Billy Crystal is born
On this day in 1948 the comedian and actor Billy Crystal who will become known for his starring roles in such movies as When Harry Met Sally and City Slickers is born in Long Beach California.Crystal began performing in comedy clubs as a teenager after graduating from New York Universitys film school he formed his own comedy troupe 3s Company.As a young stand-up comic Crystal opened for acts like the singer Barry Manilow and was particularly known for his impression of the sportscaster Howard Cosell interviewing Muhammad Ali.After setting off for Hollywood Crystal landed the role of Jodie Dallas one of the first openly gay characters on television on Soap (1977-81).
Though his first film Rabbit Test (1978)in which he played the worlds first pregnant manflopped Crystals star kept rising.His popular live performances and regular appearances on TVs Saturday Night Live landed him roles in a string of movies including Rob Reiners This is Spinal Tap (1984) Running Scared (1986) and The Princess Bride (1987) and Throw Momma From the Train (1987).In 1989 he made his highest-profile star turn yet playing opposite Meg Ryan in the hit romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally also directed by Reiner.In 1990 Crystal won over audiences with his first Oscar hosting gig performing silly songs based on the nominated films and popping up in film-clip montages.
He would host the ceremony seven more times (1991 1992 1993 1997 1998 2000 and 2004) along with a number of other events including the Grammy Awards and the HBO benefit series Comic Relief alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams.Crystal scored his biggest movie hit to date in 1991 playing a radio executive going through a mid-life crisis in City Slickers (1991) which he also executive-produced.The films success led to a memorable moment at the 1992 Oscars when Crystals 73-year-old co-star Jack Palance dropped to the stage to perform one-armed pushups when accepting his statuette for Best Supporting Actor.
As emcee that night Crystal wrung maximum comedic potential about the incident with his follow-up jokes.The films sequel City Slickers 2 The Legend of Curlys Gold came out in 1994.Crystal had less success with his next producing and acting effort the ambitious 1992 film Mr.Saturday Night which he also directed.
In the film Crystal played the stand-up comedian Buddy Young Jr.a character he had originated in 1984 and later portrayed on Saturday Night Live among other shows.Mr.
Saturday Night received mixed reviews and was a failure at the box office.In 1995 Crystal wrote directed produced and starred in Forget Paris a romantic comedy co-starring Debra Winger the film was a critical and commercial disappointment.Crystal appeared in Kenneth Branaghs Hamlet (1996) and Woody Allens Deconstructing Harry (1997) but another producing effort 1998s My Giant also flopped.He came back strong however with 1999s blockbuster hit Analyze This as a therapist who counsels a mob boss played by Robert De Niro.
A sequel Analyze That was released in 2002.In between those big-screen successes Crystal earned an Emmy Award nomination for directing the HBO movie 61 about the home run race between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961 the project was driven by Crystals longtime love of baseball.He also wrote and co-starred in the Hollywood-skewering comedy Americas Sweethearts and provided the voice of one of the lead characters in the animated hit Monsters Inc.
all in 2001.After a three-year absence Crystal returned to his Oscar hosting duties in 2004 for the eighth time.He was reportedly offered the Oscar hosting gig for the 2006 ceremony but turned it down to concentrate on his autobiographical one-man show 700 Sundays on Broadway.Attendance was so good that the shows run was extended past its original booking it also won a Tony Award for Best Theatrical Event.
That same year Crystal became a best-selling childrens book author with the release of I Already Know I Love You (2006) based on his experiences with the birth of his first granddaughter. In 2012 Crystal hosted the Oscars for the ninth time.
