Andy Kaufman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andy Kaufman
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Kaufman playing his "Foreign Man" character
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Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman
January 17, 1949 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | May 16, 1984 (aged 35) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Beth David Cemetery |
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| Years active | 1971–1984 |
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| Partner(s) | Lynne Margulies (1982–1984) |
| Children | 1 |
Andy Kaufman (born January 17, 1949 – died May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer. He was known for his unique and often surprising performances. Many people called him a "comedian," but Andy preferred to be known as a "song and dance man." He didn't tell traditional jokes. Instead, he tried to entertain audiences in unexpected ways.
Andy Kaufman became famous in 1975 after performing on Saturday Night Live. His character, "Foreign Man," later became Latka Gravas on the popular TV show Taxi (1978–1983). While on Taxi, he also toured clubs with his special shows. Sometimes he performed as himself, and other times as his rude alter ego, Tony Clifton. He was also a frequent guest on TV talk shows. In 1982, he even had a fake wrestling match with Jerry "The King" Lawler on Late Night with David Letterman. This fight was a prank, but it wasn't revealed for over 10 years.
Andy Kaufman died from lung cancer at age 35. Because he loved pranks so much, some people still believe he faked his own death as his biggest trick. Today, he is remembered for his many characters and his unusual way of entertaining people.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Entertainment
Andy Kaufman was born in New York City on January 17, 1949. He grew up in Great Neck, Long Island, with his younger brother and sister. His family was Jewish and middle-class.
Andy started performing at birthday parties when he was just 9 years old. He would play records and show cartoons. As a teenager, he enjoyed writing poetry and stories. He even wrote a novel at age 16.
After high school, Andy studied television production in Boston. He had his own campus TV show called Uncle Andy's Fun House. In 1969, he hitchhiked to Las Vegas to meet Elvis Presley. Soon after, he began performing in coffee houses. He started developing his unique act there. In 1971, he began performing stand-up comedy in small clubs on the East Coast.
Andy's Famous Characters
Foreign Man and Mighty Mouse
Andy Kaufman first got noticed for his character called "Foreign Man." This character spoke in a quiet, high-pitched voice with a strong accent. He claimed to be from a made-up island called "Caspiar."
As Foreign Man, Andy would go on stage and play the theme song from the Mighty Mouse cartoon. He would stand still and only lip-sync the line "Here I come to save the day!" with lots of energy. Then, he would tell a few jokes that were intentionally bad. He would finish his act with celebrity impressions. The humor came from how terrible his impressions were. For example, he would say he was imitating "Meester Carter, de president of de United States" in his foreign accent. Then, he would say "Hello, I am Meester Carter..." in the exact same voice.
But then, something surprising would happen. Foreign Man would announce, "And now I would like to imitate the Elvis Presley!" He would turn around, take off his jacket, slick back his hair, and suddenly perform a fantastic, hip-shaking Elvis song. He would even throw his jacket into the audience, just like Elvis. But then, still in character, he would immediately ask for it back! After the song, he would bow and say, "T'ank you veddy much" in his Foreign Man voice.
Parts of Andy's Foreign Man act were shown on the first season of Saturday Night Live in 1975.
Latka Gravas
Andy's "Foreign Man" character was changed into Latka Gravas for the TV show Taxi. Latka appeared in many episodes from 1978 to 1983. Andy's manager encouraged him to take the role. Andy didn't really like sitcoms, but he agreed. He hoped it would make him famous and give him money for his own performances.
On Taxi, Latka's character had a condition that made him act like other people. This allowed Andy to play different characters within the show. One of these was Latka's smooth-talking alter ego, Vic Ferrari.
Andy was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role in Taxi in 1979 and 1981.
Tony Clifton
Another famous character Andy Kaufman created was Tony Clifton. Tony was a rude lounge singer who would insult the audience. Sometimes Andy himself played Tony Clifton. Other times, his brother Michael or his friend Bob Zmuda would play him. For a while, some people didn't even realize Tony Clifton wasn't a real person!
When Andy agreed to be on Taxi, he insisted that Tony Clifton also be hired for a guest role. Tony was treated like a real person on set, not a character. But Tony caused a big scene and was fired. This made Andy very happy, and the incident was even reported in the newspapers.
Memorable TV Moments
Saturday Night Live Elvis Skit
On January 30, 1982, Andy was on Saturday Night Live impersonating Elvis. During the skit, he suddenly took off his wig and apologized to the audience. He later explained on Late Night with David Letterman that he disagreed with how Elvis was being shown in the skit. He said he was pressured to do it and that the show's staff threatened his career if he didn't.
Carnegie Hall Show
In April 1979, Andy performed at Carnegie Hall in New York. At the start of the show, he invited his "grandmother" to sit on stage. At the end, she took off her mask and revealed she was actually comedian Robin Williams!
Andy also had an elderly woman pretend to have a heart attack on stage. He then came out in a Native American headdress and danced over her, making her "come back to life."
The most famous part of this show was when Andy took the entire audience, in 24 buses, out for milk and cookies. He even invited them to meet him on the Staten Island Ferry the next morning for more of the show.
