Billy Crystal is well-known for his roles in City Slickers (1991), Throw Momma from the Train (1987), and Mr. Saturday Night (1992). However, his most iconic role and the one he is best remembered for is that of Harry Burns in When Harry Met Sally (1989). Crystal appears to agree with this, as for his 75th birthday, he surprised fans with a special treat that paid homage to his famous role.
The rom-com that became a classic
Billy Crystal starred alongside Meg Ryan in the 1989 classic romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally. (Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures / Zayne / MovieStillsDB)
Written by Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally immediately became a cult classic. Directed by Rob Reiner, the romantic comedy follows the lives of Harry Burns and Sally Albright, who is played by Meg Ryan. Audiences watch as the two continuously run into each other in New York City over twelve years. The film ponders the question of whether men and women can be friends without sex complicating things, but never answers it.
At the box office, the movie grossed a total of $98.2 million in North America, an impressive amount considering its $16 million budget. A rare accomplishment for romantic comedies, When Harry Met Sally was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen in 1990. It did not win its category, but it did take home the BAFTA award for Best Screenplay that same year.
For his 75th, Crystal celebrated his iconic look
Thank you all.. pic.twitter.com/EySEYTBJMc
— Billy Crystal (@BillyCrystal) March 14, 2023
March 14, 2023 marked Crystal’s 75th birthday, and to celebrate, he gave fans a nostalgic throwback. In a tweet, Crystal posted two photos of himself side-by-side. One was an old photo of him as Harry Burns from the film, and the other was a more recent one of him. In both, Crystal can be seen crouching down, wearing blue jeans, white sneakers, and white cable-knit sweater. He captioned the tweet, “Thank you all.”
Crystal is well aware that his role in the 1989 classic is one of his most iconic, as he has referenced it in the past before. In 2019, while he made an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Crystal reenacted the famous restaurant scene.
Other celebrities reacted to his post
Fans were excited and thrilled to see him in the nostalgic get-up. (Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures / murraymomo / MovieStillsDB)
As you can imagine, Crystal’s throwback to one of his most famous roles was met by a happy audience. Many of his fans responded to the tweet with their own versions of the iconic stance and outfit. Other celebrities joined in on the fun as well. Actor Ben Stiller responded to the tweet saying, “Lots of love and respect @BillyCrystal.”
Comedian Richard Lewis also reached out to comment, “Finally, you’re my age. You’re a blessed artist. I’m proud to have started our comedic journey together. I started reading your accomplishments 17 weeks ago and I’m just about halfway done. Far and away your greatest success is your wondrous family. Love from the Lewises.”
The official Merriam-Webster Dictionary account even reacted to Crystal’s post, commenting, “icon | noun | a person or thing widely admired especially for having great influence or significance in a particular sweater.”
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Clearly, Crystal’s post reminded everyone of one of the most iconic film performances of his career… not that anyone really forgot.