Andy Kaufman | |
|---|---|
 Kaufman in 1979, playing his "Foreign Man" character | |
| Born | Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman (1949-01-17)January 17, 1949 New York City, US |
| Died | May 16, 1984(1984-05-16) (aged 35) Los Angeles, California |
| Resting place | Beth David Cemetery |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1971–1984 |
| Style | |
| Partner | Lynne Margulies (1982–1984) |
| Children | 1 |
Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman (/ˈkaʊfmən/KOWF-mən;[1] January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984[2]) was an American entertainer and performance artist. He has sometimes been called an "anti-comedian".[3] He disdained telling jokes and engaging in comedy as it was traditionally understood, once saying in an interview, "I am not a comic, I have never told a joke. The comedian's promise is that he will go out there and make you laugh with him. My only promise is that I will try to entertain you as best I can."[4]
After working in small comedy clubs in the early 1970s, Kaufman came to the attention of a wider audience in 1975, when he was invited to perform portions of his act on the first season ofSaturday Night Live. His Foreign Man character was the basis of his performance asLatka Gravas on the television showTaxi from 1978 until 1983.[5]
During this time, he continued to tour comedy clubs and theaters in a series of unique performance art/comedy shows, sometimes appearing as himself and sometimes as obnoxiously rudelounge singerTony Clifton. He was also a frequent guest onsketch comedy andlate-night talk shows, particularlyLate Night with David Letterman.[6] In 1982, Kaufman brought hisprofessional wrestlingvillain act to Letterman's show by way of a staged encounter withJerry "The King" Lawler of theContinental Wrestling Association. The fact that the altercation was planned was not publicly disclosed for over a decade.[citation needed]
Kaufman died of lung cancer on May 16, 1984, at the age of 35.[7] As pranks and elaborate ruses were major elements of his career, persistent rumors have circulated that Kaufmanfaked his own death as a grand hoax.[6][8] He continues to be respected for the variety of his characters, his uniquely counterintuitive approach to comedy, and his willingness to provoke negative and confused reactions from audiences.[6][9]
Kaufman was born on January 17, 1949, in New York City, the oldest of three children. He grew up with his younger brother Michael and sister Carol in a middle-class Jewish family inGreat Neck,Long Island.[10] His mother was Janice (née Bernstein), a homemaker and former fashion model, and his father was Stanley Kaufman, a jewelry salesman.[11] Kaufman began performing at children's birthday parties at age 9, playing records and showing cartoons.[12] Kaufman spent much of his youth writing poetry and stories, including an unpublished novel,The Hollering Mangoo, which he completed at age 16.[13] Following a visit to his school from Nigerian musicianBabatunde Olatunji, Kaufman began playing thecongas.[14]
After graduating fromGreat Neck North High School in 1967, Kaufman took a year off before enrolling at the now defunct two-yearGrahm Junior College[15] in Boston,[16] where he studied television production and starred in his own campus television show,Uncle Andy's Fun House.[5] In August 1969, he hitchhiked to Las Vegas to meetElvis Presley, showing up unannounced at theInternational Hotel. Soon after, he began performing at coffee houses and developing his act, as well as writing a one-man play,Gosh (later renamedGod and published in 2000).[16] After graduating in 1971, he began performing stand-up comedy at various small clubs on theEast Coast.[17][18]
...Bijan Kimiachi, an Iranian immigrant who was Andy's roommate at the now defunctGrahm Junior College in Boston, who was, like him, studying television production (though he says here Andy was studying television performance). Kimiachi speaks with a marked accent—he says he had trouble speaking to people then, and also that he was probably Andy's only friend at that time. By the roommate's common consent, Andy adopted Bijan's accent (and perhaps his voice as well)[19]
Kaufman first received major attention for his character Foreign Man, who spoke in a meek, high-pitched, heavily accented voice and claimed to be from "Caspiar", a fictional island in theCaspian Sea.[18] As this character, Kaufman persuadedBudd Friedman, owner of the New York City comedy clubThe Improv, to allow him to perform on stage.[20][21]
