'', that he "would never marry before [his] mother died," as he was afraid of displeasing her.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://rogerebert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130404/MEMORY/130409989|title = Roger Ebert (1942-2013)|author = Neil Steinberg|publisher = Chicago Sun-Times via RogerEbert.com|date = April 4, 2013}}</ref> In his July 2012 blog entry, "[http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2012/07/roger_loves_chaz.html Roger loves Chaz]," Of his love for his wife, Ebert wrote, "She fills my horizon, she is the great fact of my life, she has my love, she saved me from the fate of living out my life alone, which is where I seemed to be heading".<ref name="Chicago Sun-Times Roger Loves Chaz">{{cite news|last=Ebert|first=Roger|title=Roger loves Chaz|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2012/07/roger_loves_chaz.html|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|date=July 17, 2012}}</ref> Chaz Ebert is now vice president of the Ebert Company and has emceed Ebertfest.<ref name=Esquire>Jones, Chris (February 16, 2010). [http://www.esquire.com/features/roger-ebert-0310 "Roger Ebert: The Essential Man"]. ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]''</ref>

Ebert was also a recovering [[alcoholism|alcoholic]], having quit drinking in 1979. He was a member of [[Alcoholics Anonymous]] and had written some blog entries on the subject.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/08/my_name_is_roger_and_im_an_alc.html|title=My Name is Roger, and I'm an alcoholic|date=August 25, 2009|accessdate=August 25, 2009|author=Roger Ebert|publisher=[[Sun-Times Media Group]]}}</ref> He was a longtime friend of, and briefly dated, [[Oprah Winfrey]], who credited him with persuading her to syndicate ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'',<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051116/COMMENTARY/511160301 “How I gave Oprah her start”], Ebert, Roger; Chicago Sun-Times, November 16, 2005</ref> which became the highest-rated talk show in American television history.<ref name="Forbes Oprah">{{cite news|last=Rose|first=Lacey|title=America's Top-Earning Black Stars|url=http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/29/oprah-will-smith-business-media-0129_black_stars.html|newspaper=Forbes|date=January 29, 2009}}</ref> He was also good friends with film historian and critic [[Leonard Maltin]] and considered the book ''Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide'' to be the standard of film guide books.

On April 25, 2011, he achieved one of his long-time goals: winning one of the weekly caption contests in ''[[The New Yorker]]'' after more than 100 attempts.<ref>[http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/cartoonists/2011/04/roger-ebert-wins-the-cartoon-caption-contest.html Roger Ebert Wins the Cartoon Caption Contest], Robert Mankoff, ''[[The New Yorker]]'', April 25, 2011</ref>

===Political and religious views===

A supporter of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsmeat.com/media_political_donations/Roger_Ebert.php |title=Ebert's political donations |publisher=Newsmeat.com |date=September 30, 2009}}</ref> Ebert publicly urged [[Modern liberalism in the United States|liberal]] [[filmmaker]] [[Michael Moore]] to give a politically charged acceptance speech at the Academy Awards: "I'd like to see Michael Moore get up there and let 'em have it with both barrels and really let loose and give them a real rabble-rousing speech."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1295/is_8_67/ai_106225217/pg_1 |title=Interview with Matthew Rothschild, '&#39;The Progressive'&#39;, August 2003 |publisher=Findarticles.com |date=June 2, 2009}}</ref> During a 2004 appearance on ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]'', Ebert predicted that the then-junior U.S. senator from [[Illinois]], [[Barack Obama]], would be very important to the future of the country.<ref>{{cite news|author=Coscarelli, Joe|url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/04/political-writings-of-roger-ebert.html |title=The Political Writings of Roger Ebert|newspaper=[[New York Magazine]]|date=April 4, 2013}}</ref> During a 1996 panel at the [[University of Colorado at Boulder|University of Colorado]] at [[Boulder, Colorado|Boulder]]'s [[Conference on World Affairs]], Ebert coined the Boulder Pledge, by which he vowed never to purchase anything offered through the result of an unsolicited email message, or to forward chain emails or mass emails to others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panix.com/~tbetz/boulder.shtml |title=Critical eye by Roger Ebert&nbsp;— Enough! A Modest Proposal to End the Junk Mail Plague |publisher=Panix.com |accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lumbercartel.ca/glossary/boulderpledge.pl |publisher=The Lumber Cartel, local 42 |title=Roger Ebert gets "two thumbs up" from the Lumber Cartel for this distinct, well-written pledge |accessdate=November 14, 2006}}</ref>

