Richard Roeper

Early life

Roeper was born in Chicago, Illinois, one of four children to Robert and Margaret (née Slobatec) Roeper. He grew up in south suburban Dolton, Illinois and attended Thornridge High School before graduating from Illinois State University in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. While still a student at the university, he auditioned for the movie review program Sneak Previews when Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert (his future co-host on At the Movies) left the program, for which he was turned down.

Career

Roeper joined the Chicago Sun-Times as an editorial assistant in 1986. He then worked as a reporter before becoming a columnist for the paper in 1988. The topics of his columns ranged from politics to media to entertainment. He has been voted the best columnist in Illinois by the Associated Press on numerous occasions.

He has also written seven books on topics ranging from movies to urban legends to conspiracy theories to the Chicago White Sox. In 2009, Roeper appeared on Howard Stern's show and said he had written a book on gambling, entitled Bet the House, which was released in the first quarter of 2010.

Roeper was a radio host on WLS AM 890 in Chicago. He also hosted shows on WLUP-FM, WLS-FM, and WMVP-AM in Chicago. In the early 2000s, he was the film critic for CBS in Chicago for three years.

His columns have been syndicated by The New York Times to worldwide publications. Roeper has written for a number of magazines, including Esquire, Spy, TV Guide, Playboy, Maxim, and Entertainment Weekly. In 2001, he was named one of People magazine's most eligible bachelors.

Roeper has been a frequent guest on The Tonight Show, Live with Regis and Kelly, The O'Reilly Factor, and countless other national programs. He also hosted Starz Inside, a monthly documentary series that aired on the Starz network. Roeper appeared on the first episode of the fifth season of Entourage, where he reviewed a fake movie titled Medellin with Michael Phillips on At the Movies. In April 2008, Roeper was the central figure on an episode of Top Chef, where contestants served up movie-themed dishes to Roeper and his friends (including Aisha Tyler).

In February 2009, Roeper launched his website, which features movie reviews, blog entries, photos, and Twitter posts. In December 2009, he launched a video section that featured on-camera reviews of movies. The video segments were originally produced in partnership with the Starz premium cable channel. Roeper announced that the reviews would appear first on his site, then on the Starz channel.

In December 2009, it was reported that Roeper had signed with ReelzChannel to be a regular contributor. Beginning in December 2010, Roeper began producing video reviews for ReelzChannel. He stopped reviewing movies for ReelzChannel in February 2015; his final review was for the Jude Law disaster film Black Sea.

From April 12, 2010, to October 7, 2014, he co-hosted The Roe & Roeper Show with Roe Conn on Chicago's WLS 890 radio station from 2-6 pm CST.

In October 2015, Roeper joined the cast of the Fox Chicago morning TV show Good Day Chicago. He signed off from that morning TV show on October 18, 2017. From 2018 until 2021, he was a contributor to Windy City Live and from 2021 onward, a contributor to its predecessor, Windy City Weekend, for WLS-TV.

Roeper was suspended from the Sun-Times on January 29, 2018, pending an investigation into allegations that he had purchased Twitter followers. On February 2, the Sun-Times released a statement stating that their investigation did find that Roeper purchased over 25,000 fake followers. The paper later reinstated him, though he was required to begin using a new account on which he was explicitly disallowed from buying followers.

Film critic

After Gene Siskel of Siskel & Ebert died on February 20, 1999, Roger Ebert co-hosted the show with nearly 30 guest critics. After ten appearances on the program, Roeper was offered the opportunity to co-host the popular film review show with Ebert permanently. The series was renamed Ebert & Roeper and the Movies in 2000. The title was shortened to Ebert & Roeper in 2001. Before this, he conducted an interview in 1995 with Siskel and Ebert to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their partnership.

Beginning in August 2006, while his co-host Roger Ebert was recovering from cancer surgery, Roeper was joined by numerous guest critics, including Clerks director Kevin Smith, The Tonight Show host Jay Leno, and singer-songwriter John Mellencamp. On Sunday, July 20, 2008, Roeper announced that he was leaving the show in mid-August and would return with a new show later in the year. However, plans for a new program starring Roeper failed to materialize.

Between 2009 and late 2010, Roeper contributed video reviews to Starz. In December 2010, he moved to ReelzChannel, where he contributed a segment titled Richard Roeper's Reviews every weekday at 5:00 pm ET. Roeper remained with the network until early 2015. In early 2013, Roeper began contributing film reviews to RogerEbert.com. On September 12, 2013, it was announced that Roeper would replace Roger Ebert as the main movie critic for the Chicago Sun-Times after his death on April 4, 2013, at the age of 70. In August 2014, Roeper became first-string film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, where he made his debut reviewing Guardians of the Galaxy. He is a member of Chicago Film Critics Association.

Since 2021, he has hosted a podcast entitled The Richard Roeper Show (formerly Screen Time with Roe and Roeper which he hosted with Roe Conn until 2022) for American Eagle, which airs every Tuesday and Thursday.

