# Gene Shalit passes away, age 100 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2026, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-shalit-passes-away-age-100/1030857 "2026-06-13T00:23:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-shalit-passes-away-age-100/1030857/1 "2026-06-13T00:23:48Z")
I remember Shalit through a kid’s eyes, checking out his movie reviews on summer mornings on the _Today_ show. > **[Gene Shalit, ‘TODAY’ show movie critic, dies at 100](https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/gene-shalit-today-show-movie-critic-dies-100-rcna103405)** > > He stood out from the TV pack with his bowties, bushy moustache and movie reviews studded with cheeky turns of phrase. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-shalit-passes-away-age-100/1030857/2 "2026-06-13T00:31:45Z")
Another Abe Vigoda reaches his end. But yeah, his critiques were entertaining and memorable. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-shalit-passes-away-age-100/1030857/3 "2026-06-13T00:35:44Z")
Another famous name I thought had long since passed away. Peace to him and comfort to his loved ones. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-shalit-passes-away-age-100/1030857/4 "2026-06-13T00:44:05Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > But yeah, his critiques were entertaining and memorable. Some of Shalit’s interviews linger in my memory. Here he switches with aplomb between Serious Interview and Fun With Muppets - Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pzsi9e8BC2k/hqdefault.jpg "Gene Shalit interviews Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog on Today") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzsi9e8BC2k) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-shalit-passes-away-age-100/1030857/5 "2026-06-13T20:22:52Z")
Shalit wasn’t my favorite movie critic, but I admire his level of energy and enthusiasm. This is part of a very-entertaining remembrance by Shalit’s long-time producer (well worth a read in full). > [@](#): > > Well, a tremendous part of Gene’s career is his love of movies. Before he was on television, he reviewed movies. He had an almost mystical respect for the story telling of movies. And in his reviews, he always goes back to that. What is the story? Where does the story take us? What do we get from it? Is it changing? Is it funny? Is it enlightening? It is sad? Does it teach us something that we didn’t know? And that love of story, which also extends to his love of books and literature and even music, I think has galvanized him for years and years. > > And one of the things that has struck me just in the last year, was Gene walking into a movie theater for a screening with absolute glee, looking forward to what he was going to see. And you’d say to yourself, “My God, how could you – you’ve seen 2 million movies.” “Yeah, but I’ve never seen this one!” I love that. (And have to wonder how much that orientation connects with ‘living to 100.’) > **[Gene Shalit's longtime producer shares his memories of a legend](https://www.today.com/allday/gene-shalits-longtime-producer-shares-his-memories-legend-1c9384041)** > > Guy Ludwig was Gene Shalit’s producer for more than 20 years at TODAY – about half of Gene’s tenure at TODAY. He shares below some memories of Gene’s storied career.TODAY: How did Gene Shalit get to TODAY?Guy Ludwig: He was a writer for the Ladies'... ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-shalit-passes-away-age-100/1030857/6 "2026-06-13T21:57:18Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > … have to wonder how much that orientation connects with ‘living to 100. _(my diaresis)_ Quite a lot, I would bet, Thanks for sharing Ludwig’s tribute. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2026, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-shalit-passes-away-age-100/1030857/7 "2026-06-14T19:31:17Z")
It _is_ a nice tribute. You can always tell when someone’s eulogy is sincere, as opposed to being an act of duty. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2026, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-shalit-passes-away-age-100/1030857/8 "2026-06-15T13:04:10Z")
I love his comment on Siskel and Ebert: “If you cut off their thumbs, they couldn’t review anything.”