William Edward Crystal (born March 14, 1948)
[On page 17 of his book ''700 Sundays'', Crystal displays his birth announcement, which gives his first two names as "William Edward", not "William Jacob" ] is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He gained prominence in the 1970s and 1980s for television roles as
Jodie Dallas on the
ABC sitcom ''
Soap
Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are us ...
'' and as a cast member and frequent host of ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
''. Crystal then became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in ''
Running Scared'' (1986), ''
The Princess Bride The Princess Bride may refer to:
* ''The Princess Bride'' (novel), 1973 fantasy romance novel by American writer William Goldman
William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He ...
'' (1987), ''
Throw Momma from the Train
''Throw Momma from the Train'' is a 1987 American crime comedy film starring and directed by Danny DeVito in his theatrical directorial debut. The film co-stars Billy Crystal, Anne Ramsey, Rob Reiner, Branford Marsalis, Kim Greist, and Kate Mulg ...
'' (1987), ''
Memories of Me'' (1988), ''
When Harry Met Sally...'' (1989), ''
City Slickers'' (1991), ''
Mr. Saturday Night'' (1992), ''
Analyze This'' (1999), and ''
Parental Guidance'' (2012). He provided the voice of
Mike Wazowski in the
''Monsters, Inc.'' franchise. He also starred on the
Broadway stage in ''
700 Sundays
''700 Sundays'' is an autobiography written by Billy Crystal. The title refers to the number of Sundays shared by Billy and his father, Jack Crystal, who died when Billy was 15.
Broadway
Crystal's stage adaptation was originally produced in 2004 ...
'' in 2004 and again in
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
and in ''
Mr. Saturday Night'' in 2022.
Crystal has received numerous accolades, including six
Primetime Emmy Awards (out of 21 nominations), a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
, a
Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991. He has hosted the
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
nine times,
beginning in 1990 and
most recently in 2012. In 2022, he was announced as the recipient of the
Lifetime Achievement Award from the
Critics Choice Awards.
Early life
Crystal was born at
Doctors Hospital on the
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side, sometimes abbreviated UES, is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 96th Street to the north, the East River to the east, 59th Street to the south, and Central Park/Fifth Avenue to the we ...
of
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
,
and initially raised in
the Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New ...
.
As a toddler, he moved with his family to 549 East Park Avenue in
Long Beach, New York, on
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
.
He and his older brothers Joel, who later became an art teacher, and Richard, nicknamed Rip, were the sons of Helen (''née'' Gabler), a housewife, and Jack Crystal, who owned and operated the Commodore Music Store, founded by Crystal's grandfather, Julius Gabler.
Crystal's father was also a
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
promoter, a producer, and an executive for an affiliated
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
record label,
Commodore Records
Commodore Records was an American independent record label known for producing Dixieland jazz and swing. It is also remembered for releasing Billie Holiday's hit " Strange Fruit".
History
Commodore Records was founded in the spring of 1938 by Mi ...
, founded by Crystal's uncle, musician and songwriter
Milt Gabler
Milton Gabler (May 20, 1911 – July 20, 2001) was an American record producer, responsible for many innovations in the recording industry of the 20th century. These included being the first person to deal in record reissues, the first to se ...
.
Crystal is
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
(his family emigrated from Austria, Russia, and Lithuania),
and he grew up attending
Temple Emanu-El (Long Beach, New York) where he had his
bar mitzvah. The three young brothers would entertain by reprising comedy routines from the likes of
Bob Newhart,
Rich Little and
Sid Caesar
Isaac Sidney Caesar (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2014) was an American comic actor, comedian and writer. With a career spanning 60 years, he was best known for two pioneering 1950s live television series: ''Your Show of Shows'' (1950� ...
records their father would bring home.
Jazz artists such as
Arvell Shaw,
Pee Wee Russell,
Eddie Condon, and
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...
were often guests in the home.
With the decline of
Dixieland jazz and the rise of discount record stores, in 1963, Crystal's father lost his business
and died later that year at the age of 54
after having a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
.
His mother died in 2001.
After graduating from
Long Beach High School in 1965,
Crystal attended
Marshall University
Marshall University is a public research university in Huntington, West Virginia. It was founded in 1837 and is named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States.