As Foreign Man, Kaufman appeared on stage atcomedy clubs, played a recording of the theme from theMighty Mouse cartoon show while standing perfectly still, andlip-synced only the line "Here I come to save the day", with great enthusiasm.[22] He proceeded to tell a few (intentionally poor) jokes and concluded his act with a series of celebrityimpersonations, with the comedy arising from the character's obvious ineptitude at impersonation. For example, in his fake accent, Kaufman announced to the audience, "I would like to imitateMeester Carter, de president of de United States" and then, in exactly the same voice, say "Hello, I am Meester Carter, de president of de United States. T'ank you veddy much." At some point in the performance, usually when the audience was conditioned to Foreign Man's inability to perform a convincing impression, Foreign Man would announce, "And now I would like to imitate the Elvis Presley", turn around, take off his jacket, slick his hair back, and launch into a rousing, hip-shaking rendition of Presley singing one of his hit songs. Like Presley, he took off his leather jacket during the song and threw it into the audience, but unlike Presley, Foreign Man immediately asked for it to be returned. After the song's finale, he would take a simple bow and say in his Foreign Man voice, "T'ank you veddy much."[citation needed]
Parts of Kaufman's Foreign Man act were broadcast in the first season ofSaturday Night Live. The Mighty Mouse number was featured in the October 11, 1975, premiere, while the joke-telling and celebrity impressions (including Elvis) were included in the November 8 broadcast that same year.[23] In 1976, on the short-lived showVan Dyke and Company, he adapted the Foreign Man character to a character named "Andy" who kept interruptingDick Van Dyke's sketches to do his impressions and songs.
The Foreign Man character was changed into Latka Gravas forABC's sitcomTaxi, appearing in 79 of 114 episodes in 1978–83.[citation needed]Bob Zmuda confirms this: "They basically were buying Andy's Foreign Man character for theTaxi character Latka."[24] Kaufman's longtime managerGeorge Shapiro encouraged him to take the gig.
Kaufman disliked sitcoms and was not happy with the idea of being in one, but Shapiro convinced him that it would quickly lead to stardom, which would earn him money he could then put into his own act.[citation needed] Kaufman agreed to appear in 14 episodes per season, and he initially wanted four for Kaufman's alter egoTony Clifton. After Kaufman deliberately sabotaged Clifton's appearance on the show, however, that part of his contract was dropped.[7]
His character was givenmultiple personality disorder, which allowed Kaufman to randomly portray other characters. In one episode ofTaxi, Kaufman's character came down with a condition that made him act likeAlex Rieger, the main character played byJudd Hirsch. Another such recurring character played by Kaufman was Latka's womanizing alter ego Vic Ferrari.[25]
Sam Simon, who early in his career was a writer and latershowrunner forTaxi, stated in a 2013 interview on Marc Maron'sWTF podcast that the story of Kaufman having been generally disruptive on the show was "a complete fiction" largely created by Zmuda. Simon maintained that Zmuda has a vested interest in promoting an out-of-control image of Kaufman. In the interview Simon stated that Kaufman was "completely professional" and that he "told you Tony Clifton was him", but he also conceded that Kaufman would have "loved" Zmuda's version of events.[26]
Kaufman was nominated for theGolden Globe Award forBest Supporting Actor in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television forTaxi in 1979 and 1981.[27]
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Another well-known Kaufman character is Tony Clifton, an absurd, audience-abusinglounge singer who began opening for Kaufman at comedy clubs and eventually even performed concerts on his own around the country. Sometimes it was Kaufman performing as Clifton, sometimes it was his brother Michael or Zmuda. For a brief time, it was unclear to some that Clifton was not a real person. News programs interviewed Clifton as Kaufman's opening act, with the mood turning ugly whenever Kaufman's name came up. Kaufman, Clifton insisted, was attempting to ruin Clifton's "good name" to make money and become famous.
