Film critic Roger Ebert dead at 70 after long cancer battle

The Chicago Sun Times, reports that 70-year-old film critic Roger Ebert has passed away.

He’s been battling cancers of the thyroid and salivary glad for 10 years, and recently announced a “leave of presence” where he would scale back his film reviews because his cancer had recurred. He reviewed movies in print 46 years and on TV for 31.

Since fighting cancer, Roger branched out in his writing to more than movies. His candid blogs about personal things like struggles with alcoholism reached and inspired many people and developed a whole new audience for him. I was personally moved by Esquire‘s 2010 profile of him. It’s unavailable to view for free online anymore, but it’s one of the few interviews I’ve ever read that had a deep impact on me, and I whole-heartedly recommend it if you ever get your hands on it.

In 2011 Roger unveiled a new prosthetic jaw that made him look more like his old self after multiple surgeries to remove his cancer had left the bottom half of his face completely disfigured and him without the ability to speak or eat ever again.

His last written words were: “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.”