Shalit contributed to the “Today” show from 1970 to 2010.

Gene Shalit, Today show movie critic, dies at 100

Shalit contributed to the "Today" show from 1970 to 2010.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

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June 12, 2026 7:52 p.m. ET

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Gene Shalit on 'Today' in 1973. Credit:

NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty

Gene Shalit, the longtime movie critic for the *Today* show, has died.

The TV personality's family confirmed that he died on Friday at age 100, according to NBC News. The family told the outlet that Shalit "passed away peacefully today after 100 years of an amazing life," adding that "the *Today* show was an extraordinary era for him." A cause of death was not provided.

Shalit made his debut on *Today* in 1970 as a part-time contributor, and became a regular on the show in 1973. He served as the program's film and book critic until 2010, and also interviewed a variety of actors and filmmakers during his time on the show.

The critic began as a print journalist, serving as a critic for *Look Magazine* and penning the “What’s Happening?” page for *Ladies Home Journal*. He also had bylines in *The New York Times*, *TV Guide*, *Glamour*, *Cosmopolitan*, and *Seventeen*. Shalit also broadcast a daily radio essay *Man About Anything* on NBC Radio Network from 1970 to 1982.

Known for his massive black mustache and colorful bowties, Shalit's distinct appearance made him something of a cultural icon who remained easily identifiable even as he was abstracted into parody. He played a fish version of himself  called Gene Scallop in an episode of *SpongeBob Squarepants*, and voiced an animated version of himself on *The Critic* as well. John Lovitz portrayed him on *Saturday Night Live*, a Muppet iteration of him appeared on *The Muppet Show*, and *Family Guy *poked fun at him on several occasions.

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