As a requirement for Kaufman's accepting the offer to star onTaxi, he insisted that Clifton be hired for a guest role on the show as if he were a real person, not a character.[7] After throwing a tantrum on the set, Clifton was fired and escorted from the studio lot by security guards. Much to Kaufman's delight, this incident was reported in the local newspapers.[28]
On the January 30, 1982, episode ofSaturday Night Live, while impersonating Elvis Presley in a sketch, Kaufman broke character by removing his wig and apologizing to the audience.[29]
Kaufman explained this incident on the February 17, 1982, episode ofLate Night with David Letterman. He said that he had apologized because he disagreed with how Presley was portrayed in the sketch, which involved Presley instructing two young women from his audience to visit him backstage, where they would wrestle topless in mud. Kaufman said that he had initially declined to perform the sketch but was pressured into it. He also alleged thatSNL staff threatened to ruin his reputation in the industry if he did not perform the sketch.[30]
The sketch was a reference to an incident alleged byAlbert Goldman's controversial 1981 biography of Presley. Critics of the biography derided its scornful tone and charged that it was intended as an exposé. Kaufman said that Goldman threatened to sue him after the episode aired, but Kaufman challenged Goldman to a public debate on Presley's character.[31][32]
At the beginning of an April 1979 performance at New York'sCarnegie Hall, Kaufman invited his "grandmother" to watch the show from a chair that he had placed at the side of the stage. At the end of the show, she stood, removed her mask, and revealed to the audience that she was actually comedianRobin Williams.[33]
Kaufman also had an elderly woman (Eleanor Cody Gould) pretend to have a heart attack and die on stage, after which he reappeared on stage wearing a Native Americanheaddress and performing a dance over her body, "reviving" her.[34][35]
Kaufman ended the show by taking the entire audience, in 24 buses, for milk and cookies. He invited anyone interested to meet him on theStaten Island Ferry the next morning, where the show continued.[36]
TheTaxi deal withABC included a television special/pilot for Kaufman. He proposedAndy's Funhouse, based on a routine that he had developed while in junior college. The special was taped in 1977 but did not air until August 1979. It featured most of Andy's famous gags, including Foreign Man/Latka and his Elvis Presley impersonation, as well as a host of unique segments (including a special appearance by children's television characterHowdy Doody and the "Has-been Corner").[37] The program also included a segment with fake television screen static as part of the gag, although ABC executives feared that viewers would mistake the static for broadcast problems and would change the channel—which was the comic element that Kaufman wanted to present.[38]Andy's Funhouse was written by Kaufman, Zmuda and Mel Sherer, with music by Kaufman.[39]
In March 1980, Kaufman filmed a short segment for an ABC show calledBuckshot. The segment was just over six minutes long and was calledUncle Andy's Funhouse. It featured Kaufman as the host of a children's show for adults, complete with apeanut gallery and Tony Clifton puppet.[40]
In 1983, a show very similar toAndy's Funhouse andUncle Andy's Funhouse was filmed forPBS'sSoundStage program calledThe Andy Kaufman Show. It too featured a peanut gallery, andopened in the middle of an interview in which Kaufman was laughing hysterically. He then proceeded to thank the audience for watching and the credits rolled.[citation needed]
In 1981, Kaufman made three appearances onFridays, a variety show on ABC that was similar toSaturday Night Live. In the last sketch on his first appearance, the cast were to deliberately break the scene and improvise an argument.[41] Kaufman broke character first, announcing that he "felt stupid" and refusing to say his lines.[42] In response, cast memberMichael Richards walked off camera, returned with a set of cue cards, and dumped them on the table in front of Kaufman, who responded by splashing Richards with water. CoproducerJack Burns stormed onto the stage, leading to a fake brawl on camera before the show cut to a commercial.[43]
Richards claimed that what was going to happen was known only to him, Burns and Kaufman,[44] butMelanie Chartoff, who played Kaufman's wife in the sketch, said that just before airtime Burns told her, Richards, andMaryedith Burrell that Kaufman was going to break thefourth wall.[41]
Kaufman appeared the next week in a videotaped "apology" to the home viewers. Later that year, he returned to hostFridays. At one point during the show, he invitedLawrence Welk Show singerKathie Sullivan to the stage to sing some gospel songs with him and announced that the two were engaged to be married. He then talked to the audience about his newfound faith in Jesus (Kaufman was Jewish), but the scene was a hoax.[45] Later, following a sketch about a drug-abusing pharmacist, instead of introducingPretenders, he delivered a nervous speech about the harmfulness of drugs while the band stood behind him ready to play. After his speech, he informed the audience that he had talked too long and that the show needed to pause for a commercial break.[citation needed]
