Billy Crystal Will Host Oscar Telecast for Third Year

Billy Crystal won’t ride a horse onto the stage of the Oscar ceremonies this year, but he will be there to host the movie awards show March 30 for the third year in a row.

At last year’s Academy Awards telecast, Crystal made his entrance and exit by horseback-- a comical and not-so-subtle plug for his then-upcoming feature film, “City Slickers.”

Normally the host for the Oscars, one of the biggest show business and TV events of the year, would have been announced by an earlier date, a spokesman for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said. But because of Crystal’s successful track record as master of ceremonies, Academy Awards producer Gilbert Cates waited until he could hear from Crystal, one way or the other.

Crystal said he decided to host the show again because, “For one night a year, I feel like the captain of show biz.”

A spokesman for Crystal said the comedian’s decision was delayed by his concentration on making “Mr. Saturday Night,” a new comedy feature he has written with Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz, the writing team for “City Slickers.” In addition, he is starring in it, directing and producing.

Crystal’s spokesman said the film will wrap by March 7, “giving Billy time to write and prepare his Oscar material.”