I love movies. I'm a movie buff and always have been. I appreciate film critics, even when I don't agree with them. So, today, on the anniversary of Roger Ebert's 41st year reviewing movies for the Chicago Sun-Times, I'm glad to report that Roger Ebert will soon be back reviewing movies. Unfortunately, the same is not true of his ability to appear on his syndicated TV show, At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper.

In a letter to his fans, Roger wrote: "I am at last returning to the movie beat. After my current stay at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, I'm looking forward to opening night of my annual film festival at the University of Illinois on April 23, and I will resume writing movie reviews shortly thereafter. Are you as bored with my health as I am? I underwent a third surgery in January, this one in Houston, and once again there were complications. I am sorry to say that my ability to speak was not restored. That would require another surgery."

Film critic Roger Ebert is going to have his fourth cancer surgery on June 16th, two days before his 64th birthday.

Ebert has already had three surgeries. In 2002, he had a malignant tumor removed from his thyroid gland, and in 2003 he had two surgeries on his salivary glands. Ebert says that the cancer is not life-threatening, he won't need radiation therapy, and he'll continue as a film critic while all of this is going on.

On a personal note, I wish Ebert well. He has always been very generous and kind to me in my other life as a magazine publisher, contributing articles when he really didn't have to, so I hope that everything turns out OK and he's back battling with Richard Roeper about the summer movies.

Update: Ebert will tape several episodes of Ebert & Roeper so they will air during his recovery.

[via Romenesko]