Billy Crystal reveals cheeky first impression of wife Janice in a bikini: 'I knew'

Billy Crystal and his wife Janice Goldfinger make up one of the most enduring Hollywood unions.

In an age of some couples being dubbed "publicity romances" and others separating after mere hours of marriage, the Crystals, who met when they were in high school, have been together for over 60 years, and married for 56.

Speaking with People, Billy, 78, opened up about his relationship with his wife, 77, and how he dedicates his coming one-man show for Broadway, 860, to her, the ups and downs of his life, his family, and his career.

"We just realized the other day our first date was 60 years ago, as we always joke, during the Johnson Administration," he quipped. "When you can't describe someone, that's how big it is."

He lovingly dubbed her "hilarious, charming, beautiful, loving, nurturing, honest, compassionate, tough, assertive, not just with me. Strong-willed. The greatest grandmother."

When asked about their first date six decades ago, the comedian responded: "I hope Yankee fans don't get mad at me, but we went to a Mets game," explaining then that he knew she was "the one" for him from the moment he laid eyes on her.

"First time I saw her, I knew," Billy gushed. "She walked by me in a bikini. She had a great walk, and I said to my friend, 'Steve, I'm going to marry her.' And I still walk behind her going, 'You're looking good, kid.'"

Speaking exclusively with HELLO! at PaleyFest NY earlier this month, where he was honored for his decades-long career and was given the opportunity to speak about his coming Broadway production, when asked what he considered the secret to his successful marriage, he just replied: "Ask her."

During the event itself, including a conversation moderated by Whoop Goldberg and Billy receiving one of the festival's inaugural lifetime achievement honors, the When Harry Met Sally… star was able to pay tribute to his wife as well. Reflecting on their relationship during the conversation, he joked: "I wore her down… I wouldn't let her go."

He also noted that it was Janice who initially proposed the idea of tying the knot, saying: "She asked me to get married." They went on to welcome daughters Jennifer and Lindsay and are now grandparents to four grandchildren.

Billy's new show, which Janice is a part of as a producer, is named after the street number of their former home in the Pacific Palisades, which they lost to the wildfires of January 2025.

While the Crystals are planning to rebuild on the property, he remarked to People: "It's not just about our home. This is a story about resilience, about family, about laughing, loving, support, moving forward, facing things you never thought were possible and coming to grips with it. And then turning it into something that feels beautiful to do every time I do it."