Overview (4)

Mini Bio (1)

Spouse (1)

Trade Mark (1)

His act often has imitations of people from the 1930s-40s



Trivia (42)



Younger daughter, Lindsay Crystal , is a filmmaker.



His famous uncle, record producer Milton Gabler , founded Commodore Records and later Decca Records (which turned down The Beatles ), where he produced the Bill Haley hit "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock".

He appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices That Care".





Became a grandfather for the 1st time at age 55 when his daughter Jennifer Crystal Foley gave birth to a daughter, Ella Ryan Foley, on June 20, 2003.

Attended Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia for his freshman year on a baseball scholarship but on his arrival was told freshman baseball was cancelled due to budget cuts. He did not return for the sophomore year choosing to attend community college before transferring to NYU.





He was Jay Leno 's very first guest on May 25, 1992 when Jay took over the late night throne vacated by Johnny Carson on May 22, 1992.

Is a partial owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and is a long time and huge fan of the New York Yankees. He is also a huge fan of the Los Angeles Clippers.



Was introduced to wife by close friend, Steve Kohut.





When he was a child, one of his babysitters was Billie Holiday



His father, Jack Crystal , was a concert promoter who also ran a famous record store on New York City's 42nd Street.



Billy claims that his wife, Janice Crystal , was his first and only date.

Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 124-126. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387



Attended and graduated from Long Beach High School in Long Beach, New York. Class of 1965 who voted him "Most Popular".





In his role imitating real-life character Fernando Lamas , he hit #58 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1984 with the catchy and comedic "You Look Mahvelous" which featured Paul Shaffer on keyboards.

Wrote the children's book, "I Already Know I Love You", dedicated to Ella Ryan Foley, his granddaughter, with illustrations by Elizabeth Saylos.





Auditioned for the role of Jack Tripper on Herzbube mit zwei Damen (1976) - the character of a straight man impersonating a gay man. Ironically, he went on to play the role of Jody Dallas on Die Ausgeflippten (1977) - the first openly gay character on prime-time network television.

Won a Special Theatrical Event Tony Award in 2005 for his one-man show, "700 Sundays", described as an "autobiographical journey". In November 2013, Crystal is set to bring the show back to Broadway.





Considered for the role of Wilbur Turnblad in Hairspray (2007), which went to Christopher Walken



Used to be the opening act for Sammy Davis Jr.



Good friends with Serbian NBA superstar Vlade Divac



Recipient of the Kennedy Center's 2007 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

On March 12, 2008 as a 60th birthday gift, he signed a one day minor league contract with New York Yankees. On March 13, 2008, he played his only game with the Yanks vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates at DH wearing #60. In his first and only at bat, he made contact with a foul ball but struck out. He received a standing ovation. Just one day later, the Yanks officially released him.





Is one of the few non-African Americans on Saturday Night Live (1975) to perform in a "blackface" routine, but in full make-up prosthetics and as a realistic, non-stereotypical character.

Studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village, New York City.





His acting mentor was Katherine Helmond

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on June 4, 1991.



His paternal grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants. His maternal grandfather was an Austrian Jewish immigrant, and his maternal grandmother was born in New York, to a Russian Jewish father and a Lithuanian Jewish mother (from Ariogala, Kaunas).





He has two older brothers: Joel and Richard Crystal

Taught math, wood shop, and girls gym at Long Beach High School and in Long Beach, New York.



Holds a BFA in television direction from New York University.



Was originally offered the role of Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story (1995) but he turned it down. After he watched the movie he said that turning down the role was the biggest mistake of his career.



He wrote the screenplay for "America's Sweethearts" long before it was produced. He intended himself to play the lead. It was a response to him and Meg Ryan not appearing in any more films together. By the time the film was made, the director felt Roth was too old to play the lead role of Eddie Thomas. So Crystal took the smaller part of Lee.



He collected autographed baseballs and baseball cards.





In a 2013 interview with ABC News, Billy stated that Mike Wazowski of Die Monster Uni (2013) and Die Monster AG (2001) was his most favorite character that he played because he relates to Mike being a little guy in a big man's world, as well as his sense of optimism and leadership.

Personal Quotes (5)

Women need a reason to have sex. Men just need a place.



In high school, I was the class comedian as opposed to the class clown. The difference is, the class clown is the guy who drops his pants at the football game, the class comedian is the guy who talked him into it.



[on hosting the Academy Awards] Whatever your approach, the world is a rough room. And it's a big room. Not everybody is going to like what you have to say. But when you're up there, look like you want to be there. You're the captain of show business that night. That's your job.



My first trip into the men's room at Yankee Stadium was when I was 8. Not being very tall, I was at eye level to a pretty horrible sight. They had these troughs. Everyone was standing over them. It was like all the horses in the lineup at the Kentucky Derby-like the wall would open and they'd all start running. It was awful. I couldn't pee in public restrooms until I was 39.





[on his life as a university student] I have to admit I was a little bit of a misfit. I was a film directing major at NYU - I'm still not sure why I became a directing major when I was really an actor and a comedian. It was a class of film people and my professor was Marty [ Martin Scorsese ]. Mr. Scorsese, as I called him, which I still do when I see him because he gave me a C.

Salary (1)