On March 19, 2025, Roeper revealed that he accepted a buyout from the Sun-Times to terminate his employment, ending his time at the newspaper after a 39-year run. Despite this, he is expected to keep reviewing movies on his podcast and for Windy City Weekend on WLS-TV. Roeper's last review for the Sun-Times, published on March 20, 2025, was for Snow White.

In 2025, Roeper became a regular contributor to RogerEbert.com.

Preferences

Favorites

Roeper has cited The Maltese Falcon, The Godfather trilogy, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off as among his favorite films. On Ferris Bueller's Day Off he stated that, "It has one of the highest 'repeatability' factors of any film I've ever seen...I can watch it again and again. There's also this, and I say in all sincerity: Ferris Bueller's Day Off is something of a suicide prevention film or, at the very least, a story about a young man trying to help his friend gain some measure of self-worth...Ferris has made it his mission to show Cameron that the whole world in front of him is passing him by and that life can be pretty sweet if you wake up and embrace it. That's the lasting message of Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Roeper pays homage to the film with a license plate that says "SVFRRIS".

In a 2000 interview, he cited Woody Allen as a hero of filmmaking. Among his favorite films from the 1990s are Goodfellas, Pulp Fiction, Heat, Good Will Hunting, and Notting Hill. In November 2004, on a special segment of Ebert & Roeper, Roeper stated that his all-time favorite film about Thanksgiving is Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Best films of the year

Since 2000, Roeper has compiled an annual film list which provides an overview of his critical preferences.

• 2000: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
• 2001: Memento
• 2002: Gangs of New York
• 2003: In America
• 2004: Hotel Rwanda
• 2005: Syriana
• 2006: The Departed
• 2007: Michael Clayton
• 2008: Slumdog Millionaire
• 2009: Brothers
• 2010: Inception
• 2011: Drive
• 2012: Zero Dark Thirty
• 2013: American Hustle
• 2014: Boyhood
• 2015: Room
• 2016: Manchester by the Sea
• 2017: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
• 2018: Widows
• 2019: The Irishman
• 2020: Nomadland
• 2021: Belfast
• 2022: The Whale
• 2023: Oppenheimer
• 2024: Small Things Like These
• 2025: Sinners

Work

Filmography

Film

Television

Bibliography

• He Rents, She Rents: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Women's Films and Guy Movies, with Laurie Viera (1999)
• *Hollywood Urban Legends: The Truth Behind All Those Delightfully Persistent Myths of Films, Television, and Music * (2001)
• Urban Legends: The Truth Behind All Those Deliciously Entertaining Myths That Are Absolutely, Positively, 100% Not True (2001)
• Ten Sure Signs a Movie Character Is Doomed, and Other Surprising Movie Lists (2003)
• Schlock Value: Hollywood At Its Worst (2005)
• Sox and the City: A Fan's Love Affair with the White Sox from the Heartbreak of '67 to the Wizards of Oz (2006)
• Debunked!: Conspiracy Theories, Urban Legends, and Evil Plots of the 21st Century (2008)
• Bet the House: How I Gambled Over a Grand a Day for 30 Days on Sports, Poker, and Games of Chance (2010)

Accolades

In 1992, he was awarded the National Headliner Award as the top newspaper columnist in the country. He won two Chicago / Midwest Emmy Awards for his news commentaries on Fox. On April 11, 2020, Roeper was awarded the Roger Ebert Award at the 2020 AAFCA Special Achievement Award Luncheon.