Although Kaufman made a name for himself as a guest onNBC'sSaturday Night Live, his first prime-time appearances were several guest spots as Foreign Man on theDick Van Dyke variety showVan Dyke and Company in 1976.[46] He appeared four times onThe Tonight Show in 1976–78, with Foreign Man doing his imitation ofJohnny Carson's sidekickEd McMahon, with no change in voice: "Ha ha ha. Ha ha ha. How hotwas eet. Ha ha ha." Kaufman also appeared three times on NBC's late-night concert seriesThe Midnight Special in 1972, 1977, and 1981.[47] Kaufman appeared onThe Dating Game in 1978, in character as Foreign Man, and cried when the bachelorette chose Bachelor No. 1, protesting that he had answered all the questions correctly.[48]
HisSNL appearances started with thefirst show, on October 11, 1975. He made 16SNL appearances in all, doing routines from his comedy act, such as the Mighty Mouse singalong, Foreign Man, and the Elvis impersonation. After he angered the audience with his female-wrestling routine, executive producer Dick Ebersol announced on the show that viewers would be allowed to decide Kaufman's fate. On the November 20, 1982, episode,SNL held a phone vote, and 195,544 people voted to "Dump Andy" while 169,186 people voted to "Keep Andy".[49]
During theSNL episode with the phone poll, many of the cast members stated their admiration for Kaufman's work. AfterEddie Murphy read both numbers, he said, "Now, Andy Kaufman is a friend of mine. Keep that in mind when you call. I don't want to have to punch nobody in America in the face", andMary Gross read the Dump Andy phone number at a rate so fast that audiences were unable to catch it. The final tally was read byGary Kroeger to a cheering audience. As the credits rolled, announcerDon Pardo said, "This is Don Pardo saying, 'I voted for Andy Kaufman.'"[50]
Following the poll results, Kaufman made one more appearance on the show via a prerecorded 30-second message onWeekend Update (then called "Saturday Night News"). In the message, Kaufman expressed his gratitude for being on the show and said he had resorted to buying time on low-rated independent TV stations to be heard. After wrapping up, anchormanBrad Hall said, "It's pretty sad. NBC would like to announce that not only is Kaufman still banned from this show, but he now owes the NBC television network several thousand dollars and some change." This was Kaufman's last appearance on the show.
Kaufman made a number of appearances on the daytime edition ofThe David Letterman Show in 1980, and 11 appearances onLate Night with David Letterman in 1982–83. He made numerous guest spots on other television programs hosted by or starring celebrities likeJohnny Cash (1979 Christmas special),[51]Dick Van Dyke,[46]Dinah Shore,[52]Rodney Dangerfield,[53]Cher,[54]Dean Martin,[55]Redd Foxx,[5]Mike Douglas,[5]Dick Clark,[56] andJoe Franklin.[57]
He appeared in his first theatrical film,God Told Me To, in 1976, in which he portrayed a murderous policeman.[58] He appeared in two other theatrical films, including the 1980 filmIn God We Tru$t, in which he played atelevangelist,[59] and the 1981 filmHeartbeeps, in which he played a robot.[60]
Laurie Anderson worked alongside Kaufman for a time in the 1970s, acting as a sort of "straight man" in a number of hisManhattan andConey Island performances. One of these performances included getting on a ride that people stand in and get spun around. After everyone was strapped in, Kaufman would start saying how he did not want to be on the ride in a panicked tone and eventually cry. Anderson later described these performances in her 1995 album,The Ugly One with the Jewels.[61]
In 1983, Kaufman appeared on Broadway withDeborah Harry in the playTeaneck Tanzi: The Venus Flytrap.[62][63] It closed after just two performances.[64][65]
Inspired by the theatricality ofkayfabe, the staged nature of the sport ofprofessional wrestling, and his own tendency to form elaborate hoaxes, Kaufman beganwrestling women during his act and proclaimed himself "Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion of the World", adopting an aggressive and ridiculous personality based on the characters invented by professional wrestlers. He offered a $1,000 prize to any woman who could pin him.[66][67] He employed performance artistLaurie Anderson, a friend of his, in this act for a while.[68]
Kaufman initially approached the head of theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF, later WWE)Vince McMahon Sr., about bringing his act to the northeastwrestling territory.[69] McMahon dismissed Kaufman's idea, as the elder McMahon was not about to bring "show business" into his pro wrestling promotion.[69] Kaufman had by then developed a friendship with wrestling reporter/photographerBill Apter.[69] After many discussions about Kaufman's desire to be in the pro wrestling business, Apter called Memphis wrestling iconJerry "The King" Lawler and introduced him to Kaufman by telephone.[69]