The university is currently composed of nine colleges ...
in
Huntington, West Virginia, on a baseball scholarship,
having learned the game from his father, who pitched for
St. John's University. Crystal never played baseball at Marshall because the program was suspended during his first year. He did not return to Marshall as a sophomore, instead deciding to stay in New York to be close to his future wife. He studied acting at
HB Studio. He attended
Nassau Community College
Nassau Community College (NCC) is a public community college in Uniondale, New York, using the Garden City, New York ZIP Code. It was founded in 1959 and is part of the State University of New York.
History
Nassau Community College was crea ...
with her and later transferred to
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
, where he was a film and television directing major. He graduated from
NYU
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, the ...
in 1970 with a
BFA from its then
School of Fine Arts
The School of Fine Arts or College of Fine Arts is the official name or part of the name of several schools of fine arts, often as an academic part of a larger university. These include:
The Americas
North America
*Alabama School of Fine ...
. One of his instructors was
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, incl ...
, while
Oliver Stone and
Christopher Guest
Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest (born February 5, 1948) is an American-British screenwriter, composer, musician, director, actor, and comedian. Guest is most widely known in Hollywood for having written, directed, and starred in h ...
were among his classmates.
[Crystal, in ]
Career
Television
Crystal returned to New York City. For four years, he was part of a comedy trio with two friends. They played colleges and coffee houses and Crystal worked as a substitute teacher on Long Island. He later became a solo act and performed regularly at ''
The Improv
The Improv is a comedy club franchise. It was founded as a single venue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City in 1963, and expanded into a chain of venues in the late 1970s.
History
Originally, it was a single venue founded in 1 ...
'' and ''
Catch a Rising Star''. In 1976, Crystal appeared on an episode of ''
All in the Family''. He was on the dais for
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast of
Muhammad Ali on February 19, 1976, where he did
impressions of both Ali and sportscaster
Howard Cosell. He was scheduled to appear on the first episode of ''
NBC Saturday Night'' on October 11, 1975 (The show was later renamed ''Saturday Night Live'' on March 26, 1977), but his sketch was cut.
He did perform on episode 17 of that first season, doing a monologue of an old jazz man capped by the line "Can you dig it? I knew that you could." Host
Ron Nessen introduced him as "Bill Crystal". Crystal also made game show appearances such as ''
The Hollywood Squares
''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show piloted on NBC in 1965 and the regular series debuted in 1966 on t ...
,'' ''
All Star Secrets'' and ''
The $20,000 Pyramid
''Pyramid'' is the collective name of a series of American television game shows that has aired several versions domestically and internationally. The original series, ''The $10,000 Pyramid'', debuted on March 26, 1973, and spawned seven subseq ...
.'' To this day, he holds the Pyramid franchise's record for getting his contestant partner to the top of the pyramid in the winner's circle in the fastest time: 26 seconds.
Crystal's earliest prominent role was as
Jodie Dallas on ''
Soap
Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are us ...
,'' one of the first unambiguously gay characters in the cast of an American television series. He continued in the role during the series's entire 1977–1981 run.
In 1982, Billy Crystal hosted his own variety show, ''The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour'' on NBC. When Crystal arrived to shoot the fifth episode, he learned it had been canceled after only the first two aired. After hosting ''Saturday Night Live'' twice, on March 17, 1984, and the show's ninth season finale on May 5, he joined the regular cast for
the 1984–85 season.
His most famous recurring sketch was his parody of
Fernando Lamas, a smarmy talk-show host whose
catchphrase, "You look... mahvelous!", became a media sensation.
Also in the 1980s, Crystal starred in an episode of
Shelley Duvall's ''
Faerie Tale Theatre
Faerie Tale Theatre (also known as Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre) is an American live-action fairytale fantasy drama anthology television series of 27 episodes, that originally aired on Showtime from September 11, 1982 until November 14, ...
'' as the smartest of the three little pigs.
Crystal was a guest on the first and the last episode of ''
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,'' which concluded February 6, 2014, after 22 seasons on the air.
In 1996, Crystal was the guest star of the third episode of ''
Muppets Tonight'' and hosted three
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
s Telecasts: the 29th Grammys; the 30th Grammys; and the 31st Grammys.
In 2015, Crystal co-starred alongside
Josh Gad on the
FX comedy series ''
The Comedians'', which ran for just one season before being canceled.
