Gene Shalit, 'TODAY' show movie critic, dies at 100
He stood out from the TV pack with his bowties, bushy moustache and movie reviews studded with cheeky turns of phrase.
Updated June 12, 2026, 6:50 PM EDT
Gene Shalit, a film critic for NBC’s “TODAY” show for four decades who was instantly recognizable for his walrus mustache and fondness for lively wordplay, died Friday, his family said.
Shalit “passed away peacefully today after 100 years of an amazing life,” his family told NBC News in a statement.
Shalit started as a part-time “TODAY” show contributor in 1970 before moving to a full-time role three years later. He earned national fame as the program’s go-to movie reviewer, offering his take on summer blockbusters, awards contenders and other big-screen projects until his retirement in 2010.
“The ‘TODAY’ Show was an extraordinary era for him,” his family said in its statement.