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Renowned and mustachioed “Today” show film critic Eugene “Gene” Shalit, who spent four decades on the program, died on Friday. He was 100.
News of Shalit’s death was shared by his family, who told NBC News that the quirky critic “passed away peacefully after 100 amazing years of his life.”
Shalit began as a part-time contributor on the “Today” show in 1970 before moving to a full-time role in 1973.
Over a career spanning 45 years – one of the longest continuous runs in daily network television history – he reviewed thousands of motion pictures, books, and plays across television, radio, and magazines.
His signature bowties, puffy hair, and cigar distinguished him from the common television personalities of his time.
Between 1969 and 1982, he was known as the “Man About Anything” on NBC’s radio network and frequently shared his quick wit as a panelist on classic game shows like “What’s My Line?” and “To Tell The Truth.”
His show, “Critics Corner,” was known for its quirky expressions and puns.
“The ‘TODAY’ show was an extraordinary era for him,” Shalit’s family said in its statement.
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“What resonated above his unusual appearance was his incredible wit, his remarkable intelligence,” wrote Guy Ludwig, Shalit’s producer for more than 20 years, in an essay published on the “TODAY” website in 2010.
“But he didn’t pound you over the head with it,” the essay continued.
“He amused you. He enlightened and amused whatever subject he was on.”
Shalit was born in New York City and raised in Morristown, New Jersey, where his family owned a drug store and he founded his high school newspaper.
He later attended the University of Illinois, jokingly noting it took him six years to earn a four-year degree.
During his time there, he served as a sports and humor columnist for the Daily Illini and reported for the Champaign-Urbana Courier, as well as working as a stringer for the AP in Chicago.
Beyond his work for Look Magazine and Ladies Home Journal, Shalit was a published author, releasing “Laughing Matters” in 1987 and “His Great Hollywood Wit” in 2002.
He leaves behind a legacy defined by a century of curiosity and an unmistakable zest for the arts.
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