He was critical of [[intelligent design]] [[creationism]],<ref name=Evolves>{{cite news|url= http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/09/the_longest_thread_evolves.html|title= The Longest Thread Evolves|accessdate= September 4, 2009|author= Roger Ebert|date= September 4, 2009|work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> and stated that people who believe in either creationism or [[New Age]] beliefs such as [[crystal healing]] or [[astrology]] are not qualified to be President.<ref>{{cite news

|url= http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/12/new_agers_and_creationists_sho.html|title=Roger Ebert's Journal: New Agers and Creationists should not be President |accessdate=December 3, 2009 |author=Ebert, Roger |date=December 2, 2009|work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> Regarding his belief system, he did not "want to provide a category for people to apply to [him]" because he "would not want [his] convictions reduced to a word", and stated, "I have never said, although readers have freely informed me I am an atheist, an agnostic, or at the very least a [[secular humanism|secular humanist]]&nbsp;– which I am".<ref name="EbertGod">{{cite news|url= http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/04/how_i_believe_in_g.html

|title= How I believe in God|accessdate= November 5, 2009|author= Roger Ebert|date= April 17, 2009|work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> Ebert also expressed disbelief in [[Pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] or supernatural claims in general, calling them "[[wikt:woo woo|woo-woo]]".<ref>Ebert, Roger. [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111214/REVIEWS/111219993/1001/reviews "A Dangerous Method"]. rogerebert.com. December 14, 2011</ref>

==Health==

===Thyroid cancer and first surgery===

[[File:Boutte and Ebert.jpg|thumb|Ebert (right) at the [[Conference on World Affairs]] in September 2002, shortly after his cancer diagnosis]]

In early 2002, Ebert was diagnosed with [[papillary thyroid cancer]]. In February, surgeons at [[Northwestern Memorial Hospital]] successfully removed the cancer with [[clean margins]]. He later underwent surgery in 2003 for cancer in his salivary gland, and in December of that year, underwent a four-week follow-up course of radiation to his salivary glands, which altered his voice slightly. Ebert continued to be a dedicated critic of film, not missing a single opening while undergoing treatment.

===Second surgery and loss of speech===

Ebert underwent further surgery on June 16, 2006, two days before his 64th birthday, to remove additional cancerous tissue near his right jaw, which included removing a section of jaw bone.<ref name="email">[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060817/PEOPLE/60817001 Email from Roger], August 17, 2006, posted on his website</ref> On July 1, Ebert was hospitalized in serious condition after his [[carotid artery]] burst near the surgery site and he "came within a breath of death".<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20070628%2FREVIEWS%2F70620003%2F1023&AID1=%2F20070628%2FREVIEWS%2F70620003%2F1023&AID2= Ebert's words] in his review of ''[[Sicko]]'', June 29, 2007</ref> He later learned that the burst was likely a side effect of his treatment, which involved [[neutron radiation|neutron beam radiation]]. He was subsequently kept bedridden to prevent further damage to the scarred vessels in his neck while he slowly recovered from multiple surgeries and the rigorous treatment. At one point, his status was so precarious that Ebert had a [[tracheotomy]] performed on his neck to reduce the effort of breathing while he recovered.<ref name="email"/> Although it was not revealed at the time, Ebert also lost the ability both to speak and to eat or drink (so that he would have to use a [[feeding tube]]).<ref name="blogs.suntimes.com">Ebert, Roger (January 6, 2010). [http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/01/nil_by_mouth.html "Nil by mouth"]. rogerebert.com. ''Chicago Sun-Times''.</ref>

Ebert had pre-taped enough TV programs with his co-host [[Richard Roeper]] to keep him on the air for a few weeks; his extended convalescence necessitated a series of "guest critics" to co-host with Roeper: [[Jay Leno]], [[Kevin Smith]], [[John Ridley]], [[Toni Senecal]], [[Christy Lemire]], [[Michael Phillips (critic)|Michael Phillips]], [[Aisha Tyler]], [[Fred Willard]], [[Anne Thompson (film critic)|Anne Thompson]], [[A.O. Scott]], [[Mario Van Peebles]], George Pennacchio, [[Brad Silberling]], and [[John Mellencamp]]. Michael Phillips later became Ebert's replacement for the remainder of Roeper's time on ''At The Movies'' until mid 2008 when Roeper did not extend his contract with ABC.

