Chaz Ebert

Chaz Ebert
Ebert at the Hawaii International Film Festival in 2010
Born
Charlie Hammel

(1952-10-15) October 15, 1952 (age 72)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Dubuque (BA)
University of Wisconsin–Platteville (MA)
DePaul University (JD)
Occupations
  • Businessperson
  • attorney
Years activesince 1972
Spouse(s)
Merle Smith
​
(divorced)​

​
​
(m. 1992; died 2013)​
Children2

Chaz Ebert (née Hammel, previously Hammel-Smith, born October 15, 1952) is an American businesswoman.[1][2] She is best known for her marriage to film critic Roger Ebert, having been married to him from 1992 until his death in 2013.

Early life

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Ebert was born Charlie Hammel in Chicago, Illinois, to Johnnie Hobbs Hammel and Wiley Hammel Sr.[3] She attended Crane Technical High School in Chicago. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Dubuque, a Master of Arts from University of Wisconsin–Platteville, and a Juris Doctor from the DePaul University College of Law.[4]

Career

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Ebert was an executive producer and guest on Ebert Presents: At the Movies. She is the CEO and publisher of Ebert Digital, which publishes RogerEbert.com, which contains an archive of her deceased husband Roger Ebert's film reviews and publishes contributors' film reviews.[5][6] She was featured in the 2014 documentary Life Itself about Roger Ebert and was an executive producer of the 2019 film Selah and the Spades.

In 2005, Ebert was part of a group of high-profile minority and female shareholders who filed a federal lawsuit against other investors in the bankrupt Rosemont, Illinois-based Emerald Casino. Ebert and the other investors said they lost more than $21 million after the Illinois Gaming Board revoked the license from the Emerald Casino, reportedly because the other investors were accused of lying to state regulators or having ties to organized crime.[7][8][9]

After the death of her husband in 2013,[10] Ebert became the host of Ebertfest, an annual film festival held in Champaign, Illinois, in collaboration with the UIUC College of Media.[11][12][13]

On September 28, 2022, during the 2022 Screen Gems Benefit, Ebert announced that she will make her directorial debut on a documentary about Deborah Szekely, the godmother of health and fitness.[14] The film, entitled The Wellness Warrior premiered on October 26, 2024 at the Chicago International Film Festival.[15]

On May 7, 2024, Ebert published a book entitled It's Time to Give a FECK: Elevating Humanity through Forgiveness, Empathy, Compassion, and Kindness about the importance of forgiveness, empathy, compassion, and kindness, inspired by the work of her late husband Roger Ebert.[16]

Personal life

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Ebert has two children from her first marriage to Merle Smith, whom she divorced.[17][4] She was married to film critic Roger Ebert from 1992 until his death in 2013.[18][19][20]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2011 Ebert Presents: At the Movies Contributor 10 episodes
2013 Roger Ebert's 14th Annual Film Festival: A Retrospective Herself Short film[21]
2014 Life Itself Herself
2019 90 Years of the Music Box Theatre Herself Short film
2019 Benjamin Marshall Architect Herself Short film[22]

Publications

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  • Chaz Ebert (May 7, 2024). It's Time to Give a FECK: Elevating Humanity through Forgiveness, Empathy, Compassion, and Kindness. Forefront Books. ISBN 9781637632475.

Awards and honors

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On September 28, 2022, Ebert was awarded the FACETS Legend Award at the 2022 Screen Gems Benefit for her efforts to promote diversity within the film world.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Roger Ebert getting married". Messenger-Inquirer. July 9, 1991. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  2. ^ "Clipping from Public Opinion". Public Opinion. July 20, 1992. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  3. ^ Groark, Virginia (November 25, 1999). "Johnnie M. Hammel; always ready to help". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Chaz Ebert". The History Makers. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  5. ^ Miller, Quenton (February 23, 2017). "Roger Ebert, Wikipedia Editor". Guernica. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  6. ^ Hernandez, Brian Anthony (April 9, 2013). "Roger Ebert's Website for Film Reviews Gets Makeover". Mashable.com. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  7. ^ "Investors file lawsuit in failed casino bid". Chicago Tribune. January 28, 2006. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  8. ^ Kass, John (July 3, 2002). "In Illinois, casino backers just can't lose". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  9. ^ Kass, John (May 30, 2007). "Combine will roll a winner, eventually". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  10. ^ Steinberg, Neil (April 4, 2013). "Roger Ebert dies at 70 after battle with cancer". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014.
  11. ^ Merli, Melissa (April 25, 2007). "Ebert will have best seat in the house". News-Gazette. Champaign, Illinois. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  12. ^ Jones, Chris (February 16, 2010). "Roger Ebert: The Essential Man". Esquire.
  13. ^ Caruso, Michael (January 21, 2020). "New year, new semester: what's in store for Spring 2020". The Daily Illini. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Carey, Matthew (September 28, 2022). "Chaz Ebert Receives FACETS Legend Award As Producer-Philanthropist-Entrepreneur Works On Directorial Debut". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  15. ^ "Chaz Ebert, CEO of RogerEbert.com, Makes Directorial Debut with 'Wellness Warrior'". RogerEbert.com. September 26, 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  16. ^ "Chaz Ebert's new book explains why 'It's Time to Give a FECK'". WLS-TV. May 6, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  17. ^ "My People - Life Itself". erenow.org. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  18. ^ Hunt, Drew. "Chaz Ebert: The Media Mogul". The Chicago Reader. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  19. ^ Lewine, Edward (February 13, 2005). "A Film Critic's Windy City Home". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  20. ^ Felsenthal, Carol (December 2005). "A Life in the Movies". Chicago Magazine. Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  21. ^ Marcotte, Alison (April 8, 2013). "Ebertfest to continue as tribute to film critic". The Daily Illini. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  22. ^ Ebert, Chaz (November 19, 2019). "Benjamin Marshall Documentary to Premiere Today at Chicago's Gene Siskel Film Center". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
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