References

References

1. Rosenthal, Phil. (January 23, 2011). "'Ebert Presents At the Movies' a work in progress". Chicago Tribune.
2. (July 21, 2008). "Ebert and Roeper leaving 'Ebert & Roeper'". CNN.
3. Feder, Robert. (March 11, 2010). "It's 'Roe & Roeper': WLS adds new afternoon star".
4. Feder, Robert. (October 18, 2017). "Richard Roeper says goodbye to 'Good Day Chicago'".
5. (May 29, 2025). "Renowned Film and Television Critic Richard Roeper Joins RogerEbert.com".
6. (February 6, 2013). "Robert Roeper Obituary (2013)".
7. Raftery, Brian. (August 25, 2021). "Gene and Roger: 8. Something Wonderful Is Coming to an End". [[The Ringer (website).
8. "A Q&A With Richard Roeper Co-Critic, 'Ebert & Roeper And The Movies'".
9. Vlessing, Etan. (March 19, 2025). "Richard Roeper to Leave Chicago Sun-Times After 37-Year Career".
10. Roeper, Richard. (February 15, 2010). "Almost time to Bet the House". blog.richardroeper.com.
11. (July 2, 2001). "Cover Story: America's Top 50 Bachelors – Vol. 56 No. 1".
12. "Fantasy Island".
13. (April 2, 2008). "Film Food".
14. Feder, Robert. (November 24, 2009). "Rich gets richer: Roeper to review movies again".
15. Belloni, Matthew. (February 1, 2011). "Kennedy's Miniseries Lands Home, Will Air on ReelzChannel". The Hollywood Reporter.
16. (October 19, 2015). "Richard Roeper set to join Fox 32's 'Good Day Chicago'".
17. Janssen, Kim. (January 29, 2018). "Sun-Times halts Richard Roeper column to investigate allegation he bought Twitter followers". Chicago Tribune.
18. (February 2, 2018). "Sun-Times reinstates Richard Roeper after Twitter investigation".
19. McG Thomas, Robert Jr.. (February 21, 1999). "Gene Siskel, Half of a Famed Movie-Review Team, Dies at 53". The New York Times.
20. (March 27, 1999). "In Tribute: Legendary film reviewer leaves thumbprint on a nation of moviegoers". The Star Press.
21. Perrone, Pierre. (February 23, 1999). "Obituary: Gene Siskel".
22. "Award-Winning Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Richard Roeper Steps Into Critic's Chair Opposite Roger Ebert".
23. (July 14, 2000). "Columnist to become foil to Roger Ebert". Tampa Bay Times.
24. Roeper, Richard. (October 15, 1995). "Thumbs Up! 20 Years in the Balcony". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
25. Roeper, Richard. (January 16, 2009). "From the archives: When I interviewed Siskel & Ebert". blog.richardroeper.com.
26. Ebert, Roger. (August 17, 2006). "E-mail from Roger". [[RogerEbert.com]].
27. (July 21, 2008). "Roeper to part ways with 'At the Movies' after 8 years'". Chicago Sun-Times.
28. Ebert, Roger. (November 25, 2009). "Time keeps on slip, slip, slippin' away". Roger Ebert's Journal.
29. (September 12, 2013). "Richard Roeper Replacing Roger Ebert at Sun-Times".
30. Roeper, Richard. (July 30, 2014). "'Guardians of the Galaxy': A giddy space oddity makes the summer sunnier". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
31. "Members".
32. "The Richard Roeper Show Podcast".
33. (March 19, 2025). "Richard Roeper to leave Sun-Times, vows to keep reviewing movies".
34. Channick, Robert. (2025-03-19). "Chicago Public Media's cost-cutting buyout reduces Sun-Times staff by 20%".
35. Roeper, Richard. (20 March 2025). "Gorgeous new 'Snow White' gives her girl-power spunk and weird-looking CGI friends". Chicago Public Media.
36. Ponce, Phil. (April 4, 2013). "Web Extra: Roger Ebert (July 19, 2000)". [[Chicago Tonight]].
37. Roeper, Richard. (August 7, 2009). "Ferris, Kevin, Samantha and Uncle Buck are in mourning. Saying goodbye to John Hughes.". blog.richardroeper.com.
38. Roeper, Richard. (August 7, 2009). "Save Ferris".
39. Chicago film critic Richard Roeper picks 5 decade-defining films]
40. (May 3, 2012). "Ebert and Roeper Top Ten Lists (2000-2005)".
41. (May 3, 2012). "Roeper and Scott Top Ten Lists (2006-2007)".
42. (December 30, 2002). "Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper Announce Their Top Ten Movies of the Year". [[Business Wire]].
43. Roeper, Richard. (December 22, 2008). "The Best and Worst of 2008". RichardRoeper.com.
44. Roeper, Richard. (December 27, 2009). "The Best (and Worst) of 2009". RichardRoeper.com.
45. (July 22, 2017). "The Best Movies of 2010".
46. (August 2017). "The Best Movies of 2011".
47. (October 4, 2017). "The Best Movies of 2012".
48. (January 17, 2018). "The Best Movies of 2013".
49. Roeper, Richard. (December 18, 2014). "BEST OF 2014: The 10 movies that moved me". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
50. Roeper, Richard. (December 23, 2015). "The Year in Review: Richard Roeper's Best Movies of 2015". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
51. Roeper, Richard. (December 23, 2016). "Richard Roeper picks the 10 best movies of 2016". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
52. Roeper, Richard. (December 27, 2017). "Roeper: The 10 surprising best movies of 2017". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
53. Roeper, Richard. (December 26, 2018). "Richard Roeper's best movies of 2018: an instant Chicago classic tops them all". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
54. Roeper, Richard. (December 24, 2019). "Richard Roeper: The best movies of 2019". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
55. Roeper, Richard. (December 24, 2020). "Richard Roeper: The best movies of 2020". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
56. Roeper, Richard. (December 23, 2021). "Richard Roeper: The best movies of 2021". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].
57. Roeper, Richard. (December 23, 2022). "Richard Roeper's best movies of 2022".
58. (December 21, 2023). "The 10 best movies of 2023: 'Oppenheimer' made with detailed care that no film can match".
59. Roeper, Richard. (December 20, 2024). "10 best movies of 2024, a year of good times with a vampire, a stripper, an amoral CEO and Bob Dylan".
60. "Two Thumbs Up! The Individual Top Tens of 2025". Roger Ebert Editors.
61. (8 December 2005). "One Thumb Is Better Than None".
62. (October 30, 2019). "Richard Roeper to Receive the Roger Ebert Award at AAFCA's Special Achievement Awards Luncheon".