Kaufman finally stepped into the ring (in theMemphis wrestling circuit) with a man—Lawler himself.[22] Kaufman taunted the residents of Memphis by playing "videos showing residents how to use soap" and proclaiming the city to be "the nation'sredneck capital".[22] The ongoing Lawler–Kaufmanfeud, which often featuredJimmy Hart and otherheels in Kaufman's corner, included a number of staged "works", such as a broken neck for Kaufman as a result of Lawler'spiledriver and a famous on-air fight on a 1982 episode ofLate Night with David Letterman.[70][71]
For some time after that first match, Kaufman appeared wearing a neck brace,[22] insisting that his injuries were much worse than they really were. Kaufman continued to defend the Inter-Gender Championship in theMid-South Coliseum and offered an extra prize, other than the $1,000: that if he were pinned, the woman who pinned him would get to marry him and that Kaufman would also shave his head.[72]
Eventually it was revealed that the feud and wrestling matches were staged works,[73] and that Kaufman and Lawler were friends. This was not disclosed until more than 10 years after Kaufman's death, when the Emmy-nominated documentaryA Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman aired onNBC in 1995. (By this point, it was becoming common knowledge that professional wrestling was staged; McMahon's sonof the same name had admitted as much to the New Jersey state athletic commission in 1989.)[74]Jim Carrey, who revealed the secret, played Kaufman in the 1999 filmMan on the Moon. In a 1997 interview with theMemphis Flyer, Lawler said he had improvised during their first match and theLetterman incident.
Although officials at St. Francis Hospital stated that Kaufman's neck injuries were real, in his 2002 biographyIt's Good to Be the King ... Sometimes, Lawler detailed how they came up with theangle and kept it quiet. Even though Kaufman's injury was legitimate, the pair exaggerated it. He also said that Kaufman's furious tirade and performance onLetterman was Kaufman's own idea, including when Lawler slapped Kaufman out of his chair. PromoterJerry Jarrett later recalled that for two years he mailed Kaufman payments comparable to what other main-event wrestlers were getting at the time, but Kaufman never deposited the checks.[75]
Kaufman appeared in the 1983 filmMy Breakfast with Blassie with professional wrestling personality"Classy" Freddie Blassie. The film was a parody of the art filmMy Dinner with Andre. Lynne Margulies, sister of the film's director,Johnny Legend, appears in it, and became romantically involved with Kaufman.
In 2002, Kaufman became a playable unlockable character in the video gameLegends of Wrestling II and a standard character in 2004'sShowdown: Legends of Wrestling. In 2008,Jakks Pacific produced for their WWE Classic Superstars toy line an action figure two-pack of Kaufman and Lawler, as well as a separate figure release with a royal blue robe.
On March 20, 2023, Kaufman was announced as the third inductee into the2023 WWE Hall of Fame. He was inducted by Jimmy Hart.[76]
Kaufman never married. His daughter, Maria Bellu-Colonna (born 1969), was the child of a relationship with a high-school girlfriend and was placed for adoption. Bellu-Colonna learned in 1992 that she was Kaufman's daughter when she traced her biological roots. She soon reunited with her mother, grandfather, uncle, and aunt.[77] Bellu-Colonna's daughter Brittany briefly appeared inMan on the Moon, playing Kaufman's sister Carol as a young child.[78]
In December 1969, Kaufman learnedTranscendental Meditation at college.[79] According to aBBC article, he used the technique "to build confidence and take his act to comedy clubs." For the rest of his life, Kaufman meditated and performedyoga three hours per day.[80] From February to June 1971, he trained as a teacher of Transcendental Meditation inMallorca, Spain.[citation needed]
Lynne Margulies, who met Kaufman during the filming ofMy Breakfast with Blassie, was in a relationship with Kaufman from 1982 until his death in 1984.[81] Margulies later codirected the 1989 Kaufman wrestling compilationI'm from Hollywood, and published the 2009 bookDear Andy Kaufman, I Hate Your Guts!.[82]
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At aThanksgiving dinner onLong Island in November 1983, several family members expressed concern about Kaufman's persistent coughing. He claimed that he had been coughing for nearly a month, visited his doctor, and was told that nothing was wrong. When he returned to Los Angeles, he consulted another physician and then underwent a series of tests atCedars-Sinai Medical Center. A few days later, he was diagnosed withlarge-cell carcinoma of the lung, typically associated with smoking.[83]
After audiences were shocked by his gaunt appearance during January 1984 performances, Kaufman acknowledged that he had an unspecified illness that he hoped to cure withnatural medicine, including a diet of all fruits and vegetables. He receivedpalliativeradiotherapy, but by then the cancer had spread from his lungs to his brain. His final public appearance was at the premiere ofMy Breakfast with Blassie in March 1984, where he appeared thin and with amohawk hair style (radiation treatments had caused the loss of his hair).[84]
The next day, Kaufman and Margulies flew toBaguio, Philippines, where, as a last resort, he received treatments of apseudoscientific procedure calledpsychic surgery[85] (now recognized as explicitly deceptivemedical fraud).
