Legendary film critic Roger Ebert, who had a long battle with cancer, has passed away at 70 The Wrap confirms.
The Pulitzer-Prize-winning Ebert spent 45 years as a movie critic for the Chicago Sun-Times. He also had a television show where he and his partner, the late Gene Siskel, reviewed a weekly batch of movies, making them both household names around the globe, and arguably the most powerful film critics in the industry.
Ebert also spent much of his adult life fighting various forms of cancer including salivary gland cancer, thyroid cancer and cancer of the jawbone. The critic eventually lost his jaw and his ability to talk, but remained very active reviewing movies on the Internet.
Last Friday Ebert announced to the world that his cancer had returned and that he would be taking a "leave of presence" to wage a battle once again.
Said Ebert in his column, "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."
A life-long Chicagoan, Ebert was born in Urbana, Ill. and is survived by his wife of 21 years, Chaz Ebert.
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