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• Roger Ebert is the film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times and a co-host of the weekly film review show Ebert and Roeper.

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: June 18, 1942
  2. 1975: Won a Pulitzer Prize
  3. Wife: Chaz Hammelsmith
  4. Attended University of Illinois
  5. Favorite Film: Citizen Kane
  6. Least Favorite Film: Day of the Woman
  7. Born the same day as Paul McCartney

• Ebert and Siskel

  Ebert became one of the Sun-Times' film critics in 1967. His friendly rivalry with cross-town critic Gene Siskel became profitable when the two were approached to host a weekly film review show in 1975.

  From the late 1970s into the early '80s, the show gained popularity and was syndicated nationwide. During this time, the use of "thumbs" to indicate preference on a film was developed and popularized.

  Siskel died in 1999 and the show continued with guest critics until Ebert selected Richard Roeper as the permanent co-host.

• Health Issues

  Ebert has had several surgeries since his diagnosis with thyroid cancer. in 2006, his carotid artery burst and he was kept bed-ridden for several months. Though Roeper has hosted the show with guest critics, Ebert has continued to sporadically write reviews for the Sun-Times.

• Top Ten Films

  The following are the ten films Ebert contributed to the British Film Institute's greatest films list in 2002 (in alphabetical order.):

  1. Aguirre, Wrath of God
  2. Apocolypse Now
  3. Citizen Kane
  4. Dekalog
  5. La Dolce Vita
  6. The General
  7. Raging Bull
  8. A Space Odyssey
  9. Tokyo Story
  10. Vertigo

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Richard Roeper | Gene Siskel | Peter Travers | A.O. Scott | At The Movies Final Episode

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