Gene Shalit, the longtime film critic and arts reporter for NBC’s “Today” show, has died at age 100. Across more than four decades on the program, Shalit became a recognizable figure to viewers, noted for his distinctive, bushy appearance and oversized handlebar mustache, as well as his frequent use of humor and puns in commentary.
Sources report that Shalit joined “Today” in 1970 and later became the show’s arts editor in 1973. In that role, he interviewed celebrities and reviewed books as well as films, blending entertainment coverage with his commentary. Multiple outlets describe him as a wry, approachable presence whose on-air style made him a staple of the morning show.
Several articles also note that his role on “Today” was reduced in later years, and that he retired in 2010. Shalit’s family announced his death, and accounts say he passed away peacefully.
