Oscar icon Billy Crystal returns to host the Academy Awards for the ninth time. Photo by ABC's Bob D'Amico and property of ABC.
For the first time in eight years, legendary comedian and iconic Oscar host Billy Crystal returns as the emcee of The 84th Academy Awards.
He previously hosted the Oscars eight times in the past two decades. This will be his first time hosting the 2010 Oscars and his overall ninth go-around as host. For some people, it will be their first time seeing Billy Crystal as the host, so in order to prepare them for Crystal’s hosting, jacobelyacharjournalist.com has rounded up several of Mr. Crystal’s finest moments on the broadcast.
The Hannibal Lecter Skit (1992)
For his third year as host, he was brought out in the same fashion Hannibal Lecter was in the Silence of the Lambs. This scene was especially amusing as Billy Crystal walked up to the character’s portrayer: Sir Anthony Hopkins for a brief conversation. To hear the brief conversation and watch the opening scene, click here: http://youtu.be/a9cERvUX6sE
His Monologue- The Song & Dance Numbers
“It’s A Wonderful Night for Oscar….” When those first notes are sung, everyone attending or watching the show knew that it was Billy’s time to introduce the films that were nominated for that year’s Best Picture. He perfected weaving in film facts about and uncanny song selections. Click here to watch Billy Crystal’s 1998 Oscar Opening: http://youtu.be/xYR2YJhRwTU
The Most Epic Oscar Opening Ever (2000)
During Billy Crystal’s seventh time hosting the Oscars, he was inserted into various and classic film scenes. The scenes included sitting down with Charlie Chaplin’s alter-ego The Tramp in one of the silent actor’s beloved silent films, “seducing” Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Robinson from the Graduate and being slapped around by Marlon Brando’s Vito Corleone in The Godfather. Click here to watch the 2000 Oscar opening: http://youtu.be/zGYpPzIimcY
What the Stars Are Thinking (2000 & 2004)
Sometimes to entertain the crowd and the home viewers, Crystal always “knew” what the stars were thinking. His “victims” included several major actors and actresses that ranged from first-time attendees like Scarlet Johansson and Michael Clarke Duncan to veteran Oscar winners including Julia Roberts, Robin Williams, Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson.
Click here to see his 2000 “What the Stars Are Thinking:” http://youtu.be/PnkmMJrV0A8
To watch his 2004 “What the Stars Are Thinking,” click here: http://youtu.be/DiXAsgxbCd4
The 84th Academy Awards will be on this coming Sunday and will start at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. on ABC.
I do not own any clips that were featured in this article. They belong to both the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and the American Broadcasting Company.
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