Afterward, Kaufman initially said that he felt better and returned to the US, but he died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on May 16, 1984, aged 35. He is buried inBeth David Cemetery inElmont, New York.[5][7][86]
Kaufman often spoke offaking his own death as a hoax. After his death, rumors persisted that he was still alive, often fueled by sporadic appearances of his character Tony Clifton at comedy clubs.[87] Kaufman's website calls the faked death story an "urban legend" and includes a picture of his death certificate.[citation needed]
"Clifton" performed a year after Kaufman's death atThe Comedy Store benefit in Kaufman's honor, with members of his entourage in attendance, and during the 1990s made several appearances at Los Angeles nightclubs. On the NBC specialComedy Salute to Andy Kaufman,Jim Carrey, who portrayed Kaufman inMan on the Moon, said that Bob Zmuda had been performing as Clifton.
In 2013, responding to rumors that Kaufman was still alive and following the appearance of an actress who claimed to be Kaufman's daughter, theLos Angeles County Coroner's office rereleased Kaufman's death certificate to confirm that he was indeed dead and had been interred atBeth David Cemetery.[2][87][88][89][90]
In 2014, Zmuda and Margulies coauthoredAndy Kaufman: The Truth, Finally, a book claiming that Kaufman's death was indeed a prank, and that he would soon reveal himself, as his upper limit on the "prank" was 30 years. Kaufman did not reappear.[91]
ComedianElayne Boosler, who dated and lived with Kaufman and credits him with encouraging her comedy career, wrote an article forEsquire in November 1984 in his memory.[92][93] She also dedicated her 1986Showtime specialParty of One to Kaufman.[94] An audio recording of Kaufman offering encouragement to Boosler is featured in the intro.[95]
In 1992, the bandR.E.M. released the song "Man on the Moon", a tribute to Kaufman.[96][97] The song's video featured footage of Kaufman.[98] On March 29, 1995, NBC airedA Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman. The special featured clips of many of Kaufman's performances, as well as commentary by some of his friends, family and colleagues.[6] During the special, comedianRichard Lewis said: "No one has ever done what Andy did, and did it as well, and no one will ever. Because he did it first. So didBuster Keaton, so did Andy."[99]Carl Reiner recalled his distinction in the comedy world:
Did Andy influence comedy? No. Because nobody's doing what he did. Jim Carrey was influenced—not to do what Andy did, but to follow his own drummer. I think Andy did that for a lot of people. Follow your own drumbeat. You didn't have to go up there and say "take my wife, please".[100] You could do anything that struck you as entertaining. It gave people freedom to be themselves.[101]
Reiner also said of Kaufman: "Nobody can see past the edges, where the character begins and he ends."[102]
Carrey portrayed Kaufman in the 1999 biopic filmMan on the Moon, directed byMiloš Forman. The film took its title from R.E.M.'ssong of the same name. R.E.M. also performed the score for the film and recorded another Kaufman tribute song, "The Great Beyond".[103] Carrey's portrayal was met with critical acclaim, earning him aGolden Globe Award for his performance. Forman named his twin sons Andrew and James after Kaufman and Carrey.[104][105] In July 2012, Kaufman's playBohemia West was staged inProvidence, Rhode Island.[106] ComedianVernon Chatman compiled and produced Kaufman's first album,Andy and His Grandmother, viaDrag City in 2013.[107]
Kaufman is one of the featured celebrities in the 2005 children's bookDifferent Like Me: My Book of Autism Heroes.[108] ActressCindy Williams, who was a close friend of Kaufman, devoted an entire chapter of her autobiography,Shirley, I Jest!: A Storied Life, to him.[109][110]The Chris Gethard Show paid homage to the KaufmanFridays incident with comedianBrett Davis throwing water on someone's face.[111]
