| He referred to himself as a "song-and-dance man" rather than a comedian. LOS ANGELES — Comedian Andy Kaufman, 36, who played a zany immigrant auto mechanic in the Emmy Award-winning TV series "Taxi" and was dropped as a … Born and raised in Great Neck, Long Island, Andy was something of a Man Child.As he began to stake out a career as a professional entertainer in the early 1970s, he unveiled a colorful variety of strange acts on the comedy club circuit. However, the plan was sidelined after the box office failure of Kaufman's first major motion picture Heartbeeps, in which he co-starred with Bernadette Peters as a robot who falls in love. Perhaps the biggest myth surrounding Tony Clifton's TV appearances comes from Dinah Shore's daytime talk show Dinah & Friends. Kaufman and Zmuda wrote a screenplay for a Tony Clifton biography. In reality the footage has been lost and, as with all Kaufman's appearances, the entire event was staged. Release Dates Later dates included August 15 at Chicago's Chopin Theatre. Kaufman was known for his role as Latka Gravas in the comedy television series Taxi and for creating Tony Clifton, a fictional character.. Kaufman was born in New York City to a Jewish family. Filming & Production | The video for the song also featured footage of Kaufman. Characteristic of the many elaborate hoaxes and practical jokes Kaufman concocted, Clifton was not exclusively portrayed by Kaufman. Andy Kaufman portrays character Latka Gravas on the sitcom 'Taxi' in 1979 He co-wrote the book, which comes out October 7, with Kaufman's girlfriend Lynne Margulies. Kaufman first used a version of the Foreign Man character as Andy the Robot in the pilot for the sitcom Stick Around in 1977. 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. [8][9] However, while many Taxi staffers have corroborated the story that Clifton was a disruptive presence during his brief time on set, Simon himself had no association with Taxi during its first season when Clifton made his appearance, and was not a witness to this specific event. She was portrayed by Courtney Love in the movie Man on the Moon. Character Wiki. Mr. Kaufman, acting as a cross between variety‐show host and thriftshop proprietor, filled the stage with a parade of odd characters, the oddest of whom was, of course, Mr. Kaufman himself. However, Kaufman had the last laugh, enlisting his brother Michael or his showbiz partner Bob Zmuda to play the role, with Kaufman making unannounced appearances onstage during Clifton's act. Andy Kaufman broke character for Orson Welles. The role was hurriedly recast, and when Kaufman (as himself) returned to work for the following episode, he acted as if nothing had happened. The surviving footage of the incident. Official Sites This biography is a brief … From an early age, Kaufman felt a need to perform. In 1978, performance artist and comedian Andy Kaufman reluctantly signed on to the sitcom Taxi to play a variation of his "Foreign Man" character re-named "Latka Gravas". Clifton would often attempt to improvise comical lyrics that were intentionally unfunny before giving up entirely without seeming to care. Five years later, Kaufman died at the same hospital from lung cancer. Originally printed in Rolling Stone - July 5, 1984 (Page 60) He was only 35, but his memory will live on. In 1977, the producers of Taxi saw Kaufman's Foreign Man act at The Comedy Store, and offered him a role in their show based on the character. In 2009, Clifton appeared on The Opie & Anthony Show to promote a performance at Santos Party House in New York City.[11]. Company Credits Among Kaufman's numerous stipulations was that his alter-ego character, "Tony Clifton", an obnoxious, abusive lounge singer, … Kaufman never married. It was an ideal venue for Kaufman to work his unconventional style of entertainment – and with a penchant for the grandiose, Kaufman’s run in Memphis became the stuff of legend. He was raised in Great Neck, Long Island, New York. Yes, Andy Kaufman was a unique animal. This year’s edition of The Andy Kaufman Award finals featured a special appearance by Tony Danza, who co-starred with Kaufman on the sitcom Taxi in the late 1970s and early 1980s.. Before the finalists competed in front of a live audience at Gotham Comedy Club on Nov. 12, 2012, Danza offered a few words in remembrance of the late comedian whose name adorns the award for which they … Andy Kaufman (1949-1984) was a stand-up comic who later gained television notoriety through his many, often controversial performances on series such as Saturday Night Live, and through his role as Latka Gravas on Taxi. One of Kaufman's personae was Tony Clifton, an abrasive lounge singer, whom Kaufman used to "open" his acts and tried to present as a different person. Tony Clifton aka Andy Kaufman on The Dinah Shore Show. Sadly, Kaufman passed away from lung cancer a year later on May 16, 1984. Rodney Dangerfield was a big fan of Andy Kaufman, and he hired Clifton to open for him for two shows at Bill Graham's famed Fillmore West. In 1999 Jim Carrey portrayed Kaufman in Man on the Moon, a film about Kaufman's eccentric entertainment style. The