William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, voice actor, comedian, writer, producer, director, and television host. He is best known for his roles as Miracle Max in the 1987 comedy-fantasy adventure film The Princess Bride, Harry Burns in 1989 comedy-drama film When Harry Met Sally..., Mitch Robbins in the City Slickers films, and Jodie Dallas in the ABC sitcom Soap. He is also well-known for voicing Rugs Turkell and other characters in the 1980 animated telefilm Animalympics. Additionally, he guest-starred in Episode 103 of Muppets Tonight and portrayed Billy in the short-lived FX comedy series The Comedians. He is also known as a member of The Not Ready for Prime Time Players on NBC's Saturday Night Live since 1984.
For Disney, he is best known for voicing Mike Wazowski in Disney/Pixar's 2001 film Monsters, Inc., its 2013 prequel Monsters University, and the 2021 Disney+ original series Monsters at Work. He also played himself in deleted scenes of the 2011 musical comedy film The Muppets. Additionally, he voiced Calcifer in the English dub of Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle.
Crystal was born at Doctors Hospital on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and initially raised in the Bronx. As a toddler, he moved with his family to 549 East Park Avenue in Long Beach, New York, on Long Island. He and his older brothers Joel, who later became an art teacher, and Richard, nicknamed Rip, were the sons of Helen (née Gabler), a housewife, and Jack Crystal, who owned and operated the Commodore Music Store, founded by Crystal's grandfather, Julius Gabler. Crystal's father was also a jazz promoter, a producer, and an executive for an affiliated jazz record label, Commodore Records, founded by Crystal's uncle, musician and songwriter Milt Gabler. Crystal is Jewish (his family emigrated from Austria, Russia, and Lithuania), and he grew up attending Temple Emanu-El (Long Beach, New York), where he had his bar mitzvah. The three young brothers would entertain by reprising comedy routines from the likes of Bob Newhart, Rich Little, and Sid Caesar records their father would bring home. Jazz artists, such as Arvell Shaw, Pee Wee Russell, Eddie Condon, and Billie Holiday were often guests in the home. With the decline of Dixieland jazz and the rise of discount record stores in 1963, Crystal's father lost his business and died later that year at the age of 54 after having a heart attack. His mother died in 2001.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Film | Position | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Monsters, Inc. | Voice actor (Mike Wazowski) | Pixar |
| 2005 | Howl's Moving Castle | Voice actor (Calcifer; Disney dub) | Studio Ghibli |
| 2006 | Cars | Voice actor (Mike Car) |
Pixar |
| 2011 | The Muppets | Actor (Himself) (cameo) | |
| 2013 | Monsters University | Voice actor (Mike Wazowski) | Pixar |
Short film
| Year | Film | Position | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Mike's New Car | Voice actor (Mike Wazowski) | Pixar |
| 2013 | Party Central |
Television
| Year(s) | Show | Position | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Monsters at Work | Voice actor (Mike Wazowski) | Walt Disney Television Animation |
Roles
Gallery
Trivia
- He was the first actor to be offered to voice Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story, but turned down the role afterwards. After seeing the finished film, he said his decision was the biggest mistake of his career. When Pixar asked Crystal if he wanted to voice Mike Wazowski, he accepted immediately.[citation needed]
- Pixar took some lines from the coffee table scene in the 1989 film When Harry Met Sally... and used his voice in some early test animation footage before Tim Allen was cast as Buzz.[1]
- He stated in his Disney Legends acceptance speech that when growing up, his favorite film was Pinocchio, his favorite cartoon characters were Jiminy Cricket and Dopey, he had a crush on Annette Funicello, and he imagined going to camp with Spin and Marty.[citation needed]
- His films City Slickers and When Harry Met Sally... were parodied in his appearance on Muppets Tonight.
- During his Hollywood Chinese Theatre Hand/footprint ceremony in April 2019, Crystal was handed a small foot stamp in the shape of Mike's foot, and he had it pressed into the cement next to Crystal's actual prints and signature written "Mike W".
References
- ↑ "Billy Crystal's Test Screen for Toy Story". YouTube (Mar 2, 2010).
