‘Living Dead’ icon Romero is dead at 77
HORROR LEGEND George Romero, whose film “Night of the Living Dead” and its sequels introduced moviegoers to the chilling world of zombies, died Sunday of cancer. He was 77.
Romero lost a “brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer,” his family said.
The director was “listening to the score of ‘The Quiet Man,’ one of his all-time favorite films, with his wife, Suzanne Desrocher Romero, and daughter Tina Romero at his side” when he died, his rep told the Daily News.
“He died peacefully in his sleep . . . and leaves behind a loving family, many friends, and a filmmaking legacy that has endured, and will continue to endure, the test of time,” said Romero’s manager, Chris Roe.
Romero, who was born and raised in the Bronx, was best known for the 1968 cult classic “Night of the Living Dead,” which he directed and co-wrote with John A. Russo.
The movie was Romero’s directorial debut.
After several less successful followups, Romero went back to the zombie genre for “Dawn of the Dead” (1978), “Day of the Dead” (1985), “Land of the Dead” (2005), “Diary of the Dead” (2007) and “Survival of the Dead” (2009).
“I have a soft spot in my heart for the zombies,” Romero once told NPR. “They are multipurpose, you can’t really get angry at them, they have no hidden agendas, they are what they are. I sympathize with them.”
Romero revealed this month that he was working on “Road of the Dead” with Matt Birman, who had joined him on the last three “Dead” movies.
“Sad to hear my favorite collaborator — and good old friend — George Romero has died,” horror author Stephen King tweeted. “George, there will never be another like you.”