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Legendary filmmaker George A. Romero (February 4, 1940 – July 16, 2017), the father of the modern movie zombie and creator of the groundbreaking “Night of the Living Dead” franchise, has died at 77. Director George Romero at Cannes in 2005. Known for his zombie films, most notably "Night of the Living Dead." Director George Romero at Cannes in 2005. (LA TIMES) Romero died Sunday in his sleep following a “brief but aggressive battle with lung cancer,” according to a statement to The Times provided by his longtime producing partner, Peter Grunwald. Romero died while listening to the score of one his favorite films, 1952’s “The Quiet Man,” with his wife, Suzanne Desrocher Romero, and daughter, Tina Romero, at his side, the family said. Director George Romero in 1984.(Warner Bros./LA Times) Romero jump-started the zombie genre as the co-writer (with John A. Russo) and director of the 1968 movie “Night of the Living Dead,” which went to show future generations of filmmakers such as Tobe Hooper and John Carpenter that generating big scares didn’t require big budgets. “Living Dead” spawned an entire school of zombie knockoffs, and Romero’s sequels included 1978’s “Dawn of the Dead,” 1985’s “Day of the Dead,” 2005’s “Land of the Dead,” 2007’s “Diary of the Dead” and 2009’s “George A. Romero's Survival of the Dead.” George Romero in Beverly Hills in 2005. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times) Click NEXT to continue reading... The original film, since colorized, has become a Halloween TV staple. Among other notable aspects of the cult classic was the casting of a black actor, Duane Jones in the lead role, marking a milestone in the horror genre. Director George Romero is surrounded by actors dressed as zombies at the world premiere of his movie "Land of the Dead" in Las Vegas in 2005. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images/LA Times) Romero wrote or directed projects outside of the “Living Dead” franchise too, including 1973’s “The Crazies,” 1981’s “Knightriders” and episodes of the 1970s TV documentary “The Winners.” His last credit as a writer was for his characters’ appearance in 2017’s “Day of the Dead” from director Hèctor Hernández Vicens. Director George Romero and Stephen King on the set of their first movie together, "Creepshow." (Warner Bros. /LA Times) George Andrew Romero was born in the Bronx in New York City on Feb. 4, 1940. He attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and graduated in 196 from the university’s College of Fine Arts. A scene from 1968's "Night of the Living Dead," directed by George Romero. (LA Times) In recent years, as the zombie genre had a resurgence, Romero wasn’t always a fan. He told a British newspaper in 2013 that he’d been asked to do some episodes of 'The Walking Dead,' but had no interest. "Basically it’s just a soap opera with a zombie occasionally,” he told the Big Issue. “I always used the zombie as a character for satire or a political criticism, and I find that missing in what's happening now." More on NEXT page... Romero took an intellectual view to his depiction of zombies, an approach he found lacking in some of the work that came after him. George Romero in Beverly Hills in 2005. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press/LA Times) "I grew up on these slow-moving-but-you-can't-stop-them , where you've got to find the Achilles' heel, or in this case, the Achilles' brain," Romero told The Times in 2005, referring to the organ whose destruction waylays a zombie. "In they're just dervishes, you don't recognize any of them, there's nothing to characterize them.... I like to give even incidental zombies a bit of identification. I just think it's a nice reminder that they're us. They walked out of one life and into this." Director George Romero in the lobby of the Hollywood Book and Poster Shop in 1988. (Michael Edwards / Los Angeles Times) His critical eye could be trained on subjects beyond the undead. In 1988, he remarked on the street scene on Hollywood Boulevard to a Times reporter, making a prediction that proved true. George Romero poses for a photograph while talking about his film "Diary of the Dead" at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008. (LA Times/Amy Sancetta / Associated Press) Continue reading NEXT "I know they're trying to clean up Hollywood Boulevard," he said eyeing the odd, colorful crowd at rush hour. "But you'll always be able to get a tattoo here. It'll just cost more." Producer Peter Grunwald, left, director George Romero and special makeup effects artist Greg Nicotero in 2005. (Los Angeles Times/Ethan Miller / Getty Images) At the time, he was promoting the horror film “Monkey Shines.” "I've been criticized the most for not writing good-guy/bad-guy characters," he explained. "But my people aren't clear-cut because real people aren't clear-cut. They're usually very gray, very ambiguous. George Romero on stage with a zombie piano player at the Scream Awards in Los Angeles in 2009. (Los Angeles Times/Chris Pizzello / Associated Press) "That's what makes this story so disturbing because you don't know where you stand with everyone. There's a wonderful line in the original novel -- 'the devil is instinct.' And I think that's what I responded to most--the theme of the evil within, the Jekyll-and-Hyde quality of the character." Producers Mark Canton and Peter Grunwald, left, with director George Romero and special makeup effects artist Greg Nicotero in 2005. (Los Angeles Times/Ethan Miller / Getty Images) Source: LA TIMES: George A. Romero, 'Night of the Living Dead' creator, dies at 77 If you LIKE this story, please SHARE this story