Gene Shalit, a movie critic and arts reporter for the US Today show over four decades who was known for his puffy hair, oversized handlebar moustache and affection for groan-inducing puns, has died.
He was 100.
Shalit's family announced the death on Friday to NBC News, saying in a statement that he "passed away peacefully today after 100 years of an amazing life".
Shalit joined Today as a contributor in 1970 and became arts editor in 1973, later settling in for his segment, Critic's Corner. When he left the show in 2010, he was one of the last high-profile film critics on a major network.
"What resonated above his unusual appearance was his incredible wit, his remarkable intelligence. But he didn't pound you over the head with it. He amused you. He enlightened and amused whatever subject he was on," Guy Ludwig, Shalit's producer for more than 20 years, wrote in an essay of his time.
