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Zombie legend and pioneer George A. Romero has passed away at 77

By Adam Carlson

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 17: Director George A. Romero accepts the Mastermind Award onstage during Spike TV's Scream 2009 held at the Greek Theatre on October 17, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 17: Director George A. Romero accepts the Mastermind Award onstage during Spike TV's Scream 2009 held at the Greek Theatre on October 17, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) /
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Fans of horror and zombies were dealt a massive blow on Sunday, July 16, 2017 when news was released on the passing of legendary director George A. Romero.

George A. Romero was a pioneer in the field of horror. Mentioning his name in the zombie loving community brings to mind many of his classic films involving the dead rising from the grave and attacking humans.

Many fans of The Walking Dead got their start with zombies thanks to Romero. He was best known for his early zombie films such as Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead, but also found success with modern films in the genre such as Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, and Survival of the Dead.

The creator of The Walking Dead, Robert Kirkman, has praised the work of George A. Romero on multiple occasions, stating that if not for him, the hit zombie franchise he created would never have existed.

Kirkman discussed his love for Romero’s work in an interview with Rolling Stone:

"“I wasn’t allowed to see horror movies as a kid — my parents would rent them and watch them in the basement, and I’d hide behind the couch and sneak peeks. So there was always a fascination with them. One night, after I’d moved out of my parents’ house, there was some local Fox affiliate that happened to be showing Night of the Living Dead.I remember thinking, “This is crazy. There are people trapped in this house and zombies are trying to get in.” Then I’d heard George Romero had made sequels; I bought them and must have watched them every night for months.”"

George A. Romero left behind a huge legacy when he succumbed to lung cancer at 77 years old according to the L.A. Times. Here are just a few of the fantastic movies he was a major part of creating:

More from Undead Walking

  • Night of the Living Dead
  • Season of the Witch
  • The Crazies
  • Dawn of the Dead
  • The Dark Half
  • Land of the Dead
  • Diary of the Dead
  • Survival of the Dead
  • Creepshow
  • Creepshow 2
  • Tales From The Darkside: The Movie

Although Romero never embraced The Walking Dead like many fans of the comic book series or television show have, he is largely responsible for their existence as well as their success.

Next: Romero's star on the Walk of Fame

It takes a powerful man with a strong vision to take something like zombies and make them mainstream, but thanks to pioneers in the industry such as George A. Romero, fans will be enjoying the undead for many, many years to come. May he rest in peace.

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