Gene Shalit Dies: ‘Today’ Film Critic Was 100

Film critic Gene Shalit, who became a staple of Today thanks to his bubbly personality, walrus mustache, and love for wordplay, died on Friday, June 12. In a statement given to NBC News by his family, the beloved TV personality “passed away peacefully today after 100 years of an amazing life.”

A fixture on Today for four decades, Shalit began his career at NBC as a contributor in 1970 before joining the program full-time three years later. His upbeat personality and distinctive style helped him stand out from other television film critics of the era, quickly making him a household name as The Today Show‘s lead movie reviewer.