George A. Romero, known for launching the zombie genre into the mainstream with his classic “Night of the Living Dead,” has passed away in his sleep, following a “a brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer,” according to his longtime associate Peter Gunwald.
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The LA Times reported that Romero died listening to the score from “The Quiet Man” and was accompanied by his wife Suzanne and daughter Tina.
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“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,” Romero’s manager Chris Roe said in a statement, according to Variety. “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.”
Romero was 77.