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Billy Crystal

Celebrity

Billy Crystal: Biography

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Birth Name: William Edward Crystal
Birth Place: Long Beach, NY
Date of Birth / Zodiac Sign: 03/14/1948, Pisces
Profession: Actor; comedian; writer; director; producer; author

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Billy Crystal Fast Facts:

Father was a jazz producer and owned a record shop; his uncle Milton Gabler began the first independent jazz label, Commodore Records.
Singer Billie Holiday was one of his babysitters.
Went to Marshall University on a baseball scholarship, but transferred after one year when the baseball program was eliminated after his freshman year.
Studied film under Martin Scorsese at NYU.
Was to appear as a guest on the first episode of Saturday Night Live in 1975, but backed out after he was told that his segment had to be shortened.
Got his break on TV with his role on Soap, Jodie Dallas, the first regular prime-time gay character.
Made his feature-film directorial debut with Mr. Saturday Night (1992).
Co-wrote and starred in the autobiographical one-man production 700 Sundays, for which his wife won a 2005 Tony (Special Theatrical Event) as a producer. The title refers to the amount of Sundays Crystal spent with his father, who died suddenly when he was 15.
A life-long New York Yankees fan, was signed to a minor-league contract for one day by the club in 2008 so he could officially participate in a spring-training game. He had one at bat and struck out after facing six pitches. He was released the following day on his 60th birthday.
Is part owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team.

Billy Crystal Relationships:
Helen Gabler - Mother
Jack Crystal - Father
Janice Goldfinger - Wife
Jennifer Crystal Foley - Daughter
Joel Crystal - Brother
Lindsay Crystal - Daughter
Richard Crystal - Brother
Billy Crystal Awards:
1990 Emmy: Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special - Nominee
1997 Emmy: Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
1990 Emmy: Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program - Winner
1991 Emmy: Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program - Winner
1989 Emmy: Outstanding Performance in Special Events - Winner
1988 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special Events - Nominee
1992 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program - Winner
1985 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
1987 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
1988 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
2001 Emmy: Outstanding Made for Television Movie - Nominee
1990 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
1991 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Winner
1992 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
1993 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
1996 Emmy: Outstanding Performance for a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
1998 Emmy: Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Winner
2000 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
2004 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
2001 Emmy: Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special - Nominee
1990 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
1992 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
1993 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
College:
Attended Marshall University, Huntington, WV; attended Nassau Community College, Garden City, NY; New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, New York, NY (BFA in Film and TV Direction, 1970)