Film career
Crystal's first film role was in
Joan Rivers
Joan Alexandra Molinsky (June 8, 1933 – September 4, 2014), known professionally as Joan Rivers, was an American comedian, actress, producer, writer and television host. She was noted for her blunt, often controversial comedic persona—heavi ...
' 1978 film ''
Rabbit Test
The rabbit test, or Friedman test, was an early pregnancy test developed in 1931 by Maurice Friedman and Maxwell Edward Lapham at the University of Pennsylvania.
Test
The hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced during pregna ...
'', the story of the "world's first pregnant man."
Crystal appeared briefly in the
Rob Reiner
Robert Norman Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitcom '' All in the Family'' (1971–1979), a performa ...
"
rockumentary
A concert film, or concert movie, is a film that showcases a live performance from the perspective of a concert goer, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by either a musician or a stand-up comedian.
Early history
The ...
" ''
This Is Spinal Tap'' (1984) as Morty The Mime, a waiter dressed as a mime at one of Spinal Tap's parties. He shared the scene with a then-unknown, non-speaking
Dana Carvey, stating famously that "Mime is money." He later starred in the action comedy ''
Running Scared'' (1986) and was directed by Reiner again in ''
The Princess Bride The Princess Bride may refer to:
* ''The Princess Bride'' (novel), 1973 fantasy romance novel by American writer William Goldman
William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He ...
'' (1987), in a comedic supporting role as "Miracle Max". Reiner got Crystal to accept the part by saying, "How would you like to play Mel Brooks?" Reiner also allowed Crystal to ad-lib, and his parting shot, "Have fun storming the castle!" is a frequently quoted line.
Reiner directed Crystal for a third time in the romantic comedy ''
When Harry Met Sally...'' (1989), in which Crystal starred alongside
Meg Ryan and for which he was nominated for a
Golden Globe. The film has since become an iconic classic for the genre and is Crystal's most celebrated film. Crystal then starred in the award-winning buddy comedy ''
City Slickers'' (1991), which proved very successful both commercially and critically and for which Crystal was nominated for his second
Golden Globe. The film was followed by a sequel, which was less successful. In 1992, he narrated ''
Dr. Seuss Video Classics:
Horton Hatches the Egg
''Horton Hatches the Egg'' is a children's book written and illustrated by Theodor Geisel under the pen name Dr. Seuss and published in 1940 by Random House. The book tells the story of Horton the Elephant, who is tricked into sitting on a bird's ...
''. The name of his company is Face Productions.
Following the significant success of these films, Crystal wrote, directed, and starred in ''
Mr. Saturday Night'' (1992) and ''
Forget Paris'' (1995). In the former, Crystal played a serious role in aging makeup, as an egotistical comedian who reflects back on his career. Crystal starred in
Woody Allen
Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...
's critically acclaimed comedy ensemble film ''
Deconstructing Harry
''Deconstructing Harry'' is a 1997 American black comedy film written, directed by, and co-starring Woody Allen, alongside Caroline Aaron, Kirstie Alley, Bob Balaban, Richard Benjamin, Eric Bogosian, Billy Crystal, Judy Davis and others. The f ...
'' (1997). Crystal had another success alongside
Robert De Niro
Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...
in
Harold Ramis' mobster comedy ''
Analyze This'' (1999). More recent performances include roles in ''
America's Sweethearts'' (2001), the sequel ''
Analyze That'' (2002), and ''
Parental Guidance'' (2012).
He directed the made-for-television movie ''
61*'' (2001) based on
Roger Maris's and
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York ...
's race to break
Babe Ruth
George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Su ...
's single-season home run record in 1961. This earned Crystal an
Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special.
Crystal was originally asked to voice
Buzz Lightyear in ''
Toy Story'' (1995) but turned it down, a decision he later regretted due to the popularity of the series.
Crystal later went on to provide the voice of Mike Wazowski in the blockbuster
Pixar film ''
Monsters, Inc.'' (2001), ''
Cars'' (2006), during the
epilogue
An epilogue or epilog (from Greek ἐπίλογος ''epílogos'', "conclusion" from ἐπί ''epi'', "in addition" and λόγος ''logos'', "word") is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature, usually used to bring closure to the ...
in the
end credits, and to reprise his voice role in the prequel, ''
Monsters University'' (2013). Crystal also provided the voice of
Calcifer in the English version of
Hayao Miyazaki's ''
Howl's Moving Castle
''Howl's Moving Castle'' is a fantasy novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones, first published in 1986 by Greenwillow Books of New York. It was a runner-up for the annual Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, and won the Phoenix Award twenty years ...