A neon likeness of Kaufman is on display atThe Comedy Store in Los Angeles. The club's menu features the Andy Kaufman Special, which consists of "two cookies and a glass of ice cold milk."[112]
The Vic Ferrari Band took its name from Kaufman'sTaxi character.[113][114]
According to executive producerBill Oakley, the 1996The Simpsons episode "Bart the Fink", in whichKrusty the Clown fakes his death, was partially inspired by the rumors of Kaufman's faked death.[115]
Al Jean, cocreator of the animated seriesThe Critic, has said that the first-season drawing ofJon Lovitz's characterJay Sherman was loosely based on Kaufman.[116]
In 2015, a bottled fragrance called Andy Kaufman Milk & Cookies was created.[117][118]
German filmmakerMaren Ade has said that her 2016 filmToni Erdmann, which was nominated for thePalme d'Or at theCannes Film Festival, was partially inspired by Kaufman and Tony Clifton.[119][120][121]
Since 2004, the Andy Kaufman Award competition has been held annually as "a showcase for promising cutting-edge artists with fresh and unconventional material, for those willing to take risks with an audience, and for those who do not define themselves by the typical conventions of comedy."[122] Winners includeReggie Watts,Kristen Schaal,Brett Davis,Marcus Monroe,Brent Weinbach,Suzanne Whang, Nick Vatterott, Harry Terjanian, and Dru Johnston. For the 2015 Andy Kaufman Award show,Two Boots Pizza created a special Andy Kaufman pizza.[123]
On June 20, 2019, it was announced that Kaufman would be honored with a posthumous star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in the television category. He was part of the class of 2020.[124]
The Russian bandKorol' i Shut recorded the song "Endi Kaufman" on its albumTeatr Demona. The groupGustaf released a cover of Kaufman's "I Trusted You", a four-minute song repeating those three words. The song was featured in an advertisement for theIPhone.[125][126]
On March 20, 2023, Kaufman was inducted to theWWE Hall of Fame as part ofthe class of 2023.[76]
Kaufman is played byNicholas Braun in the filmSaturday Night, which chronicles the production of the first episode ofSaturday Night Live.
| Year | Title | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Kennedy at Night | Kaufman's first appearance as Elvis | |
| 1974 | The Dean Martin Comedy World | 1 episode; Kaufman's national television debut | [127] |
| 1974 | The Joe Franklin Show | 1 episode | [128] |
| 1975–1983 | Saturday Night Live | 16 episodes | [129][5][130] |
| 1976 | Monty Hall's Variety Hour | Television film | |
| 1976–1978 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | 6 episodes | [131] |
| 1976 | Van Dyke and Company | 10 episodes | [132] |
| 1977–1978 | The Mike Douglas Show | 2 episodes | [5] |
| 1977–1979 | Dinah! | 3 episodes | |
| 1978–1981 | The Midnight Special | 3 episodes | |
| 1977 | Stick Around | Television film | |
| 1977 | The Hollywood Squares | 1 episode | |
| 1977 | The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour | 1 episode | [133] |
| 1977 | On Location: Second Annual HBO Young Comedians Show | ||
| 1978 | Variety '77: The Year in Entertainment | ||
| 1978 | Bananaz | ||
| 1978–1983 | Taxi | 114 episodes | [5] |
| 1978 | The Dating Game | As contestant "Baji Kimran" | |
| 1978 | Dick Clark's Live Wednesday | ||
| 1979 | Cher...And Other Fantasies | ||
| 1979 | The Lisa Hartman Show | [134] | |
| 1979 | The Tomorrow Show | ||
| 1979–1982 | Good Morning America | 3 episodes | |
| 1979 | Andy's Funhouse | ABC special | |
| 1979 | Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade | ||
| 1979 | A Johnny Cash Christmas | Television special | [51] |
| 1979–1981 | The Merv Griffin Show | 3 episodes | [135] |
