Key Takeaways:
- Mel Brooks, the legendary comedian, filmmaker, and EGOT winner, will celebrate his 100th birthday in 2026.
- David Attenborough, renowned broadcaster and natural historian, will also turn 100 in 2026, having influenced generations through groundbreaking nature documentaries and environmental advocacy.
- Gene Shalit, longtime film critic for NBC’s Today Show, will join the centenarian club in 2026, recognized for his decades-long impact on television journalism and film criticism.
- These three celebrities have made significant contributions to their respective fields, leaving lasting legacies in comedy, natural history, and film criticism.
Introduction to the Centenarians
Not many people have the chance to celebrate their 100th birthday, and even fewer celebrities have reached this impressive milestone. With the recent celebration of Dick Van Dyke’s 100th birthday in 2025, it’s exciting to look ahead to 2026 and see which celebrities will be joining the centenarian club. This year, we can expect to mark the 100th birthdays of Mel Brooks, David Attenborough, and Gene Shalit, three individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective fields.
Mel Brooks: A Comedy Legend
Mel Brooks’ career began behind the scenes, writing comedy in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He was part of the writing staff for Your Show of Shows, a landmark television program starring Sid Caesar that helped define early TV comedy. During that time, Brooks worked alongside Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, and other writers who would go on to become legends in their own right. This experience shaped his career and laid the foundation for his future success. Brooks made his directorial film debut with The Producers in 1967, earning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He followed that with a string of films that became comedy landmarks, including Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Silent Movie, High Anxiety, and Spaceballs. In 2001, the Broadway adaptation of The Producers won twelve Tony Awards, at the time the most ever for a single show. Brooks is one of the few entertainers to achieve EGOT status, having won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards.
David Attenborough: A Natural History Icon
David Attenborough joined the BBC in 1952, beginning a broadcasting career that would span more than seven decades. He first became known to viewers through Zoo Quest in the 1950s, a groundbreaking series that brought filmed wildlife into homes when such footage was rarely seen. Beyond his work on camera, Attenborough played an essential role inside the BBC, serving as controller of BBC Two during the 1960s and helping oversee the channel’s expansion into color television. Attenborough is best known for writing and narrating major natural history documentary series, including Life on Earth, The Living Planet, The Trials of Life, The Blue Planet, and Planet Earth. Life on Earth, first broadcast in 1979, reached audiences worldwide and is widely regarded as one of the most influential documentary series ever produced. Over time, Attenborough also became a prominent public advocate for environmental conservation, speaking about biodiversity loss and climate change in documentaries, books, and public addresses.
Gene Shalit: A Film Critic and Journalist
Gene Shalit built his reputation as a journalist and editor before becoming a familiar face on American television. In 1970, he joined NBC’s Today Show as its film critic, a role he held until 2010. Over four decades on the program, Shalit reviewed thousands of films, making him one of the longest-serving movie critics in television history. In addition to his television work, Shalit wrote for publications such as Ladies’ Home Journal and authored several books on film and criticism. He became known for bringing movie reviews into a morning television format, helping normalize film criticism as part of everyday pop culture conversation. In 1988, Shalit received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognizing his long-running contribution to television journalism.
Legacy and Celebration
As these three celebrities approach their 100th birthdays, it’s a time to reflect on their remarkable careers and the lasting impact they’ve had on their respective fields. Mel Brooks’ comedic genius, David Attenborough’s groundbreaking natural history documentaries, and Gene Shalit’s influential film criticism have all contributed to a rich cultural landscape. Their legacies will continue to inspire and entertain future generations, and their 100th birthdays will be a celebration of their enduring contributions to the world of comedy, natural history, and film. As we mark these milestones, we honor not only their individual achievements but also the significant impact they’ve had on popular culture and our understanding of the world around us.