Breaking into the comedy side of film is difficult for any performer to do, as it takes a certain amount of chops to really break big with audiences. Comedic timing is a skill that needs to be sharpened, and the ones that excel with it can go far in a business that is always looking for the next big thing.

Billy Crystal is a comedy legend who has been in countless hit films. Crystal can do it all, and for his performance in The Princess Bride, the actor flexed the incredbile ability to improvise while the cameras were rolling. In fact, the legendary performer wound up improvising his entire performance in the film.

Let’s take a closer look at Billy Crystal and the story of him improvising his Princess Bride lines back in the 80s.

Crystal Is A Comedy Legend

Billy Crystal
Via killingtime.com

With a career in the business dating back to the 70s, Billy Crystal is understandably a legend in comedy. The man has a unique style and delivery that is recognizable by millions, and after success in film and television, Crystal was able to accomplish some impressive feats in his biggest years.

On television, the star was featured on shows like Saturday Night Live and Soap early on, and he made a name for himself by serving as the host of many prominent awards shows, like the Grammys and the Oscars. The big screen, however, is where Crystal was really making his money.

Some of Crystal’s biggest movies include This Is Spinal Tap, When Harry May Sally…, City Slickers, Analyze This, and Monsters, Inc. His biggest triumphs helped secure him a current net worth of $60 million and a legacy that few will come close to matching.

As great as his film works have been, his time in The Princess Bride could very well be his best performance.

Related: A Shocking Moment Of Thor: Ragnarok Is Improvised

He Gave An Iconic Performance In ‘The Princess Bride’

Billy Crystal
Via 20th Century Fox

Any person who has watched The Princess Bride will gladly recall seeing Miracle Max for the very first time on screen. He is, after all, one of the funniest and most memorable aspects of the entire movie. This was all thanks to the comedic genius of Billy Crystal, who was sublime in the role. Turns out, Crystal had a huge hand in shaping the character before filming began.

According to Atlas Obscura, “After Reiner got Crystal to sign on to the movie as Miracle Max, the director paired him with make-up artist Peter Montagna, who Crystal had worked with previously on Saturday Night Live. Even from the earliest stages of developing the character, Crystal began making it his own, bringing a pair of reference photos to Montagna to help him get the look just right.”

It’s rare that a performer can have such a huge impact on a role before filming even begins, but it just goes to show how much faith Rob Reiner had in Crystal. Crystal clearly had the chops and the right input, and once the cameras started rolling, the actor delivered a classic performance that fans still love.

Related: Kim Kardashian Shows How Shy She Really Is During Scott Disick’s Improv Class

He Improvised The Entire Thing

Billy Crystal
Via pagesix.com

Instead of just sticking to the script and following someone else’s lead, Billy Crystal took matters into his own hands and began to make the role entirely his own. Reiner wanted the character to be outrageous, and it took Crystal no time at all to leave an impression on the cast and crew.

According to Carey Elwes, “From the first shot in which cantankerous Max appears, poking his head through a wooden peephole in the door (very much like the doorman who greets Dorothy when she and her friends reach Oz), he began ad-libbing.”

“For three days straight and ten hours a day, Billy improvised thirteenth-century period jokes, never saying the same thing or the same line twice,” wrote Elwes.

Atlas Obscura notes that Crystal was so funny that Elwes had to be replaced by a dummy in certain shots because he could not refrain from laughing. What’s more, is that Reiner himself had to distance himself from the set because he could hardly contain his laugher. Mandy Patinkin held it together, but he struggled so badly to stop from laughing that he bruised a rib.

Related: Anya Taylor Joy Reveals How Dancing Improved Her Chess Skills In 'The Queen's Gambit'

Crystal was dynamic during his few days on set, and this translated perfectly to the big screen. While he was only in the movie for a few minutes, he left a lasting impression on film fans anywhere. And to think that he improvised the entire thing. Talk about some serious talent.

Next: 10 Famous Comedians Who Started Out Doing Improv