Billy Crystal

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Billy Crystal Picture

Biography

Recent Role:
Host on The Academy Awards
Gender:
Male
Born:
3-14-1947
Birthplace:
Long Beach, Long Island, New York, USA
Birth Name:
William Jacob Crystal
AKA:
Bill Crystal
Since he was nine years old, he wanted to be a professional baseball player, and played all throughout high school. He attended Marshall University in West Virginia on a baseball scholarship, but the program was abolished the following year. He then transferred to Nassau Community College in Long Island, and then to New York University to study film and television directing, completing his B.F.A. in 1970.

After marrying his college sweatheart Janice, he worked as a substitute teacher in Long Beach, also performing a comedy act at various clubs in the city. He toured several years
… More with an improv group called 3's Company, and then moved to Los Angeles. Here, during his stand-up routine, he was spotted by television producer Norman Lear, and was given several appearances on All in the Family along with a guest spot on Howard Cosell's variety show. In 1977, he was given the role of Jodie Dallas, T.V.'s first openly gay character, in the soap-opera satire Soap. After five seasons, comedienne Joan Rivers used him in her 1978 film Rabbit Test, where Crystal played a man who discovers he is pregnant.

With this odd start, he returned to New York and appeared in several cable specials, TV movies, guest spots, hosted a comedy hour, and also toured nightclubs and college campuses, specializing in impersonations. In 1984, he was invited to join the cast of Saturday Night Live. Although he was only on for a season, he was considered by many the most popular cast member, and he earned an Emmy nomination in the Best Individual Performance category.

As we all know, his shaky career start did not stick for long, because he went on to star in some of the best movies ever made, including This is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally (all three directed by Rob Reiner), and many, many others.

In 1991, he moved back to Los Angeles and wrote, directed, produced, and starred in Mr. Saturday Night.

Although some of his recent movies have not made deep impressions in the box office, Crystal is still regarded as an extremely talented and funny individual, with his work leaving a great impression on our minds forever. He has won several performing and writing Emmy Awards for his emceeing of the Oscars, which he has hosted six times. Since 1986, he has co-hosted the HBO Comic Relief benefit specials with Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg.

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  •  
    8 Great
    empty hide show

    Billy Crystal is a true actor. You really believe that he got into acting because he loves it for what it is. You'll never see him in any tabloids and you won't hear any gossip about him. In his roles, you sense more realism than many other actor's who are considered more talented than he. Of all of his roles in all of his movies, my favorite has to be "City Slickers."

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    amauriel Added Feb 21, 2007 All my reviews
  •  
    9.9 Superb
    Thank you for 700 Sundays. I always knew you were brilliant, now I know where it comes from hide show

    I often wonder where the brilliant talent in the world comes from. So seldom to we get the chance to truly understand the workings of these incomparable minds. Autobiographies generally fall way short. Not so with 700 Sundays. I was there when he stood on the musical instrument case and performed for the first time in front of his father's musician friends. I was in Billy's living room when he performed for his family. I was with him when his Dad's business had to close and I felt his "otherness". I love it now when I think of all the times I think back on Billy's references to "FACE", the nickname he got from Zutty, and then he says "Can you dig that? I knew that you could". Someone else may have said it first but when I hear those words, it's all Billy Crystal.

    I've never been disappointed by any of Billy's work, be it stage, stand-up, movies or emceeing an event. This book just brings it all together.

    Thank Billy, for sharing your 700 Sundays with me

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    JJBerg Added Feb 14, 2007 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Billy Crystal hide show

    I had seen a few movies with him in them City Slickers, City Slickers 2 and Monsters Inc. His character Mitch in City Slickers was funny it suited him perfectly, and the character of Mike Wizowski in Monsters Inc. was smart, and funny, he has hosted a few award shows and he is one talented actor.

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    Bountyhunterc28 Added Jan 20, 2006 All my reviews
  •  
    9.1 Superb
    I have seen only two of his movies. hide show

    The first movie with him involved I ever saw was The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle. His role as Traveling Mattress Salesman was one of the funniest and random cameo roles EVER!!! Then there is Monsters Inc. I love his role as Mike Wazowski! One of the funniest celebrities out there.

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    jj934 Added Sep 10, 2005 All my reviews
 

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