SR0233 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0233 LRB098 11625 MST 44041 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Roger Ebert, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times for the past 46 years, who passed away on April 4, 2013; and

WHEREAS, Roger Ebert joined the Sun-Times in 1966 and became the paper's movie reviewer the following year in 1967; his reviews were eventually syndicated to several hundred other newspapers nationwide; and

WHEREAS, Roger Ebert received a Pulitzer Prize in 1975 for distinguished criticism-the first, and one of only 3, given to a film reviewer since the category was created in 1970; in 2005, he became the first critic to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; and

WHEREAS, Roger Ebert's television career began in 1975, first in the Chicago area and then nationwide on PBS, when he and Gene Siskel co-hosted the show "Opening Soon at a Theater Near You"; the show was renamed "Sneak Previews", "At the Movies", and eventually "Siskel & Ebert & The Movies", at which point the signature "thumbs up, thumbs down" rating system began; and

WHEREAS, Roger Ebert authored over 20 books covering the film industry and branched out into screenplays; in 1969 he was the co-writer of the movie "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls", a film that has since achieved cult status; and

WHEREAS, Roger Ebert founded the annual Ebertfest Film Festival in 1999, which holds its 15th incarnation April 17-21, 2013, at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign; and

WHEREAS, Roger Ebert was a renowned author, journalist, film historian, film critic, and screenwriter; he received honorary degrees from the American Film Institute, the University of Colorado, and the School of the Art Institute; he is a member of the Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame and was honored with a sidewalk medallion under the Chicago Theatre marquee; and

WHEREAS, Roger Ebert was born in Urbana on June 18, 1942, to Annabel and Walter H. Ebert; he attended Urbana High School and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, graduating in 1964; he spent a year at the University of Cape Town in South Africa before attending the University of Chicago; he married Charlie "Chaz" Hammelsmith in 1992; and

WHEREAS, Roger Ebert is survived by his wife; his stepchildren, Sonia and Jay; and his grandchildren, Raven, Emil, Mark, and Joseph; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Roger Ebert, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Roger Ebert as an expression of our deepest sympathy.