Overview
- Shalit’s family told NBC News that he “passed away peacefully today after 100 years of an amazing life,” a statement confirmed by multiple outlets on Friday, June 12.
- He was a fixture on NBC’s Today for roughly four decades, joining as a part-time contributor in 1970, becoming arts editor around 1973, and retiring from the program in 2010.
- Shalit was widely known for his distinctive look—bushy hair, oversized mustache, bow ties and large glasses—and for short, pun-filled “Critic’s Corner” segments that made criticism entertaining for morning viewers.
- His long career included off‑air work in print and radio and occasional controversy, most notably a 2005 Brokeback Mountain review that drew condemnation from GLAAD and prompted an apology from Shalit.
- Before television he wrote for publications such as Look, Ladies’ Home Journal and The New York Times, he celebrated his 100th birthday on March 25, 2026, and he is survived by his children and grandchildren.