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Film Critic Roger Ebert Returns To TV

MELISSA BLOCK, Host:

For 68-year-old film critic Roger Ebert, age has brought with it what would it seem to many to be an insurmountable challenge. In 2006, the longtime reviewer for the Chicago Sun-Times lost his lower jaw and his voice to cancer surgery, but he lost neither his love for movies nor his passion for talking about them. So last year, he unveiled a new voice made with the help of a computer.

PBS, Host:

He returns to television for the first time since 2006 with his PBS program "Ebert Presents at the Movies." The new show has two co-hosts who do most of the reviewing, but there is a segment called Roger's Office when fans will hear directly from Ebert.

ROGER EBERT: 453651, this year's Truer than Fiction Award at the Indie Spirits and the jury prize at South by Southwest. I think it's a real discovery on DVD, and I give it a big thumbs up.

BLOCK: At times, Ebert's reviews will also be read by a special guest. That's the case tonight when acclaimed German director Werner Herzog reads Ebert's review of the film "My Dog Tulip."

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "EBERT PRESENTS AT THE MOVIES")

WERNER HERZOG: Almost all human beings desire one thing, and that is to be loved. This is Werner Herzog speaking as Roger's voice.

: It's certainly a departure from the loud playful sparring of Siskel and Ebert, but even when it's coming out of someone else's mouth, Ebert's voice is unmistakable.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "EBERT PRESENTS AT THE MOVIES")

HERZOG: This is a wonderful film, reassuring us that sometimes love really is a bitch.

: Roger Ebert, a lesson in lastingness. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.