| 1980 | Andy Kaufman at Carnegie Hall | Documentary | [5] |
| 1980 | Uncle Andy's Funhouse (Buckshot segment) | [40] | |
| 1980–1983 | The David Letterman Show | 12 episodes | |
| 1981 | Fridays | 3 episodes | [136][137][138] |
| 1981 | Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters | ||
| 1981 | The Slycraft Hour | New York City cable access show with Bob Pagani | |
| 1981 | An Evening at the Improv | Host | |
| 1982 | 1981: The Year in Television | [139] | |
| 1982 | The John Davidson Show | 1 episode | |
| 1982 | Hour Magazine | 1 episode | [140] |
| 1982 | The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show | Tony Clifton; television special | |
| 1982 | Catch a Rising Star's 10th Anniversary | Television special | |
| 1983 | The Andy Kaufman Show | PBSSoundstage | |
| 1983 | Superstars of Comedy Salute the Improv | Television film | |
| 1983 | CWA Wrestling | 8 episodes | |
| 1983 | Rodney Dangerfield: I Can't Take It No More | Television special | |
| 1984 | The Top | Television film; Kaufman's final television appearance |
| Date | Title | Role | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | God Told Me To | Police Officer | [141] | |
| 1980 | In God We Tru$t | Armageddon T. Thunderbird | [5] | |
| 1981 | Heartbeeps | ValCom-17485 | [5] | |
| 1983 | My Breakfast with Blassie | Himself | Final film role | |
| 1986 | Elayne Boosler: Party of One | Himself | Archived voice | [95] |
| 1989 | I'm from Hollywood | Himself | Wrestling documentary | |
| 1999 | Man on the Moon | Voice | Archived singing | |
| 2017 | Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond | Himself | Archived footage and singing | |
| 2020 | Kaufmania | Himself | Archived footage, documentary withFred Willard | |
| 2023 | Thank You Very Much | Himself | Archived footage, documentary | |
| 2025 | Andy Kaufman Is Me | Himself | Archived footage, documentary | [142] |
| Year | Title | Studio | Formats | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | The Andy Kaufman Special (original TV title:Andy's Funhouse) | Fox Hills Video/Starz/Anchor Bay | VHS (1989, 1999) | [143] |
| 1979 | The Real Andy Kaufman | Eclectic/Universal Music | DVD (2001) / streaming | [144] |
| 1980 | Andy Kaufman Plays Carnegie Hall | Showtime/Paramount | VHS (2000) | [145] |
| 1981 | Andy Kaufman:The Midnight Special | SMV | VHS (1999) / DVD (2000) | [146] |
| 1983 | Soundstage: The Andy Kaufman Show | Vestron Video/Rhino Theatrical | Betamax (1985) / VHS (1993, 2000) / DVD (2000) | [147] |
| 1989 | I'm from Hollywood | Rhino Theatrical | VHS (1992, 1999) / DVD (2000, 2007, 2009) / streaming | [148] |
| 1999 | Tank You Vedy Much! | Inspired Corporation | VHS | [149] |
| 1999 | Biography | A&E Home Video | VHS (2001) / DVD (1999) | |
| 2008 | The Death of Andy Kaufman | Wild Eye Releasing | DVD (2011) / streaming (2016) | [150][151] |
| 2010 | World Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion: His Greatest Matches | Shout! Factory | DVD / streaming | [152] |
| 2020 | Grandma Makes Andy Breakfast | AndyKaufman.com | DVD / download | [153] |
| 2020 | Foreign Man | AndyKaufman.com | DVD / download | [154] |
| Year | Title | Studio | Formats | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Andy and His Grandmother | Drag City | CD/LP/download | [155] |
| 2020 | Conversations with Dad and Grandma | AndyKaufman.com | CD/download | [156] |
| 2020 | Speakers' Corner | AndyKaufman.com | CD/download | [157] |
Three books of Kaufman's writings have been posthumously published.
I am not a comic, I have never told a joke. ... The comedian's promise is that he will go out there and make you laugh with him. ... My only promise is that I will try to entertain you as best I can. ... They say, 'Oh wow, Andy Kaufman, he's a really funny guy.'
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
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