Gene Shalit, veteran TODAY show film critic, dies at 100

Gene Shalit, the longtime film critic for NBC's TODAY show whose distinctive style and humorous reviews made him one of American television's most recognizable entertainment commentators, died at the age of 100, media reports said on Friday.

Shalit's family said he "passed away peacefully today after 100 years of an amazing life," according to NBC News.

A fixture on the TODAY show for four decades, Shalit joined the program as a part-time contributor in 1970 before becoming a full-time movie critic in 1973.

He gained national prominence through his reviews of major films, often delivering assessments filled with puns and playful commentary.

"The Silence of the Lambs may be all wool and a yard wide, but it makes a terrific yarn," he said in a review of the 1991 Academy Award-winning film.

Shalit remained the program's leading movie analyst until retiring in 2010.

"The TODAY show was an extraordinary era for him," his family said.

Born Eugene Shalit in New York on March 25, 1926, he began his journalism career in print media, writing for publications including Look Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, The New York Times and TV Guide.

In addition to reviewing films, he interviewed prominent figures ranging from Oprah Winfrey to Harrison Ford and appeared on television game shows.

Following his retirement, Shalit largely stepped away from public life.

Former TODAY co-host Meredith Vieira said during his farewell tribute in 2010: "It's hard to imagine not having him here. He is the TODAY show."