Foggy Melson | Billy Crystal Interview on "Mr. Saturday Night" (September 23, 1992) @foggymelson | Uploaded September 2023 | Updated October 2024, 1 day ago.
Mr. Saturday Night is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that marked the directorial debut of its star, Billy Crystal.
It focuses on the rise and fall of Buddy Young Jr., a stand-up comedian. Crystal produced and co-wrote the screenplay with the writing duo Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz. It was filmed from November 1991 to March 1992 and released on September 23, 1992, by Columbia Pictures. Co-star David Paymer received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Cameos
Comedians Jerry Lewis, Carl Ballantine, Slappy White, and Jackie Gayle appear in the New York Friars' Club scene.
Production
Development
Billy Crystal first originated the character of Buddy Young Jr. for a 1984 HBO special, A Comic’s Line.[2] On a 1985 episode of Saturday Night Live, he made an appearance as the character during a Weekend Update segment.[3] "One night, the producer said, 'Johnny Cash, June Cash and Waylon Jennings are in the audience tonight — what if I put them near the Weekend Update desk?' I did [Buddy] live and I was like Don Rickles, I just had funny interplay with them. I had no idea what I was going to say. Live! And it was really funny. And then I knew I had something."[2]
The opening title sequence was designed by Elaine Makatura Bass and Saul Bass.
Reception
Critical reception
Mr. Saturday Night received mixed reviews from critics. It holds a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 28 reviews with the consensus stating: "Billy Crystal's flawed directorial debut can't seem to decide whether it wants the viewer to love its protagonist or hate him, but it features fine work from Crystal and his co-stars".[4] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[5]
Box office
Mr. Saturday Night was a box office bomb in the United States and Canada, grossing $13.3 million,[6] less than a third of its budget.[7] It grossed $23 million worldwide.[1]
Awards and nominations
At the 65th Academy Awards, David Paymer was nominated for Best Supporting Actor (the film's only nomination). Billy Crystal also hosted the ceremony, during his traditional Best Picture medley, Crystal added the movie to the list, immediately afterwards adding the line, "I just wanted to see how it feels, so sue me."
Mr. Saturday Night is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that marked the directorial debut of its star, Billy Crystal.
It focuses on the rise and fall of Buddy Young Jr., a stand-up comedian. Crystal produced and co-wrote the screenplay with the writing duo Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz. It was filmed from November 1991 to March 1992 and released on September 23, 1992, by Columbia Pictures. Co-star David Paymer received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Cameos
Comedians Jerry Lewis, Carl Ballantine, Slappy White, and Jackie Gayle appear in the New York Friars' Club scene.
Production
Development
Billy Crystal first originated the character of Buddy Young Jr. for a 1984 HBO special, A Comic’s Line.[2] On a 1985 episode of Saturday Night Live, he made an appearance as the character during a Weekend Update segment.[3] "One night, the producer said, 'Johnny Cash, June Cash and Waylon Jennings are in the audience tonight — what if I put them near the Weekend Update desk?' I did [Buddy] live and I was like Don Rickles, I just had funny interplay with them. I had no idea what I was going to say. Live! And it was really funny. And then I knew I had something."[2]
The opening title sequence was designed by Elaine Makatura Bass and Saul Bass.
Reception
Critical reception
Mr. Saturday Night received mixed reviews from critics. It holds a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 28 reviews with the consensus stating: "Billy Crystal's flawed directorial debut can't seem to decide whether it wants the viewer to love its protagonist or hate him, but it features fine work from Crystal and his co-stars".[4] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[5]
Box office
Mr. Saturday Night was a box office bomb in the United States and Canada, grossing $13.3 million,[6] less than a third of its budget.[7] It grossed $23 million worldwide.[1]
Awards and nominations
At the 65th Academy Awards, David Paymer was nominated for Best Supporting Actor (the film's only nomination). Billy Crystal also hosted the ceremony, during his traditional Best Picture medley, Crystal added the movie to the list, immediately afterwards adding the line, "I just wanted to see how it feels, so sue me."
