Romero suffered from lung cancer and died in his sleep. His manager, Chirs Roe, released the following statement:
"Legendary filmmaker George A. Romero passed away on Sunday, July 16, 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. He died peacefully in his sleep, following a brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer, and leaves behind a loving family, many friends, and a filmmaking legacy that has endured, and will continue to endure, the test of time."
"Night of the Living Dead" is the film that made Romero a household name. The film made $30 million on a $114,000.00 budget and has become a cult classic. He followed the film up with "Dawn of the Dead", "Day of the Dead", "Land of the Dead", "Diary of the Dead" and "Survival of the Dead". His other films include "There's Always Vanilla," "Season of the Witch," "The Crazies," and "Creepshow".
Romero is survived by his wife and two children.
PHOTO: MICHAEL GIBSON/UNIVERSAL STU/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
