Crystal was a natural entertainer and had no fears about dancing on stage with top jazz stars.  He was five at the time.  His father managed a music store on 42nd Street in New York City and many of the big name entertainers were close friends.  A babysitter of Billy's was the jazz legend Billy Holiday.  Her pet name for him was "Face". 

Billy Crystal had a burning desire to become a major league shortstop. He went to Marshall University in West Virginia on a baseball scholarship, however the program was dropped in his sophomore year. Crystal returned to New York and studied film and television direction under Martin Scorsese at New York University. 

After graduation and marriage, Crystal did substitute teaching while he tried his comedy act at various clubs throughout New York. 

In the seventies the Crystal family moved to Los Angeles.  Crystal did some stand-up at the Comedy Store and was noticed by Norman Lear.  This was the turning point, Crystal started making guest appearances on TV and eventually landed his role in "Soap". 

In the eighties Crystal moved his family back to New York.  There he appeared on cable TV, did guest spots and made-for-TV movies.  Back on the stand-up circuit, Crystal became famous for his Fernando Lamas and Sammy Davis, Jr. impersonations.  He and his impersonations joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1984.  He spent only one year with the show, but was the most popular member of the cast and he earned an Emmy nomination for Best Individual Performance. 

His film career had its ups and downs, but he moved his family back to Los Angeles.  Things took off with his films, "When Harry Met Sally" in which he starred with Meg Ryan, and the hit comedy, "City Slickers". 

Crystal made a writing, directing, producing and starring debut in "Mr. Saturday Night", but it didn't do so well at the box office.  "City Slikers II" and "Father's Day" followed in the same trend. 

His ambition now is to have a one-man show on Broadway.  He has the practice from his years of being one of the most popular emcees of the Oscar Awards.  His opening tributes to the nominees are anticipated every year and talked about more than the winners. 

Appearances
Thur 11 Mar - Billy Crystal guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno  on NBC

Awards 

1992 - MTV Movie Award - Best Comedic Performance - "City Slickers" 
1991 - ShoWest - Special Award - Comedy Star of the Decade

1993 - Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy/Musical - "Mr. Saturday Night" 1992 - Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy/Musical - "When Harry Met Sally" 

Films 

1999 - Analyze This .... Ben Sobel  
1998 - My Giant  .... Sam Kamin  
1997 - Fathers' Day .... Jack Lawrence  
1997 - Deconstructing Harry .... Larry  
1996 - Hamlet .... First Gravedigger  
1995 - Forget Paris .... Mickey Gordon  
1994 - City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold .... Mitch Robbins 
1994 - A Century of Cinema .... Himself  
1992 - Mr. Saturday Night .... Buddy Young Jr.  
1991 - City Slickers .... Mitch Robbins  
1989 - When Harry Met Sally...  .... Harry Burns  
1988 - An All-Star Toast to the Improv. .... Himself  
1988 - Memories of Me .... Abbie  
1987 - The Princess Bride .... Miracle Max 
1987 - Throw Momma from the Train .... Larry  
1986 - Running Scared .... Danny Costanzo  
1984 - This Is Spinal Tap .... Morty the Mime  
1979 - Animalympics (voice)  
1978 - Rabbit Test .... Lionel 

1997 - I Am Your Child  
1994 - "Baseball" (mini-series) .... Himself 1994 - In Search of Dr. Seuss .... The Voice of America  1989 - Midnight Train to Moscow .... Himself  
1984-85 - "Saturday Night Live"  
1982 - "The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour - (series) .... Host  
1980 - Enola Gay: The Men, the Mission, the Atomic Bomb .... Lieutenant Jake Beser  1979 - Breaking Up Is Hard to Do  
1978 - Human Feelings  
1977 - "Soap" (series) .... Jodie Dallas  
1977 - SST: Death Flight  .... David 

1997 Father's Day 
1997 Deconstructing Harry 
1996 Hamlet 
1995 Forget Paris 
1994 City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold 
1992 Mr. Saturday Night 
1991 City Slickers 
1989 When Harry Met Sally 
1988 Memories of Me 
1987 The Princess Bride 
1987 Throw Momma from the Train 
1986 Running Scared 
1984 This is Spinal Tap 
1978 Rabbit Test

Billy Crystal 
March 14, 1947 
New York, NY 
Pisces

Billy Crystal 
c/o Creative Artists Agency 
9830 Wilshire Blvd. 
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Movies Past - Links to the official movie web sites for past movies. 
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