Billy Crystal is an American artist with multiple talents, including acting, writing, producing, directing, and comedy. He has a net worth of $60 million, making him one of the richest comedians in the world. From his humble beginnings on television in the 70s, Crystal worked hard to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Today, he is an established actor and voice actor with numerous accolades to his name.
Early Life
William Edwards Crystal was born on March 14th, 1948 on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He grew up in a Jewish household in Long Island, alongside two brothers. His father was a jazz producer who eventually lost his business in 1963 and died shortly thereafter of a heart attack.
After high school, Billy attended Marshall University on a baseball scholarship but left college after his sophomore year. He returned to New York City and studied acting at the HB Studio and Nassau Community College before transferring to New York University. While at NYU, Crystal studied film and television directing and graduated in 1970 with a BFA from the School of Fine Arts.
Career
Billy Crystal began his career on stage as a comedian in New York City. Soon enough, he became well known in comedy clubs throughout the city and started to appear on television shows like “Saturday Night Live” and “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.” During this period, he also appeared in several TV game shows. His first significant acting role came when he was cast as the unapologetically gay character Jodie Dallas on the hit sitcom “Soap.” He kept his recurring role until the series ended in 1981.
Although he was briefly given his own variety show in the early 80s, it was quickly canceled. However, he continued to make a name for himself as a TV host on shows like “Saturday Night Live.” In 1986, he returned to the world of film once again with a starring role in the movie “Running Scared.” He also played a strong supporting role in 1987’s “The Princess Bride.” The film was a box office success and it helped put Billy Crystal on the map.
Crystal became an even bigger star after his appearance alongside Meg Ryan in the 1989 film “When Harry Met Sally…” He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, and the movie has since become a cult-classic. The same can be said for Billy’s next movie, “City Slickers.” Once again, the film achieved excellent box office numbers and earned him another Golden Globe nomination.
With an established foothold in the film industry, Crystal was free to try more interesting projects. He wrote, directed, and starred in two films during the early 90s. These were “Mr. Saturday Night,” a movie that showed Billy’s ability to play serious roles, and “Forget Paris,” a romantic comedy. Towards the end of the 90s, he joined the cast of Woody Allen’s “Deconstructing Harry” and collaborated with Robert De Niro in “Analyze This.”
At the beginning of the 2000s, Crystal appeared in several films, including “America’s Sweethearts,” “Analyze That,” and “61*.” He also took on a voice acting role as Mike Wazowski in 2001’s “Monsters, Inc.” In 2013, he reprised the role of Mike in the sequel “Monsters University.” He also hosted the Academy Awards nine times, for which he won two Emmys.
Personal Life and Real Estate
Billy married Janice Goldfinger in 1970, and they have two daughters, including actress Jennifer Crystal Foley. The couple has lived in LA’s Pacific Palisades neighborhood since 1979 and is considered honorary mayors of the city. They own a home, built in 1936, on one of the most desirable streets in the city, valued at around $8-10 million today.
Conclusion
Billy Crystal is a multi-talented artist who has made a significant impact on the entertainment industry. Today he is a well-established actor, voice actor, and host who continues to entertain audiences worldwide. With his net worth of $60 million, he has certainly achieved a great deal of success throughout his career, and his talent and hard work have undoubtedly helped him to become one of the richest comedians in the world.
