Editing Billy Crystal (section)

== Early life and education ==
[[File:Commodore-Music-Shop-1947.jpg|thumb|left|Jack Crystal (right) with [[Milt Gabler]], Herbie Hill and Lou Blum at the [[Commodore Records|Commodore Music Shop]] (1947)]]
William Edward Crystal was born at [[Doctors Hospital (Manhattan, New York)|Doctors Hospital]] on the [[Upper East Side]] of [[Manhattan]],<ref name="edward" /> and initially raised in [[the Bronx]].<ref name=nyt2005>{{cite news | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/27/nyregion/thecity/27LONG.html | title= 700 Memories of Childhood in Long Beach | work = [[The New York Times]] |  first= Marcelle S. | last= Fischler | date= February 27, 2005| access-date= November 5, 2012}}</ref> As a toddler, he moved with his family to 549 East Park Avenue in [[Long Beach, New York]], on [[Long Island]].<ref name=nyt2005 /> Crystal 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.<ref name=kane>{{cite web | url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/articles/arti0102_03.htm | title=Jack Crystal: A Man To Remember | first=Joe | last=Kane | access-date=January 16, 2008 | publisher=AllAboutJazz.com | archive-date= June 24, 2002 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20020624190112/http://www.allaboutjazz.com/articles/arti0102_03.htm}}</ref> 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]].<ref name=nyt2005 />

Crystal is [[Jewish]] (his ancestors emigrated from Austria, Russia, and Lithuania),<ref name=cbs>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/life-is-short-laugh-hard/ | date=November 6, 2005 | title=Life Is Short, Laugh Hard | work=CBS News | first=Rita | last=Braver | access-date=June 4, 2007 | archive-date=June 15, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615120115/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/06/sunday/main1015865.shtml | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://womansday.ninemsn.com/entertainment/tvfilmsbooks/8638833/billy-is-crystal-clear|title=Billy is crystal clear|work=Woman's Day|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023060637/http://womansday.ninemsn.com/entertainment/tvfilmsbooks/8638833/billy-is-crystal-clear|archive-date=October 23, 2013}}</ref> and he grew up attending [[Temple Emanu-El (Long Beach, New York)]] where he had his [[bar mitzvah]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD6NgIs6nFk | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412224040/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD6NgIs6nFk| archive-date=April 12, 2020 | url-status=dead|publisher=[[Hudson Union Society]] |access-date=February 1, 2019 |title=Billy Crystal The Hilarious Story About His Bar Mitzvah}}</ref> 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.<ref name=nyt2005 /> Jazz artists such as [[Arvell Shaw]], [[Pee Wee Russell]], [[Eddie Condon]], and [[Billie Holiday]] were often guests in the home.<ref name=nyt2005 /> With the decline of [[Dixieland jazz]] and the rise of discount record stores, in 1963, Crystal's father lost his business<ref name=cbs /> and died later that year at the age of 54<ref name=kane /> after having a [[heart attack]].<ref name=nyt2005 /> His mother died in 2001.<ref name=cbs />

After graduating from [[Long Beach High School (New York)|Long Beach High School]] in 1965,<ref name = gazing>{{cite news | title = Long Island Journal: Crystal Gazing | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/03/nyregion/long-island-journal-145790.html | first= Diane | last=Ketchum | date = June 3, 1990 | work = [[The New York Times]] | access-date = December 4, 2012}}</ref> Crystal attended [[Marshall University]] in [[Huntington, West Virginia]], on a baseball scholarship.<ref name=nyt2005 /> Crystal never played baseball at Marshall because the program was suspended during his first year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/billy-crystal |title=Billy Crystal &#124; Hollywood Walk of Fame |publisher=Walkoffame |access-date=April 10, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/college_summary/1965~MAC |title=1965 MAC Baseball Season |publisher=The Baseball Cube |access-date=December 21, 2022}}</ref> Crystal did not return to Marshall as a sophomore, instead deciding to stay in New York to be close to his future wife. He studied acting at [[HB Studio]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hbstudio.org/about-hb-studio/alumni/|title=HB Studio – Notable Alumni &#124; One of the Original Acting Studios in NYC}}</ref> Crystal attended [[Nassau Community College]] with her and later transferred to [[New York University]], where he was a film and television directing major. Crystal graduated from [[New York University|NYU]] in 1970 with a [[bachelor of fine arts degree|BFA]] from its then [[Tisch School of the Arts|School of Fine Arts]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800015850/bio | title=Billy Crystal Biography | work=Yahoo! Movies | access-date =January 16, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title= Still Foolin' Em | first= Billy | last= Crystal | page= [https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780805098204/page/39 39] | year= 2013 | publisher= [[Henry Holt and Company]] | isbn= 978-0-8050-9820-4 | url= https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780805098204/page/39 }}</ref> One of his instructors was [[Martin Scorsese]], while [[Oliver Stone]] and [[Christopher Guest]] were among his classmates.<ref name=fji>Crystal, in {{cite news | url = http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/esearch/e3i8f9dcb2a4fad3a1011a4ed90e84d9906 | title = Crystal Clear: Veteran Comedy Star Discusses 'Parental Guidance' and his Sandy-Ravaged Hometown | work = [[Film Journal International]] | date = December 10, 2012 | access-date = September 6, 2013 | author-link = Frank Lovece | first = Frank | last = Lovece | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130906152727/http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/content_display/esearch/e3i8f9dcb2a4fad3a1011a4ed90e84d9906 | archive-date = September 6, 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref>