Gene Shalit, the beloved movie critic and arts reporter for the “Today” show, has passed away. Known for his puffy hair, oversized handlebar mustache and a love for puns, Shalit joined

He reviewed books and films on the morning program for four decades: "'The Silence of the Lambs' may be all wool, and a yard wide, but it makes a terrific yarn."

Gene Shalit, the bushy-haired mustachioed television personality who reviewed books and movies on "The Today Show" for 40 years, has died at 100.

He stood out from the TV pack with his bowties, bushy moustache and movie reviews studded with cheeky turns of phrase.

Gene Shalit, the beloved Today show movie critic known for his puns and an absent-minded professor image enhanced by a bushy mustache, has died, his family told NBC News on Friday, June 12. He was 100.

Citing his family, NBC News reported that Shalit "passed away peacefully today after 100 years of an amazing life."

The iconic film critic of NBC’s Today, Gene Shalit, has died at the age of 100. His former network reported the news. In a statement to NBC News, his family said Shalit “passed away peacefully today after 100 years of an amazing life.

He joined the "Today" show as a contributor in 1970 before becoming a full-time book and film critic three years later — and remained in the role for another thirty years. Shalit, with his endearing Muppet face,