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Born in Long Island,N.Y.
Bill Crystal was the scion of a family of jazz music
performers.
His uncle Milt Gabler owned "The Commadore Jazz
Music store and recording Co."on Mahattan's upper west
side and his family would always have jam sessions in their
home with the creme' of jazz music.
During the late 1950's..Crystal was going to be in the
audience of "The Clubhouse Gang!"..
Popular NYC based kids tv show that screened "The Little
Rascals"film comedies and was hosted by"Oficer Joe"Bolton
( A beloved NYC kids tv wraparound host/performer)on
WPIX TV Ch.11.
But?
Crystal never got on the show..due to stage fright
and food posioning.
It was not until the 1960's that he made his first tv
appearance in the studio audience of Mr.Merv Griffin's
NYC based tv talk/variety show.
During the 1970's..he trained to become a school
teacher.
His involvement with a comedy troop and his love for
performing sidetracked his plans and he became a comedy
performer in many NYC nightclubs.
His first tv performance was on "The Dinah Shore"TV Talk
show in 1976.
From there..he became a regular on the ABC TV Sitcom
"Soap"playing "Jody Dallas" the gay man.
He also went onto become a regular member of "Saturday
Night Live's"stock company.
Crystal would leave "SNL"to try and host his own comedy/
variety tv show on NBC.
Despite his talents as a comic/character actor,mimic,
pantomimist,storyteller and song and dance man?
"The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour"failed to attrack an
audience and it was cancelled after a few shows.
Since his departure from tv..Mr.Crystal has performed
in movies and he has also written,directed and produced his
own films.
His most memorable movies are"City Slickers"with Jack
Palance,"Mr.Saturday Night"and "When Harry Met Sally".
Mr.Crystle also wrote a children's book and he has written
and directed a cable tv movie "62"about the baseball careers of former
New York Yankees Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.
He has also hosted The Oscars telecasts and co-hosted
"The Comic Relief Telethons"for the homeless with Ms.Whoopee
Goldberg and Mr.Robin Williams.
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Soap - Jodie Dallas (53 episodes, 1977-1981)
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