Printable Biography of Billy Crystal

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Billy Crystal played the first of televisions' openly gay characters, Jodie, in the long running hit satire of the seventies, "Soap". 

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.