Andy Kaufman's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Taxi Latka Gravas Fridays Andy Kaufma… Redd Foxx Andy Kaufman The Dean Martin Comedy World Andy Kaufman Van Dyke and Company Regular

Main Movie Roles 1976 - God Told Me To

BIOGRAPHY:

Referred to by some as a dadaistic comedian, Andy Kaufman took comedy and performance art to the edges of irrationality and blurred the dividing line between reality and imagination. Born in New York City on January 17, 1949, the first son of Stanley and Janice Kaufman, Andy grew up on New York in the town of Great Neck. He began performing for family and friends at the age of 7, and by the time he was 9 was being hired to entertain at children's parties. After a year at a Boston junior college, Andy began performing his unique brand of stand-up comedy at coffee shops and nightclubs on the east coast. Discovered by Improvisation comedy club owner Bud Friedman, Andy quickly earned a reputation as a talented, yet eccentric performer. Impressed by his abilities, Lorne Michaels asked Kaufman to appear on the inaugural broadcast of Saturday Night Live (October 11, 1975). Best known for his work as Latka Gravas on the TV sitcom Taxi, Andy appeared in several TV shows and movies, on Broadway, did a one man show at Carnegie Hall, enjoyed a brief professional wrestling career and performed in concerts nation-wide.


TRIVIA:

• Many people doubted Kaufman's death, thinking it was just another gag.
• Shared the same birthday with 'Jim Carrey' (qv), who plays him in the film _Man on the Moon (1999)_ (qv).
• Was piledriven twice by 'Jerry Lawler' (qv)
• Daughter, Maria Colonna, was born when Andy was 20, and his girlfriend was 17.
• Despite having his neck broken by 'Jerry Lawler' (qv)'s Piledriver, he still won the match they had (the Piledriver was illegal where they were wrestling, so Lawler had gotten disqualified, giving Kaufman the win).
• According to 'Jim Carrey' (qv) as stated in _A Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman (1995) (TV)_ (qv), Kaufman created and originally played the "Tony Clifton" character. The secret kept for 15 years (according to Carrey) was that he did so only briefly and the character was soon passed off to 'Bob Zmuda' (qv) (Kaufman's writer). Most of the TV appearances of Tony Clifton are actually Zmuda, not Kaufman.
• To play up the feud between himself and wrestler 'Jerry Lawler' (qv), Kaufman did several public service announcements in which he proceeded to teach Southern people how to bathe, brush their teeth, and so on.
• Of all 'Elvis Presley' (qv) impersonators, he was the REAL Elvis' favorite.