TV Specials
Andy had a TV special called Andy's Funhouse, which aired in 1979. It featured many of his famous acts, like Foreign Man and his Elvis impression. It also had unique segments, including a special appearance by Howdy Doody.
In 1983, he filmed another show for PBS called The Andy Kaufman Show. It was similar to Andy's Funhouse.
Fridays Incidents
In 1981, Andy appeared on Fridays, a TV show similar to Saturday Night Live. During one sketch, Andy suddenly stopped acting and refused to say his lines. A cast member, Michael Richards, then threw cue cards at him. Andy responded by splashing Richards with water. This led to a fake fight on camera before the show went to a commercial.
Andy later appeared in a videotaped apology to viewers. He returned to host Fridays later that year. During that show, he brought a gospel singer on stage and announced they were engaged to be married. He then talked about finding faith in Jesus. This was also a hoax.
Professional Wrestling
Andy loved the fake, dramatic nature of professional wrestling. He started wrestling women during his acts, calling himself the "Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion of the World." He acted like a rude villain and offered $1,000 to any woman who could pin him.
Andy wanted to bring his act to the professional wrestling world. He contacted Jerry "The King" Lawler, a famous wrestler from Memphis. They started a fake rivalry. Andy would insult the people of Memphis. Their feud included staged events, like Andy getting a "broken neck" from Lawler's move. They also had a famous on-air fight on Late Night with David Letterman in 1982.
For a while, Andy wore a neck brace, pretending his injuries were very serious. He continued to challenge women in the ring. He even offered to marry any woman who pinned him and shave his head.
It was later revealed that the entire feud and wrestling matches were fake. Andy and Lawler were actually friends. This secret was kept for more than 10 years after Andy's death. Jim Carrey, who played Andy in the movie Man on the Moon, was the one who revealed the secret in a TV special in 1995.
Personal Life
Andy Kaufman never married. He had a daughter, Maria Bellu-Colonna, who was adopted at birth. She later found out Andy was her father in 1992.
Andy was very private about his personal life. He often used pranks and stunts to keep people guessing. For example, he once claimed on David Letterman's show that he had adopted three sons.
Andy was also very disciplined. He practiced Transcendental Meditation and yoga for three hours every day.
Illness and Death
In late 1983, Andy started coughing a lot. He was diagnosed with a serious type of lung cancer. The cancer quickly spread.
Andy tried natural medicine and a special diet to cure himself. He also received some medical treatments. His last public appearance was in March 1984.
Andy Kaufman died on May 16, 1984, in Los Angeles. He was 35 years old.
Death-Hoax Rumors
Andy Kaufman often talked about faking his own death as a huge prank. Because of this, rumors have continued that he didn't really die. These rumors were sometimes made stronger by appearances of his character, Tony Clifton, at comedy clubs after Andy's death.
However, Andy's official website calls the faked death story an "urban legend." His friend Bob Zmuda, who often played Tony Clifton, confirmed that he was the one performing as Clifton after Andy's death.
In 2014, Bob Zmuda and Lynne Margulies (Andy's girlfriend at the time of his death) wrote a book. They claimed Andy's death was a prank and that he would reveal himself soon. But he never did.
Legacy and Tributes
Andy Kaufman is still remembered for his unique style.
- The band R.E.M. released a song called "Man on the Moon" in 1992, which was a tribute to Andy.
- In 1995, NBC aired A Comedy Salute To Andy Kaufman, featuring clips of his performances and comments from his friends and family.
- Jim Carrey played Andy Kaufman in the 1999 movie Man on the Moon. Jim Carrey won an award for his performance.
- At The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, there's a neon sign of Andy Kaufman. The club also sells an "Andy Kaufman Special" of "two cookies and a glass of ice cold milk."
- Since 2004, there has been an "Andy Kaufman Award" competition. It celebrates new artists who are daring and unconventional, just like Andy was.
- In 2019, it was announced that Andy Kaufman would receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Film and TV Appearances (Selected)
Andy Kaufman appeared in many TV shows and films. Here are some of them:
- Saturday Night Live (1975–1983) – He appeared 16 times, performing his famous routines.
- Taxi (1978–1983) – He played Latka Gravas in 114 episodes.
- The Tonight Show (1976–1978) – He was a guest several times.
- Andy's Funhouse (1979) – His own TV special.
- Fridays (1981) – He made three memorable appearances.
- Late Night with David Letterman (1982–1983) – He appeared 11 times, including his wrestling feud with Jerry Lawler.
- God Told Me To (1976) – His first movie role.
- In God We Tru$t (1980) – He played a televangelist.
- Heartbeeps (1981) – He played a robot.
- My Breakfast with Blassie (1983) – His final film role, a parody of another movie.
Images for kids
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Kaufman playing his "Foreign Man" character
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Kaufman wrestling with Debbie Harry and Caitlin Clarke in 1983
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Kaufman's death certificate
See Also
In Spanish: Andy Kaufman para niños
- List of Jewish professional wrestlers