===Rehabilitation and return to reviewing===

In October 2006, Ebert confirmed his bleeding problems had been resolved. He was undergoing rehabilitation at the [[Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago]] due to lost muscle mass, and later underwent further rehabilitation at the [[Pritikin Program|Pritikin Center]] in Florida."<ref name="apr07suntimes">[http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/movies/324454,CST-NWS-ebert03.article "Ebert: Despite setbacks, I am feeling better every day", Chicago Sun-Times, April 3, 2007]{{dead link|date=April 2013}}</ref>

After a three-month absence, the first movie he reviewed was ''[[The Queen (film)|The Queen]]''. Ebert made his first public appearance since mid-2006 at Ebertfest on April 25, 2007. He was unable to speak but communicated through his wife, Chaz, using written notes. His opening words to the crowd of devout fans at the festival were a quote from the film he co-wrote with Russ Meyer, ''Beyond the Valley of the Dolls'': "It's my happening and it freaks me out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070329/FILMFESTIVALS06/70329001|title=Ebertfest '07: "It's his happening and it freaks him out!"|accessdate=September 4, 2009|author=Jim Emerson|date=March 29, 2007 |publisher=rogerebert.suntimes.com}}</ref> Also in April 2007, in an interview with [[WLS-TV]] in Chicago, he said, "I was told photos of me in this condition would attract the gossip papers&nbsp;— so what?" On April 23, the ''Sun-Times'' reported that, when asked about his decision to return to the limelight, Ebert remarked, "We spend too much time hiding illness."<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070423/PEOPLE/70423001 Ebert, Roger; "It wouldn't be Ebertfest without Roger"] April 23, 2007</ref>

Ebert returned to reviewing on May 18, 2007, when three of his reviews were published by the ''Chicago Sun-Times'', and he returned to his website, a role that his editor had shouldered during the critic's illness.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage|title=RogerEbert.com Front Page|author=Ebert, Roger|accessdate=May 22, 2007 | work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> Thereafter, he slowly worked back to his previous output of 5–6 reviews a week plus a "Great Movies" review. He also resumed his "Answer Man" column. In a July 21, 2007, commentary on a rebuttal to [[Clive Barker]], he revealed that he was still unable to speak, but he could still write.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070721/COMMENTARY/70721001|title=RogerEbert.com commentary|accessdate=July 23, 2007|work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> He posted reviews of the 2006 film ''[[Casino Royale (2006 film)|Casino Royale]]'' and the 2007 films, ''[[Zodiac (film)|Zodiac]]'' and ''[[Ratatouille (film)|Ratatouille]]'' with a note that he was in the process of going back and reviewing some of the movies that were released during his absence.<ref>[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070823/REVIEWS/708230308 Ebert's review of ''Zodiac''] (August 24, 2007)</ref> A regular attendee of the [[Toronto International Film Festival]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2013/04/04/toronto-tiff-ebert.html|title=Roger Ebert mourned by Toronto International Film Festival|publisher=[[CBC.ca]]|accessdate=April 4, 2013|date=April 4, 2013}}</ref> he attended in [[2007 Toronto International Film Festival|2007]], while awaiting surgery that was hoped to restore his voice.<ref>[http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/FilmFest/article/253188 "Ebert weighs in on TIFF"], TheStar.com, September 5, 2007</ref>

Ebert adopted a computerized voice system to communicate. He initially chose to use a voice with a British accent that he named "Lawrence",<ref>{{cite web|author=&nbsp;&nbsp;By Kevin Roy |url=http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=5756213 |title=abc7chicago.com: Talking with the Eberts 11/11/07 |publisher=Abclocal.go.com |date=November 11, 2007 |accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref> but then switched to a voice with an American accent included with [[Mac OS X]] named "Alex" and later a copy of his own voice created from his own DVD commentaries.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lund |first=Jordan |url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/08/finding_my_own_voice.html |title=Roger Ebert's Journal: Finding my own voice 8 December 2009 |publisher=Blogs.suntimes.com |accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref> According to Ebert, he did not miss the activity of eating or drinking so much as the camaraderie of dining with friends.<ref name="blogs.suntimes.com"/>

