Gene Shalit: A Celebrated Movie Critic’s Legacy

Gene Shalit, a well-known movie critic and arts reporter, passed away at the age of 100. Shalit was famous for his puffy hair, oversized handlebar mustache, and affectionate puns. His family confirmed his death on Friday, issuing a statement to NBC News saying he “passed away peacefully today after 100 years of an amazing life.”

Shalit became a notable figure when he joined the “Today” show as a contributor in 1970. By 1973, he was promoted to arts editor and eventually settled into his segment, “Critic’s Corner.” He continued until his departure in 2010, remaining one of the network’s last high-profile film critics. Guy Ludwig, Shalit’s longtime producer, noted Shalit’s wit and intelligence as the defining traits that amused and enlightened audiences.

This period also saw increased focus on televised movie reviews. Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel brought their show “Sneak Previews” from local to national TV on PBS, while Shalit’s ABC rival “Good Morning America” added Joel Siegel as its movie critic in 1981. Shalit was praised for shifting critical power from print media, leading to more televised reviews.

Shalit’s magazine career began with his role as an entertainment columnist for McCall’s magazine. He later became a senior film critic for Look magazine and wrote for Ladies’ Home Journal. This popularity led NBC to offer Shalit a position. Once they met him in person, an executive jokingly suggested Shalit should try radio due to his unusual appearance in contrast to typical TV personalities of the 1960s.

On air, Shalit aimed not to spoil films. In his review of “Stand By Me,” he noted its engrossing appeal as opposed to distasteful themes common in youth movies. He avoided plot spoilers, focusing on the experience rather than specifics.

Not all of Shalit’s reviews were warm receptions. He commended “Defiance” starring Daniel Craig and Jude Law as a vivid dramatization. Conversely, he critiqued “Brokeback Mountain” as overpraised which drew backlash. He later apologized for inappropriate comments regarding the film’s depiction.

Highlights of Shalit’s career include unique and humorous critiques. He described the remake of “King Kong” with invented words such as “fabularious” and reviewed Steven Spielberg’s “The Color Purple” by declaring it should be mandatory viewing.

Frequently, Shalit interacted with famous personalities, exhibiting his playful demeanor. An instance involved John Belushi mockingly describing Shalit’s hair as “an ant farm on fire” during their interview.

Shalit’s history extends to education and early work in journalism. Raised in Morristown, New Jersey, he established his grammar school’s newspaper and wrote humor columns in high school. Shalit graduated from the University of Illinois in 1949.

He played the bassoon after initially learning clarinet, recounting an amusing incident leading to the switch. Shalit edited a book titled “Laughing Matters: A Celebration of American Humor,” aiming to showcase both historic and contemporary humorists.

Saturday Night Live skits regularly featured Horatio Sanz as Shalit in exaggerated antics. Additionally, Shalit made appearances on “Sesame Street,” “Family Guy,” and “Spongebob Squarepants.” He is survived by his daughter, Willa Shalit.