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Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 12Gene Shalit Dies at 100 After 30 Years as NBC Today Critic
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 12Summary
- NBC reported Friday that Gene Shalit, the longtime film and book critic identified with the "Today" show, has died at 100.
- Shalit joined "Today" as a contributor in 1970, became a full-time critic three years later, and stayed in that role for another 30 years.
- His pun-filled reviews and trademark handlebar mustache, glasses and bow ties made him one of the most recognizable critics in American television.
- Before television, Shalit built his career in print journalism at publications including Ladies' Home Journal and The New York Times.
Insights
Did Gene Shalit's pun-filled, populist reviews ultimately help or harm the craft of serious film criticism? In today's era of online influencers, could a unique TV personality like Gene Shalit ever achieve such widespread fame?