'' (2004).
Albums and music career
Due to the success of Crystal's standup and
SNL
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
career, in 1985, he released an album of his stand-up material titled ''Mahvelous!''. The title track ''You Look Marvelous'', written by Crystal and
Paul Shaffer, had an accompanying music video that debuted on
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
. Both the song and video features Crystal in character as his
SNL
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
persona of talk show host
Fernando Lamas. The video features Lamas cruising around in what was at the time the world's longest stretch limousine, built by custom-coach designer and builder
Vini Bergeman, surrounded by models in bikinis. The single peaked at No. 58 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the US, and No. 17 in Canada. The album was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording at the 1986 Grammy Awards.
In 2013, Crystal released his autobiographical memoir ''Still Foolin' Em''. The audiobook version was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album at the 2014
Grammy Awards.
Academy Awards host
Crystal hosted the
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
broadcast a total of 9 times, from 1990 to 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2012. His hosting was critically praised, resulting in two
Primetime Emmy Award wins for hosting and writing the
63rd Academy Awards and an Emmy win for writing the
64th Academy Awards. He returned as the host for the
2012 Oscar ceremony, after
Eddie Murphy resigned from hosting. His nine times is second only to
Bob Hope
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with ...
's 19 in most ceremonies hosted.
At the
83rd Academy Awards
The 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2010 in the United States and took place on February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles b ...
ceremony in 2011, he appeared as a presenter for a digitally inserted Bob Hope and before doing so was given a standing ovation. Film critic
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
said when Crystal came onstage about two hours into the show, he got the first laughs of the broadcast. Crystal's hosting gigs have regularly included an introductory video segment in which he comedically inserts himself into scenes of that year's nominees in addition to a song following his opening monologue.
Broadway
Crystal won the 2005
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
for
Best Special Theatrical Event for ''
700 Sundays
''700 Sundays'' is an autobiography written by Billy Crystal. The title refers to the number of Sundays shared by Billy and his father, Jack Crystal, who died when Billy was 15.
Broadway
Crystal's stage adaptation was originally produced in 2004 ...
'', a two-act,
one-man play, which he conceived and wrote about his parents and his childhood growing up on
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
.
He toured throughout the US with the show in 2006 and then Australia in 2007.
Following the initial success of the play, Crystal wrote the book ''
700 Sundays
''700 Sundays'' is an autobiography written by Billy Crystal. The title refers to the number of Sundays shared by Billy and his father, Jack Crystal, who died when Billy was 15.
Broadway
Crystal's stage adaptation was originally produced in 2004 ...
'' for
Warner Books, which was published on October 31, 2005. In conjunction with the book and the play that also paid tribute to his uncle, Milt Gabler, Crystal produced two CD compilations: ''Billy Crystal Presents: The Milt Gabler Story'', which featured his uncle's most influential recordings from
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...
's "
Strange Fruit
"Strange Fruit" is a song written and composed by Abel Meeropol (under his pseudonym Lewis Allan) and recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939. The lyrics were drawn from a poem by Meeropol published in 1937. The song protests the lynching of Black ...
" to "
Rock Around the Clock
"Rock Around the Clock" is a rock and roll song in the 12-bar blues format written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (the latter being under the pseudonym "Jimmy De Knight") in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was record ...
" by
Bill Haley & His Comets
Bill Haley & His Comets were an American rock and roll band founded in 1947 that continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band was also known as Bill Haley and the Comets and Bill Haley's Comets. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group record ...
; and ''Billy Remembers Billie'' featuring Crystal's favorite Holiday recordings.
In the fall of 2013, he brought the show back to Broadway for a two-month run at the
Imperial Theatre.
HBO filmed the January 3–4, 2014 performances for a special, which debuted on their network on April 19, 2014 entitled ''
Billy Crystal: 700 Sundays''. The televised special received three
Primetime Emmy Award nominations including
Outstanding Variety Special, and
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special.
