We can all relate to Billy Crystal

Billy Crystal in the film "When Harry Met Sally…" in 1989.

Source: https://www.slashfilm.com/1177770/billy-crystals-spontaneity-gave-when-harry-met-sally-its-most-famous-line/

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He started the decade breaking ground as one of the first openly gay characters on primetime television and ended it playing a heterosexual male trying to navigate a modern relationship.

Billy Crystal was inducted into the Kennedy Center Honours recently, and it brought back a lot of memories of his roles as Jody Dallas in the comedy “Soap”, the titular role of Harry in when “Harry Met Sally”, and everything in between.

And Billy Crystal just keeps on performing to this day.

“Soap” in your eyes
The first time I saw Billy Crystal, he was wearing a dress and wig and checking himself out in a full length mirror. It was one of the first episodes of “Soap”, a show that satirized and spoofed night-time soap operas from 1977 to 1981. In it, Billy Crystal plays Jodie Dallas, an openly gay man. It was groundbreaking at the time because that was subject was largely taboo on network television.

Billy Crystal was masterful in the role. Whether he was dating a closeted pro football player; fathering a child as a sort of surrogate and seeking custody; or ultimately hypnotized into believing he was a 90-year-old Jewish man, Crystal was amazing. He showed a lot of versatility and depth.

He also brought a layered performance to a gay character that was not a stereotype or shallow.

I recall several times him explaining what being gay meant, often with comedic results. One time, he was talking about it with his Aunt Jessica, played by Katherine Helmond. He described how some famous people were gay, and she just didn’t know it – such as Plato.

She expressed shock followed by, "You mean Mickey Mouse’s dog is gay?”

The look on Billy Crystal’s face was priceless, more than anything he could have said.

He was also very poignant. After his daughter is born, he has a moment, where he is rocking her to sleep, singing, “Daddy’s little girl.” This came just before he lost her to Carol, the baby’s mother. It was heartbreaking.

After four years, “Soap” was unceremoniously cancelled.

However, it had made Billy Crystal a marketable actor and comedian, and a familiar face.

He would not appear as a regular in another scripted network television show in the decade.

Crystal did have guest spots on “The Love Boat”; “Darkroom”; “Simon and Simon”; “Faerie Tale Theatre”; and “Sesame Street”.

However, he moved on to movies and comedy.

Live television
Billy Crystal joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 1984 as a guest host, then joined the cast for the 1984-1985 season. His most well-known character on “Saturday Night Live” was a parody of talk-show host Fernando Lamas, who became famous for the line, “You look…mahvelous.”

In 1985, he released an album of his stand-up comedy called “Mahvelous!” The title song “You Look Mahvelous”, co-written by Crystal and Canadian Paul Shaffer features Crystal in the role of Fernando Lamas. So does the music video. The song went all the way to number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and peaked at number 17 on the Canadian charts. The album was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Comedy Recording.

Billy Crystal also embarked on a career on the silver screen.

The movies
He originally had a small part in “This is Spinal Tap”, playing “Morty the Mime”. It was a spoof directed by Rob Reiner, who Crystal would work with again.

“Running Scared”
Then, in 1986, he starred with Gregory Hines in “Running Scared”. They played Chicago police officers who narrowly escape death, retire and open a bar in Florida, but get drawn back into the job.

I never saw “Running Scared”, but have some odd memories of the movie. In the Fall of 1986, I befriended a classmate named Cliff, and we went to see “Top Gun”. When we went back to his place after, his brother was there. He’d gone to see “Running Scared” and liked it, but thought it had too much swearing. The family were devout Christians after all.

The song “Sweet Freedom” by Michael McDonald is the theme song for “Running Scared”, and both Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines appear in the music video. “Sweet Freedom” went all the way to number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, McDonald’s last top 10 single on the chart.

“The Princess Bride”
“The Princess Bride” came out in 1987 and was also directed by Rob Reiner. It was part of my own self-described “medieval” trilogy of movies that serve as inspiration to a fantasy novel I wrote. The other two are “Ladyhawke” and “Willow”.

It is a story told to a boy, played by Fred Savage, by his grandfather, played by Peter Falk. Billy Crystal plays “Miracle Max”, a really old wizard who can bring people back to life. What I remember most about this role was how I had seen Billy Crystal’s name in the credits but hadn’t seen him in the movie yet. I didn’t think I would, until I recognized his voice. Otherwise, he was unrecognizable behind all that make up.

“Memories of Me”
“Memories of Me” came out in 1988 but I did not see it for another eight or 10 years. It was a touching movie that pulled at my heart strings. Crystal plays a doctor who has a heart attack, and ultimately tries to see his estranged father. He journeys out to Los Angeles to see his dad, played by Alan King, who has built quite a career as an extra in movies and TV. They become reacquainted only to discover his dad has an inoperable brain aneurysm.

It was good, and showed Billy Crystal could do much more than just play a scene for laughs.

“When Harry Met Sally…”
“When Harry Met Sally…” is an iconic movie, directed by Rob Reiner. It explores the relationship between two people, played by Crystal and Meg Ryan, from their first meeting to their friendship and much more. I recall seeing this in the new Cineplex Odeon Theatre complex in Lethbridge in the Summer of 1989.

It has dozens of priceless moments, the most famous being Meg Ryan’s fake orgasm in a restaurant. The one I recall best is when Harry and Sally are driving somewhere. Harry is eating something and periodically turns to the window and spits out whatever shells he is chewing. Sally asks him if he really has to do that, because it is bothering her.

“Okay,” he replies. “I’ll open the window.”

The role earned Crystal a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.

The years after
Billy Crystal also appeared in “Throw Momma From the Train” in 1987, but I never saw that either.

However, as the sun set on the ‘80s, Billy Crystal was becoming a movie star.

He would go on to make “City Slickers” in 1991; “Mr. Saturday Night” and narrate “Horton Hatches the Egg” in 1992; “City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold’ in 1994; “Forget Paris” in 1995; “Hamlet” in 1996; “Fathers’ Day” and “Deconstructing Harry” in 1997; “My Giant” in 1998; “Analyze This” in 1999; “America’s Sweethearts” in 2001; “Analyze That” in 2002; “Parental Guidance” in 2012 and much more.

He also hosted the Oscars nine times, and the Grammys three times. He has won six Primetime Emmys and a Tony, and was also honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991.

Parting thoughts
Billy Crystal has always seemed like a likable guy. He is so engaging as an actor and a comedian because he can relate to his audience.

I remember seeing him one time and he talked about dreading a visit to his family.

“They all argue about who’s sicker,” he said.

Who can’t relate to that?

Moreover, life is not all laughs, but it’s also not all serious and dramatic.

Billy Crystal has been able to bring both of those diverse elements to his performances.

He cracks wise a lot, but he also can get very serious. Maybe it’s crafting that comedic persona that creates a sharper contrast when he does get serious.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the fact whether he actually is or not, he seems like a regular guy going through the same situations we all are.