Billy Crystal

:This article describes the American comedian.

Career

Crystal returned to New York and studied film and television direction under Martin Scorsese at New York University Crystal's earliest prominent role was as "Jodie Dallas" on Soap, one of the first gay characters portrayed on American television.

Related Topics:
Martin Scorsese - New York University - Soap - Gay characters

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He was scheduled to appear on the first episode of Saturday Night Live (October 11, 1975), but his sketch was cut. After hosting a show years later, in 1984, he joined the cast. His most famous recurring sketch was his parody of Fernando Lamas. Crystal's "Fernando" is a smarmy talkshow host whose catch phrase, "You look mahvelous!" became a media sensation.

Related Topics:
Saturday Night Live - 1984 - Fernando Lamas - Catch phrase

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He appeared briefly in Rob Reiner's 1984 "rockumentary" This Is Spinal Tap.

Related Topics:
Rob Reiner - 1984 - Rockumentary - This Is Spinal Tap

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Crystal wrote, directed and starred in Forget Paris (1995) and Mr. Saturday Night (1992).

Related Topics:
Forget Paris - 1995 - Mr. Saturday Night - 1992

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In 1986, Crystal started hosting Comic Relief on HBO with Robin Williams, and Whoopi Goldberg. Comic Relief, which was founded in 1986 by Andy Kaufman sidekick Bob Zmuda, raises money for homeless men, women and children in the United States.

Related Topics:
1986 - Comic Relief - HBO - Robin Williams - Whoopi Goldberg - Andy Kaufman - Bob Zmuda - United States

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Crystal hosted the Academy Awards broadcast in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2004.

Related Topics:
Academy Award - 1990 - 1991 - 1992 - 1993 - 1997 - 1998 - 2000 - 2004

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During the 1992 Academy Awards broadcast, Crystal at one point during the show, looked squarely at the camera and said, "Didn't inhale". More so than a commentary about then Presidential candidate Bill Clinton (who had incredulously claimed that he "..didn't inhale" when smoking marijuana). The line is considered by some as one of the funniest lines in Academy Awards history.

Related Topics:
Bill Clinton - Marijuana

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Crystal is preparing for the national tour of his hit solo show 700 Sundays. The two act play, which he concieved and wrote, is about his parents and his childhood growing up on Long Island. Crystal won the 2005 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event for 700 Sundays and will bring the show back to Broadway for a limited run in 2006.

Related Topics:
700 Sundays - Long Island - Tony Award

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Crystal has performed twice with Pixar, once in 2001's Monsters, Inc. and once in their 2005 dub of Studio Ghibli's adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle.

Related Topics:
Pixar - 2001 - 2005 - Studio Ghibli

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On Tuesday September 6, 2005 on The Tonight Show Crystal and Jay Leno were the first celebrities to sign a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to be auctioned off for Gulf Coast relief.

Related Topics:
September 6 - 2005 - The Tonight Show - Jay Leno - Harley-Davidson

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