===Third surgery===

Ebert underwent further surgery on January 24, 2008, this time in Houston, to address the complications from his previous surgeries. A statement from Ebert and his wife indicated that "the surgery went well, and the Eberts look forward to giving you more good news..."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080125/EDITOR/795706793|author= Emerick, Laura|title=Ebert doing well after surgery|publisher=rogerebert.com/''Chicago Sun-Times''|date=January 25, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2008/01/25/ebert-roger-surgery.html|title=Thumbs up for Roger Ebert after latest bout of surgery, lawyer reports|publisher=CBC|date=January 25, 2008|accessdate=October 17, 2009}}</ref> but on April 1, his 41st anniversary as a film critic at the ''Sun-Times'', Ebert announced that there had been further complications and his speech had not been restored. He wrote, "I am still cancer-free, and not ready to think about more surgery at this time. I should be content with the abundance I have." His columns resumed shortly after the April 23 opening of his annual film festival at the University of Illinois.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/870571,ebert040108.article|title="Roger Ebert: Let's go to the movies"; Chicago Sun-Times; April 1, 2008|work=Chicago Sun-Times|accessdate=October 17, 2009|deadurl=yes}} {{Dead link|date=August 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> During his various surgeries, doctors carved bone, tissue and skin from his back, arm, and legs, and transplanted them in an attempt to reconstruct his jaw and throat, though these transplants would each be unsuccessful, and eventually removed. As a result of these procedures, his right shoulder was visibly smaller than his left, and his legs had been scarred and weakened.<ref name=Esquire/>

===Hip fractures and cancer recurrence===

On April 18, 2008, it was announced that Ebert had fractured his hip in a fall,<ref name=HipSurgery>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080418/COMMENTARY/244040675|title=Ebert recovering from hip surgery|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com |date=April 18, 2008|accessdate=October 17, 2009|deadurl=yes}} {{Dead link|date=August 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> a result of the weakening of his body following the unsuccessful tissue transplants,<ref name=Esquire/> and had undergone surgery to repair it.<ref name=HipSurgery/>

By 2010, Ebert had a full-time, live-in nurse to attend to him when he needed assistance. Although doctors asked him to allow them to make one more attempt to restore his voice, Ebert refused, indicating that he was done with surgery, and would likely decline significant intervention even if his cancer returned, since he felt that the last procedure he underwent did more harm than good. Regarding his death one day, he stated in 2010: {{bquote|I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the other side of death to fear. I hope to be spared as much pain as possible on the approach path. I was perfectly content before I was born, and I think of death as the same state. What I am grateful for is the gift of intelligence, and for life, love, wonder, and laughter. You can't say it wasn't interesting. My lifetime's memories are what I have brought home from the trip. I will require them for eternity no more than that little souvenir of the [[Eiffel Tower]] I brought home from Paris.<ref name=Esquire/>}}

Ebert employed a Scottish company called [[CereProc]], which custom-tailors [[text-to-speech]] software for voiceless customers who record their voices at length before losing them, and mined tapes and DVD commentaries featuring Ebert to create a voice that sounded more like his own voice.<ref name=Esquire/> He used the voice they devised for him in his March 2, 2010, appearance on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'',<ref>Ebert, Roger (March 5, 2010). [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100226/PEOPLE/100229986 "Hello, this is me speaking"]. rogerebert.com. ''Chicago Sun-Times''.</ref> in which he discussed his methods of coping with the loss of his voice and his other post-surgical difficulties.<ref name=KenTucker>[[Ken Tucker|Tucker, Ken]] (March 2, 2010). [http://watching-tv.ew.com/2010/03/02/oprah-roger-ebert-oscars/ "'Oprah': Roger Ebert predicts the Oscars, movingly: 'No more surgery for me'"]. ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''.</ref>

Ebert later [[Ebert test|proposed a test]] to determine the realism of a synthesized voice.<ref>{{cite news|title=Roger Ebert Tests His Vocal Cords, and Comedic Delivery|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/07/roger-ebert-tests-his-vocal-cords-and-comedic-delivery/|newspaper=New York Times|date=March 7, 2011}}</ref> By January 2011, Ebert had been given a prosthesis for his chin created by University of Illinois craniofacial doctors and other specialists. The prosthesis, which took two years to fabricate, was worn by Ebert on ''Ebert Presents: At The Movies'', in a medium shot of him that was used for the "Roger's Office" segment.<ref>Ebert, Roger (January 19, 2011). [http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/01/after_surgery_i_studiously_avo.html "Leading with my chin"], Roger Ebert's Journal.</ref> In December 2012, Ebert was hospitalized with a fractured hip, which his wife Chaz jokingly blamed on "tricky disco dance moves".<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Roger-Ebert-hospitalised-with-fractured-hip/tabid/418/articleID/279599/Default.aspx|work=3 News NZ|title=Roger Ebert hospitalised with fractured hip|date=December 7, 2012}}</ref>

