Biography - Billy Crystal

Who is Billy Crystal?

Billy Crystal is an American actor comedian, singer, writer, producer, and director.

Billy Crystal – Age, Parents, Siblings

Billy Crystal was born on March 14, 1948, in Manhattan, New York, U.S.A. as William Edward Crystal. His parents are Helen Crystal, a homemaker, and Jack Crystal, owner, and operator of the Commodore Music Store. The music store was founded by Helen’s father Julius Gabler. 

Crystal has two older brothers named Joel and Richard Crystal. The boys were born into a family of musicians. Their maternal uncle, Milt Gabler was also a musician and a songwriter. Their father Jack died at 54 years old, in 1963, after suffering a fatal heart attack while bowling. Helen passed away in 2001.

Education, Ethnicity

Billy Crystal attended Long Beach High School, from which he graduated in 1965. He went on to enroll at Marshall University, on a baseball scholarship. However, the program was suspended during his first year at the college. So he never got to play baseball there. He did not return to college to complete his second year but rather stayed in New York to be close to his girlfriend Janice.

Crystal then enrolled in Nassau Community College later transferring to New York University, where he majored in film and television directing. In 1970, he graduated from New York University with Bachelor in Fine Arts from its School of Fine Arts.

His ethnicity is Ashkenazi Jewish.

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Billy Crystal – Girlfriend, Wife, Children, Divorce

Billy Crystal is a happily married man. He met Janice Goldfinger when they were students. They together went to Nassau Community College. After dating for several years, the lovebirds got married on June 4, 1970.

They became parents for the first time on January 26, 1973, as Janice Crystal gave birth to her daughter Jennifer Crystal. Their second daughter Lindsay Crystal was born on October 21, 1977.

Billy and Janice Crystal are proud grandparents of Ella Ryan Foley (born June 20, 2003), and Dylan Frances Foley (born February 3, 2006)- children of Jennifer Crystal. Lindsay Crystal also has two children with her husband Michael Foley.

Billy Crystal – Career

Early Career

He returned to New York and performed in Comedy clubs along with two other friends. Later he opted to perform solo in The Improv and Catch a Rising Star. His big break came with the TV series Soap which he played from 1977 to 1981.

In 1982, he was given his own show on NBC called The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour. But the show got canceled only after two episodes were aired. In 1984, he joined Saturday Night Live as a cast member. He has also hosted the Academy Awards in the years 1990–1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2012, and the 2012 Oscars.

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Films, Series, Comedy Special

Over the years he has starred in The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally...(1989), Mr. Saturday Night (1992),  Forget Paris (1995), Analyze This (1999),  America's Sweethearts (2001), l Analyze That (2002),  Parental Guidance (2012),   Howl's Moving Castle (2004), Monsters, Inc. (2001),  Monsters University (June 2013), Modern Family (2017), The Comedians (2015), among others.

Billy Crystal has also directed the movie 61* (2001), earning him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special.

Crystal’s stand-up specials are Marvelous! (1985), I Already Know I Love You (2004), 700 Sundays (2005), Grandpa's Little One (2006), Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? (2013).

Billy Crystal – Awards, Nominations

He earned two Emmy wins for hosting and writing the 63rd Academy Awards. Also, he won an Emmy for writing the 64th Academy Awards. In 2005, he earned Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event for 700 Sundays (now turned into a book). 

Billy Crystal – Net Worth, Salary

The net worth of Billy Crystal is estimated to be around $60 million while the figure on his annual salary is under review.

Billy Crystal – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

On the social media site Twitter, Billy Crystal is followed by several hundred thousand followers but is absent from Facebook and Instagram.

Also read: Lewis Black - Author, Playwright, Actor