In 2022, Crystal adapted his 1992 movie ''Mr. Saturday Night'' into a
Broadway musical with the same name. Crystal stars in the musical reprising his role from the film alongside
David Paymer. The production began previews on Broadway at the
Nederlander Theatre on March 29, 2022, prior to officially opening on April 27. Crystal earned the
Drama League Award for Contribution to the Theater Award for "his extraordinary work on stages across the country and commitment to mentorship in the field". Crystal performed a number with the ensemble from his musical at the
75th Tony Awards
The 75th Tony Awards were held on June 12, 2022, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2021–22 season. The ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with Ariana DeBose serving as host of the main cerem ...
. He also performed what he described as
Yiddish
Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...
scat singing. He went into the crowd teaching
Lin-Manuel Miranda and
Samuel L. Jackson as well as the rest of the audience. ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' praised Crystal on his bit, describing it as a highlight of the telecast writing, "one of the few moments that broke through...is when
rystalbrought it out into the audience, and threw it up to the balcony, he showed how precision delivery and command of a room can make even the oldest, silliest material impossibly compelling."
Other appearances
In 2014, Crystal paid tribute to his close friend
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and come ...
at the
66th Primetime Emmy Awards. In his tribute he talked about their friendship, saying, "As genius as he was on stage, he was the greatest friend you could ever imagine. Supportive. Protective. Loving. It's very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in all of our lives. For almost 40 years, he was the brightest star in the comedy galaxy…
isbeautiful light will continue to shine on us forever. And the glow will be so bright, it'll warm your heart. It'll make your eyes glisten. And you'll think to yourselves: Robin Williams. What a concept." Crystal stated that paying tribute to Williams so publicly and so soon after Williams had died was one of "the hardest things I've had to do" and that "I was really worried that I wasn't going to get through it." Crystal soon after appeared on ''
The View'' where he and
Whoopi Goldberg shared stories about Williams, reminiscing about their friendship, and their collaborations together on ''
Comic Relief''.
In 2016, Crystal gave one of the eulogies for
Muhammad Ali at his funeral. In his remembrance of Ali, Crystal talked about his admiration for Ali as a boxer, and humanitarian. He also shared stories of their unlikely friendship after Crystal did a series of impersonations of him. Crystal stated of Ali's legacy, "Only once in a thousand years or so, do we get to hear a
Mozart, or see a
Picasso, or read a
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
. Ali was one of them. And yet, at his heart, he was still a kid from
Louisville who ran with the gods and walked with the crippled and smiled at the foolishness of it all."
In the fall of 2021, Crystal reprised the role of Buddy Young Jr., in a theatrical musical staging of ''Mr. Saturday Night'' at the
Barrington Stage Company
Barrington Stage Company (BSC) is a regional theatre company in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. It was co-founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, and former Managing Director Susan Sperber in Sheffield, Massachusetts.
In ...
in
Pittsfield, MA
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all ...
.
Discography
Albums
*''Mahvelous!'', (A&M Records, 1985)
65 US
Singles
*"You Look Marvelous", (A&M Records, 1985)
58 US*"I Hate When That Happens", (A&M Records, 1985)
*"The Christmas Song", (A&M Records, 1985)
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
Awards and nominations
Personal life
On June 4, 1970, Crystal married his high school sweetheart, Janice Goldfinger. Billy has long credited his parents, "who always looked like they loved being together," with setting an example for his own marriage. They have two daughters: actress
Jennifer and Lindsay, a producer, and are grandparents. They live in the
Pacific Palisades neighborhood of
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.
Crystal received an honorary
Doctor of Fine Arts
Doctor of Fine Arts (D.F.A.) is a doctoral degree in fine arts, may be given as an honorary degree (a degree ''honoris causa'') or an earned professional degree (in the UK).
Description
Doctoral programmes leading to DFAs are of equivalent level ...
degree from New York University in 2016 and spoke at the commencement at Yankee Stadium.
Philanthropy
In 1986, Crystal started hosting ''
Comic Relief'' on
HBO with
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and come ...
and
Whoopi Goldberg.
Founded by
Bob Zmuda
Bob Zmuda (born December 12, 1949) is an American writer, comedian, producer, and director best known for his friendship with comedian Andy Kaufman.
Biography
Bob Zmuda occasionally portrayed Kaufman's Tony Clifton character on stage and for tel ...
, Comic Relief raises money for
homeless people in the United States.
On September 6, 2005, on ''
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'', Crystal and
Jay Leno were the first celebrities to sign a
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depre ...
motorcycle to be auctioned off for Gulf Coast relief.
