Gene Shalitlong popular Today film critic, is dead. He was 100 years old.
Shalit's family confirmed the news NBC News On Friday, June 12, he shared that he “passed away peacefully today after one hundred years of an amazing life.”
The family also brought up his decades-long television career, describing his time Today “a strange season for him.”
A fixture on morning television for nearly four decades, Shalit became one of the most recognized film critics in America during his tenure on the NBC show. He became famous for his trademark moustache, colorful wordplay and on-air personality before retiring in 2010.
His former partner Meredith Vieira he paid tribute to Shalit at that time.
“It's hard to imagine not having him here Today show,” he said, referring to the impact he had during his career.
A few months before his death, Shalit celebrated a milestone birthday. The veteran critic turned 100 on March 25 and was honored by Today during the special phase. The show put her in a Smucker's birthday mug and shared a recent photo of the beloved broadcaster.
“She hits 100 for enjoying the fresh air in the Berkshires with her six children [and] five grandchildren,” Today the hostel Al Roker, 71, said at the time.
In 2010, Shalit's longtime producer Guy Ludwig shared his memories of working with a film critic years ago.
“When Gene was on, he would get letters like, 'Who is this part-time person you have on television,' because he was so different,” he said. Today. But what stood out above his unusual appearance was his incredible intelligence, his incredible wisdom. But he didn't dwell on it. He made you laugh. He enlightened and made fun of any subject he was on.
Ludwig also reflected on Shalit's longevity Today, praising the wonderful act.
“Gene was on a television program, Today, longer than anyone else in the history of television,” said Ludwig: “And we believe that this is worldwide, certainly, domestic television. No one has ever lived 41 years in one show. And of course Gene has done other things along the way, radio and television specials, game shows, appearances with Tom Snyder and David Letterman. But the person who has appeared in one show all the way through, continuously, there is only Gene.”
Born Eugene Shalit in New York City in 1926, the TV personality was raised in New Jersey and developed a first love of writing. He contributed to his high school newspaper and to the student publication at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before graduating in 1949.
Before gaining fame as a critic, Shalit worked briefly as a Dick Clarkpressure agent. The working relationship ended amid a payola investigation that brought Clark before Congress in 1960.
Clark later reflected on the split in a 2011 interview no The New York Times describing Shalit as a “jellyfish” and revealing that the two never spoke again.
