Billy Crystal American actor and comedian Billy Crystal is best known for his roles as Miracle Max in The Princess Bride (1987) and as Mitch Robbins in City Slickers (1991) and City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold (1994). He is also the part owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks who ended up winning against Crystal ’s favorite team, the New York Yankees, in the 2001 World Series.
Crystal was born as William Jacob Crystal on March 14, 1947, in Long Beach, New York , to parents Jack and Helen Crystal. When he was fifteen, his father died of a heart attack at only fifty-four years old.
Crystal is a graduate of Long Beach High School and was voted the most popular student for the class of 1965. After high school Crystal went to Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia , on a baseball scholarship. He got suspended during his freshman year and ended up returning to New York .
He then enrolled at nearby Nassau Community College , majoring in theater. It was there that he met and fell in love with a dancer named Janice Goldfinger, whom he has claimed was his first and only date. They got married on June 4, 1970, and have two daughters together, actresses Jennifer Crystal and Lindsay Crystal.
In 1970 Crystal received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from New York University (NYU) where he majored in film and television direction. At NYU he studied under legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese while working as house manager and usher on a production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
After graduation Crystal formed his own improvisation group, 3’s Company who opened for musicians like Barry Manilow.
In 1977 he was chosen to play the role of Jodie Dallas on the controversial ABC sitcom Soap. Dallas was one of the first openly gay characters on an American television show, and Crystal ’s portrayal of him assisted him in jump starting his career.
Soap ended in 1981 and Crystal went on to host his own short-lived variety show in 1982 called The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour. In 1992 Crystal was Jay Leno’s first guest on the Tonight Show when Jay took over the late night throne from Johnny Carson.
Crystal ’s career peaked in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1986 he started an annual stand-up comedy show called Comic Relief with Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams. The show helped raise money for housing and medical care for the homeless, and has continued to grow since then.
He then landed roles in the blockbuster movies When Harry Met Sally in 1989 starring Meg Ryan, and City Slickers in 1991. In 1990 he was chosen to host the annual Oscar Awards, and hosted the Oscars seven more times, becoming second to Bob Hope for hosting the most ceremonies. Rumor has it that he declined the opportunity to host the 2006 ceremony because he wanted to focus on his one-man show, 700 Sundays, which he plans to bring back to Broadway for a limited run. 700 Sundays won Crystal a Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event in 2005.
Crystal was the voice of Mike Wazowski in 2001’s Monsters Inc. and also made a cameo voice appearance in the 2006 animation, Cars. YUDDY |
