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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Roger 
4Ebert, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, who passed away 
5on April 4, 2013; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Roger Ebert became the paper's movie reviewer in 
71967; his reviews were eventually syndicated to several hundred 
8newspapers nationwide; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Roger Ebert received a Pulitzer Prize in 1975 for 
10distinguished criticism; in 2005, he became the first critic to 
11have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, Roger Ebert's television career began in 1975, 
13first in the Chicago area and then nationwide on PBS, when he 
14and Gene Siskel co-hosted the PBS show "Opening Soon at a 
15Theater Near You"; it evolved into "Sneak Previews" when the 
16show went into syndication; the show would go through different 
17titles as it moved through the years; and
  
 
18    WHEREAS, Roger Ebert authored more than 15 books covering 
19the film industry and branched out into screenplays; in 1969 he 
20was the co-writer of the movie "Beyond the Valley of the 
21Dolls", a film that has since achieved cult status; and
  
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, Roger Ebert founded the annual Roger Ebert Film 
2Festival, known as Ebertfest, originally called Roger Ebert's 
3Overlooked Film Festival; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Roger Ebert was a renowned author, journalist, 
5film historian, film critic, and screenwriter who touched the 
6lives of many; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Roger Ebert was a pioneer of film journalism and 
8was the greatest of his craft; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Roger Ebert was born in Urbana on June 18, 1942, 
10to Annabel and Walter H. Ebert; he attended Urbana High School 
11and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, graduating in 
121964; he spent a year at the University of Cape Town in South 
13Africa before attending the University of Chicago; he married 
14Charlie "Chaz" Hammelsmith in July 1992; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Roger Ebert is survived by his beloved wife, Chaz; 
16therefore, be it
  
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
18NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
19we mourn the passing of Roger Ebert, and extend our sincere 
20condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved 
 
 
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1him; and be it further
  
 
2    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
3presented to the family of Roger Ebert as an expression of our 
4deepest sympathy.