Crystal has participated in the
Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance
The Museum of Tolerance-Beit HaShoah (MOT, House of the Holocaust), a multimedia museum in Los Angeles, California, United States, is designed to examine racism and prejudice around the world with a strong focus on the history of the Holocaust. T ...
in Los Angeles. Crystal's personal history is featured in the "Finding Our Families, Finding Ourselves" exhibit in the genealogy wing of the museum.
Sports
On March 12, 2008, Crystal signed a one-day minor league contract to play with the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
, and was invited to the team's major league spring training. He wore uniform number 60 in honor of his upcoming 60th birthday. On March 13, in a spring training game against the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
, Crystal led off as the
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by t ...
. He managed to make contact, fouling a
fastball up the
first base
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
line, but was eventually struck out by Pirates pitcher
Paul Maholm on six pitches and was later replaced in the batting order by
Johnny Damon. He was released on March 14, his 60th birthday.
Crystal's boyhood idol was Yankee Hall of Fame legend
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York ...
, who had signed a program for him when Crystal attended a game where Mantle had hit a home run. Years later on ''
The Dinah Shore Show'', in one of his first television appearances, Crystal met Mantle in person and had Mantle re-sign the same program. Crystal would be good friends with Mantle until Mantle's death in 1995. He and
Bob Costas together wrote the eulogy Costas read at Mantle's funeral, and
George Steinbrenner then invited Crystal to emcee the unveiling of Mantle's monument at
Yankee Stadium. In his 2013 memoir ''Still Foolin' 'Em'', Crystal claimed that after the ceremony, near the Yankees clubhouse, he was punched in the stomach by
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul DiMaggio (November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "The Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the New York Yank ...
, who was angry at Crystal for not having introduced him to the crowd as the "Greatest living player".
Crystal also was well known for his impressions of Yankees Hall of Famer turned broadcaster
Phil Rizzuto. Rizzuto, known for his quirks calling games, did not travel to
Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most ...
in 1996 to call the game for
WPIX
WPIX (channel 11) is a television station in New York City. Owned by Mission Broadcasting, it is operated under a local marketing agreement (LMA) by Nexstar Media Group, making it a ''de facto'' owned-and-operated station and flagship of ...
. Instead, Crystal joined the broadcasters in the booth and pretended to be Rizzuto for a few minutes during the August 31 game.
Although a lifelong Yankees fan, he is a part-owner of the
Arizona Diamondbacks, even earning a
World Series ring
A World Series ring is an award given to Major League Baseball players who win the World Series. Since only one Commissioner's Trophy is awarded to the team, a World Series ring is an individual award that players and staff of each World Series ...
in 2001 when the Diamondbacks beat his beloved Yankees.
In ''City Slickers'', Crystal wore a
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major lea ...
baseball cap. In the 1986 film ''
Running Scared'', his character is an avid
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
fan, wearing a Cubs' jersey in several scenes. In the 2012 film ''
Parental Guidance'', his character is the announcer for the
Fresno Grizzlies, a
Minor League Baseball team, who aspires to announce for their
Major League affiliate, the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yo ...
.
Crystal appeared in
Ken Burns's 1994 documentary ''
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
'', telling personal stories about his life-long love of baseball, including meeting
Casey Stengel as a child and
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 193 ...
as an adult.
Crystal is also a longtime
Los Angeles Clippers fan and season ticket holder.
References
External links
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Website for Billy Crystal's book ''Still Foolin' 'Em''
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Crystal, Billy
1948 births
Age controversies
Living people
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American comedy musicians
American film producers
American impressionists (entertainers)
American male comedians
American male film actors
American male musical theatre actors
American male screenwriters
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American male television actors
American male voice actors
American people of Austrian-Jewish descent
American people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent
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Long Beach High School (New York) alumni
American sketch comedians
American stand-up comedians
American television directors
Television producers from New York (state)
American television writers
Audiobook narrators
Arizona Diamondbacks owners
Comedians from New York (state)
Jewish American male comedians
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Mark Twain Prize recipients
Marshall Thundering Herd baseball players
Marshall University alumni
Nassau Community College alumni
People from Long Beach, New York
Primetime Emmy Award winners
Tisch School of the Arts alumni
Tony Award winners
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People from Pacific Palisades, California