Background
CRYSTAL, Billy was born on March 14, 1947 in Long Beach, New York, United States. Son of Jack Crystal and Helen Crystal.
CRYSTAL, Billy was born on March 14, 1947 in Long Beach, New York, United States. Son of Jack Crystal and Helen Crystal.
From his stand-up comedy, he went to play a gay character on Soap (77) on TV, and then doing Saturday Night Live. He made his movie debut in Rabbit Test (78. Joan Rivers); he had a bit in This Is Spinal Tap (84, Rob Reiner); with Gregory Hines in Running Scared (86, Peter Hyams); a cameo in The Princess Bride (87, Reiner); Throw Momma from the Train (87, Danny DeVito); helping to write and produce the maudlin Memories of Me (88, Henry Winkler); in his best movie, yet overshadowed by Meg Ryan, When Harry Met Sally . . . (89, Reiner); executive producer on City Slickers (91, Ron Underwood)—and superb support to Jack Palance at the subsequent Oscars; City Slickers 2: The Legend of Curly's Gold (94, Paul Weisland), which he coproduced and cowrote; directing, cowriting, and acting in Forget Paris (95), where he simply seemed too feeble for Debra Winger; the gravedigger in Hamlet (96, Kenneth Branagh); with Robin Williams in Father’s Day (97, Ivan Reitman); Deconstructing Harry (97, Woody Allen); with Gheorghe Muresan in My Giant (98, Michael Lehmann).
At last, in 1999, with Robert De Niro as his patient, he had a hit in Analyze This (Harold Ramis). That teaming promises sequels, and Crystal also appeared in America's Sweethearts (01, Joe Roth), which he helped write. Among his other chores, he did the voice of Mike in Monsters, Inc. (01, Peter Docter and David Silverman). But his best work, the warmest, the most likable, was directing 61° (01) for HBO, a fond account of the home-run struggle between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.
Of the group 3’s Company.
The movie business likes Billy Crystal. He is naturally funny, and especially good at show-business jokes—as befits a kid who grew up in “entertainment.” He’s not threatening; he has charm; and he’s a decent actor. Above all, in recent times, he is acknowledged to be by far the best, and most ingratiating, host to the Academy Awards show on television.
Married Janice Crystal.