Overwhelmed: Crystal
Oscar winner Billy Crystal was honoured at a top New York arts school on Monday because his father used to produce jazz concerts at the same venue.
The When Harry Met Sally star was overwhelmed to be the guest of honour at a benefit gala with New York University's Tisch School of Arts, which Hollywood pals Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams paying tribute to the actor.
As a graduate of NYU, Crystal revealed this accolade meant more than most other awards due to his family history and connections to the Tisch School grounds, previously home to The Plaza venue.
Crystal said: "It was a pretty great night. I was a graduate of NYU. I was pre-Tisch.
"Each year they honour somebody and last night was my turn. It meant a lot to me because from 1949 to 1963, when he passed away suddenly, my father produced these great jazz concerts there every Friday and Saturday night.
He'd do these jazz concerts and he really devoted his life to these musicians.
Crystal was instumental in convincing the school heads to spend some funds on repairing the historic venue.
He added: "So they're gonna renovate this great old building, which means so much to me, and that's what the honour was last night."
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