Meet Billy Crystal's wife of 54 years and their two children

Billy Crystal has kept his family life fairly private despite his decades in the spotlight. His wife, Janice Crystal, and their two daughters, Jennifer and Lindsay, have undeniably been a source of constant support throughout his career.

Before his appearance on The Graham Norton ShowLet's take a closer look at the 76-year-old's family and their life behind the scenes.

Meeting his partner Janice

Billy and Janice met in the 1960s when they were both students at Nassau Community College in New York. They married in 1970 and their relationship has been strong for over five decades.

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Despite Billy's fame in the spotlight, Janice has had a career behind the scenes in the entertainment industry. She has worked as a producer on several projects including Billy Crystal: 700 Sundays, a Tony Award-winning one-man show based on Billy's life, and Midnight train to Moscowa TV special from 1986.

Billy often spoke fondly of Janice and credited her with the heart of their family. “Humor and trust and constant interest in what each of us is doing and respect for our own lives and who we are,” he says When Harry met Sally Stern recently said Fox News.

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“But our common goal was always just to create a beautiful family, which we have and continue to do. And just respecting each other. And she is an extraordinary person.”

The couple, who met as teenagers and have remained together ever since, are now parents to two daughters and four grandchildren. “I’m lucky,” he added. “I was 18. She was 17. And here we are still.”

Family life

Billy and Janice's eldest daughter, Jennifer, was born in 1973 and has followed in her father's footsteps with a career as an actress.

Known for her roles in House And Again and again51-year-old Jennifer has built a stable career in television. She also had guest roles Beverly Hills, 90210, NYPD Blue And Touched by an angel.

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Jennifer is married to Michael Foley and the couple has two children, Ella and Dylan.

Billy's second daughter Lindsay was born in 1977 and took a different path into the entertainment industry as a director and producer. She has worked on documentaries and other film projects including My uncle Bernsa 2004 documentary about her great-uncle that received critical acclaim.

Lindsay has also worked with her father on projects such as HBO's 61*directed by Billy, which earned several Emmy nominations.

Although she worked more behind the scenes, the 47-year-old made her screen debut in her father's film City Slickers and even had a role in the sequel, City Slickers 2.

Being a father and being a grandpa

After becoming parents, Billy mentioned how much his relationship with Janice had changed. “When I became a father for the first time in 1973, Janice was working and I started my career as a stand-up at night. So during the day I was 'Mr. Mom' and that completely changed my life,” he told people.

“The responsibility of being a 25-year-old with a toddler who can’t get through the day without you,” he continued. “When you learn that you can love something much more than yourself, that was the greatest experience in my life as a human being.”

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The comedy legend added: “That was my whole life's effort, to leave the world with two wonderful daughters – now grown women, mothers themselves. And that they then teach their children, our four grandchildren, what responsibility means in our constantly changing world.”

When he became a grandparent, Billy said The Guardian in 2013: “When my daughter Jenny was pregnant with our first grandchild, Ella, it was very profound for me because Jenny is my first-born daughter.”

He added: “You have to really respect what your children do with their children and how they raise them. You can't go into areas where you shouldn't say anything. You must always remember them.” Don't be your own children. Play with them, love them, spoil them to death – and then give them back.