On April 2, 2013, Ebert announced that he would be taking a "leave of presence" from his duties because the hip fracture he suffered a few months earlier was determined to be cancerous and he would be receiving radiation treatment. This announcement also marked his 46th anniversary of being named the film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.<ref name="NBC News cancer returns">{{cite news|last=Dawn|first=Randee|title=Roger Ebert's cancer recurs, critic takes 'leave of presence' from writing duties|url=http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/03/17583335-roger-eberts-cancer-recurs-critic-takes-leave-of-presence-from-writing-duties?lite|newspaper=NBC News|date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Ebert final blog post">{{cite news|last=Ebert|first=Roger|title=A Leave of Presence|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2013/04/a_leave_of_presense.html|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|date=April 2, 2013}}</ref> He said, "I'll be able at last to do what I've always fantasized about doing: reviewing only the movies I want to review."<ref name="Ebert final blog post"/> He added an assurance that he was "not going away".<ref name="USA Today Fight Cancer"/>

==Death==

Ebert died on April 4, 2013, at the age of 70.<ref name=SunTimesObit/><ref name="NPR death">{{cite news|last=Corely|first=Cheryl|title=For Pulitzer-Winning Critic Roger Ebert, Films Were A Journey|url=http://www.npr.org/2013/04/04/176194903/for-pulitzer-winner-critic-roger-ebert-films-were-a-journey|newspaper=NPR|date=April 4, 2013}}</ref> According to his wife Chaz, "We were getting ready to go home today for hospice care, when he [Ebert] looked at us, smiled, and passed away."<ref name=SunTimesObit/> The closing sentence on his final blog post, two days before his death, said, "So on this day of reflection I say again, thank you for going on this journey with me. I'll see you at the movies."<ref name="Ebert final blog post"/>

Ebert's death prompted wide reaction from celebrities both in and out of the entertainment industry. [[Barack Obama]] wrote, "Roger was the movies&nbsp;... [he could capture] the unique power of the movies to take us somewhere magical&nbsp;... The movies won't be the same without Roger".<ref name="Boston Herald reactions to death">{{cite news|title=Death of film critic Ebert elicits wide reaction|url=http://bostonherald.com/entertainment/movies/movie_news/2013/04/death_of_film_critic_ebert_elicits_wide_reaction|accessdate=April 4, 2013|newspaper=Boston Herald|agency=Associated Press|date=April 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>[http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/04/statement-president-passing-roger-ebert Statement by the President on the Passing of Roger Ebert - The White House] Retrieved April 5, 2013</ref> [[Robert Redford]] called Ebert "one of the great champions of freedom of artistic expression" and said "His personal passion for cinema was boundless, and that is sure to be his legacy for generations to come."<ref name="Boston Herald reactions to death"/> [[Oprah Winfrey]] called Ebert's death the "end of an era", as did [[Steven Spielberg]], who also said that Ebert's "reviews went far deeper than simply thumbs up or thumbs down. He wrote with passion through a real knowledge of film and film history, and in doing so, helped many movies find their audiences... [he] put television criticism on the map".<ref name="Boston Herald reactions to death"/>

==Bibliography==

Each year from 1999 to 2013, except in 2008, Ebert published ''Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook'', a collection of all of his movie reviews from the previous two and a half years (for example, the 2011 edition, ISBN 978-0-7407-9769-9, covers January 2008&nbsp;– July 2010), as well as essays and other writings. He has also written the following books:

* ''Scorsese by Ebert'' (ISBN 978-0-226-18202-5) ([http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/182025.html Excerpted Introduction])

* ''Awake in the Dark: The Best of Roger Ebert'' (ISBN 0-226-18200-2)&nbsp;– a collection of essays from his 40 years as a film critic, featuring interviews, profiles, essays, his initial reviews upon a film's release, as well as critical exchanges between the film critics [[Richard Corliss]] and [[Andrew Sarris]]

* ''Ebert's "Bigger" Little Movie Glossary'' (ISBN 0-8362-8289-2)&nbsp;– a book of movie clichés

* ''The Great Movies'' (ISBN 0-7679-1038-9), ''The Great Movies II'' (ISBN 0-7679-1950-5), and ''The Great Movies III'' (ISBN 9780226182087)&nbsp;– three books of essays about great films

* ''I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie'' (ISBN 0-7407-0672-1)&nbsp;– a collection of reviews of films that received two stars or fewer. (Title comes from his review of ''[[North (1994 film)|North]]''.)

