Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Roger Ebert

Role / Field:

Influential American film critic, essayist, and champion of humanistic cinema.

Born:

1942-06-18

Died:

2013-04-04

Century / Era:

1942s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Roger Joseph Ebert ( EE-bərt; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, essayist, screenwriter, journalist, and author. He wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. Ebert was known for his intimate writing style and critical views informed by values of populism and humanism. Writing in a prose style intended to be entertaining and direct, he made sophisticated cinematic and analytical ideas more accessible to non-specialist audiences.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Ebert endorsed foreign and independent films he believed would be appreciated by mainstream viewers, championing filmmakers like Werner Herzog, Errol Morris and Spike Lee, as well as Martin Scorsese, whose first published review he wrote. In 1975, Ebert became the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. Neil Steinberg of the Chicago Sun-Times said Ebert "was without question the nation's most prominent and influential film critic", and Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times called him "the best-known film critic in America". Early in his career, Ebert co-wrote Russ Meyer's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970). Starting in 1975, Ebert and Chicago Tribune critic Gene Siskel helped...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alexander Belyaev — Contemporary (Died in 1942) (1942): Pioneering Soviet science fiction writer, known as 'Russia's Jules Verne'
• Ama Ata Aidoo — Contemporary (Born in 1942) (1942): Pioneering Ghanaian writer, poet, and academician celebrated for feminist themes.
• Amitabh Bachchan — Contemporary (Born in 1942) (1942): Iconic figure of Hindi cinema, celebrated for versatility and enduring stardom.
• Aaron Swartz — Contemporary (Died in 2013) (2013): Pioneering programmer, activist, and hacktivist known for RSS, Markdown, and progressive organizing.
• Alden W. Clausen — Contemporary (Died in 2013) (2013): American businessman, former President of the World Bank and Bank of America CEO.
• Arthur Danto — Contemporary (Died in 2013) (2013): Philosopher and art critic known for 'The End of Art' theory.
• Alan Davis — Shared historical date (06-18 · Born) (1956): English comic book writer and artist known for Captain Britain and X-Men work.
• Ali Akbar Khan — Shared historical date (06-18 · Died) (2009): Master sarod virtuoso who popularized Hindustani classical music in the West.
• Abdullah Öcalan — Shared historical date (04-04 · Born) (1948): Founder of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and advocate for Kurdish rights.
• Alfonso X of Castile — Shared historical date (04-04 · Died) (1284): King of Castile and León, known as 'the Wise' for his patronage of arts and sciences.
• 1942 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1942
• June 18 (06-18) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on June 18
• 2013 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2013
• April 4 (04-04) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on April 4

Frequently Asked Questions about Roger Ebert