* ''Roger Ebert's Book of Film'' (ISBN 0-393-04000-3)&nbsp;– a ''[[The Norton Anthology of English Literature|Norton Anthology]]'' of a century of writing about the movies

* ''Questions For The Movie Answer Man'' (ISBN 0-8362-2894-4)&nbsp;– his responses to questions sent from his readers

* ''Behind the Phantom's Mask'' (ISBN 0-8362-8021-0)&nbsp;– his first attempt at fiction.

* ''The Perfect [[London]] Walk'' (ISBN 0-8362-7929-8)&nbsp;– a tour of Ebert's favorite foreign city

* ''Your Movie Sucks'' (ISBN 0-7407-6366-0)&nbsp;– a new collection of less-than-two-star reviews. (Title comes from his review of ''[[Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo]]''.)

* ''Roger Ebert's Four-Star Reviews 1967–2007'' (ISBN 0-7407-7179-5)

* ''An Illini Century: One Hundred Years of Campus Life'' (no ISBN)&nbsp;– the history of the first 100 years of the [[University of Illinois]], edited by Ebert in 1967

* {{Cite book | title =The Pot and How to Use It: The Mystery and Romance of the [[Rice cooker|Rice Cooker]]| author = Roger Ebert |isbn =0-7407-9142-7 | oclc = 449846539 | year = 2010

|publisher =[[Andrews McMeel Publishing]]}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Roger Ebert: No Longer an Eater, Still a Cook |first=Kim |last=Severson |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 31, 2010 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/dining/01ebert.html |accessdate=October 30, 2010}}</ref>

* ''Life Itself: A Memoir''. New York: [[Grand Central Publishing]], 2011. (ISBN 0-4465-8497-5)

==References==

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==

{{wikiquote}}

{{Commons category|Roger Ebert}}

* {{Official website|http://www.rogerebert.com/}}

* [https://www.lifestory.com/StoryDetail/SearchStoryDetail/Roger.Ebert?LifeStoryID=20134_64ff9a95-8c41-4be5-ba3a-adc604958fd8 LifeStory Page: Honor Roger Ebert's Memory]

* [http://www.ebertfest.com/ Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival]

* [http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/roger-ebert Archive of American Television interview]

* {{IMDb name|0001170|Roger Ebert}}

* [http://siskelandebert.org/ Siskel & Ebert's classic shows] (1975–1999)

* [http://www.ted.com/talks/roger_ebert_remaking_my_voice.html Speech: Remaking My Voice] (2011)

* [http://www.c-spanvideo.org/rogerebert Appearances] on [[C-SPAN]]

{{PulitzerPrize Criticism 1970–1975}}

{{Wrapports}}

{{Authority control|VIAF=15926824}}

{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->

| NAME = Ebert, Roger Joseph

| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =

| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American film critic

| DATE OF BIRTH = 1942-06-18

| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Urbana, Illinois]], [[United States|US]]

| DATE OF DEATH = 2013-04-04

| PLACE OF DEATH = [[Chicago, Illinois]], [[United States|US]]

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ebert, Roger}}

[[Category:1942 births]]

[[Category:2013 deaths]]

[[Category:20th-century American writers]]

[[Category:21st-century American writers]]

[[Category:American agnostics]]

[[Category:American film critics]]

[[Category:American humanists]]

[[Category:American memoirists]]

[[Category:American people of Dutch descent]]

[[Category:American people of German descent]]

[[Category:American people of Irish descent]]

[[Category:American screenwriters]]

[[Category:American skeptics]]

[[Category:American television personalities]]

[[Category:Cancer deaths in Illinois]]

[[Category:Chicago Sun-Times people]]

[[Category:Deaths from thyroid cancer]]

[[Category:Film historians]]

[[Category:Film theorists]]

[[Category:Former Roman Catholics]]

[[Category:Illinois Democrats]]

[[Category:People from Chicago, Illinois]]

[[Category:People from Urbana, Illinois]]

[[Category:Pulitzer Prize for Criticism winners]]

[[Category:Science fiction fans]]

[[Category:University of Cape Town alumni]]

[[Category:University of Chicago faculty]]

[[Category:University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign alumni]]

[[Category:Writers from Illinois]]