Andy Kaufman Show (1983) Late Night with David Letterman (1982) Saturday Night Live (1975-1982) Clifton claimed Kaufman was using his name "to go places." Andy Kaufman preforms his Mighty Mouse routine on Saturday Night Live in 1975. Sam Simon, a season 5 writer and showrunner for Taxi, revealed in a 2013 interview with Marc Maron for the WTF Podcast that the story of Andy (as opposed to "Tony Clifton") having been generally disruptive on the show was "a complete fiction" largely created by Bob Zmuda. | Simon maintained that Zmuda has a "vested interest" in promoting an out-of-control image of Kaufman. Tony was also a heckler on The Green Room with Paul Provenza and was escorted out of the room. They signed Clifton to a separate contract, and announced to the cast that Clifton was being hired to portray the character of Louie's brother[6][7] in the series' 13th episode. Kaufman would sometimes claim that Tony Clifton was a real lounge singer whom Kaufman encountered in the International Hotel in Las Vegas in 1969. Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman (January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer who made several appearances during the early years of Saturday Night Live.. Kaufman was an eccentric entertainer. Andy Kaufman, in full Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman, (born January 17, 1949, Queens, New York, U.S.—died May 16, 1984, Los Angeles, California), American comedian, actor, and performance artist whose groundbreaking and experimental comedic acts made him one of the most influential comics of all time.. Kaufman grew up with ambitions to become a performer, stoked in many ways by his … Character » Andy Kaufman appears in 5 issues. Kaufman performs his Mighty Mouse routine on Saturday Night Live. The most notorious of the many characters Kaufman portrayed on SNL was the self-proclaimed undefeated Intergender World Wrestling Champion, an ultra-chauvinistic character … The producers were well aware that "Clifton" was an alter ego of Kaufman, but went along with the fiction that Clifton was a separate actor. [2] In 2011, Tony and his orchestra were featured headliners as part of the annual Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on May 21. Clifton is portrayed in the Kaufman biographical film Man on the Moon,[12] credited as "Himself". Clifton also tended to randomly insult patrons, passing off the abuse as the "comedy" portion of his act. | Clifton was hired to appear on an early episode of ABC's Taxi. Actually, in many cases, Andy Kaufman played Clifton. The producers not only fired Clifton in front of press and network executives (who had gathered on set to witness the promised spectacle), but threw him off the set after he caused havoc and enraged series stars Judd Hirsch and Jeff Conaway. Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann, the protagonist in the 2016 Oscar-nominated German movie of the same title, was influenced by Kaufman concerning appearance, humor and first name. Summary. [13], Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Tony Clifton is Alive and Well and Kicking Ass in Chicago", "Episode 284 - Craig Finn / Tony Clifton", Danny DeVito Archive of American Television Interview, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lNgzZP4SQA, Tony Clifton aka Andy Kaufman on The Dinah Shore Show, "Travers on Milos Forman's Warmth and Mischief", Tony Clifton interview by Nathan Rabin 1/20/10, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tony_Clifton&oldid=1000354292, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from August 2008, All articles needing additional references, Articles that may contain original research from December 2011, All articles that may contain original research, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Articles needing additional references from April 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 14 January 2021, at 19:41. Many people misunderstood Kaufman's intent, focusing on the character's foul language and prima donna antics while failing to appreciate the fact that Clifton was meant to be the comic antithesis of the typical lounge singer: a bland, genial entertainer designed to add a touch of class to a hotel and make guests feel welcome. A talented artist, Margulies has a BFA in painting and drawing from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, where she has taught classes on and off since 1995. Others, mainly longtime Kaufman friend Bob Zmuda, also performed the role. It's simple. Andy Kaufman played Latka for all five seasons of Taxi until its end in June of 1983. On Friday, February 20, 1981, Andy Kaufman sat down in a fake restaurant, delivered scripted lines, paused, and then shook himself out of character. For a brief time, it was unclear to some that Clifton was not a real person. [5] Kaufman agreed to appear as Latka Gravas in fourteen episodes per season, approximately half of the entire series, if Tony Clifton was also allowed to guest star in the series. Clifton (played by Zmuda) appeared once on Late Night with David Letterman, where he was interviewed and sang a medley with the band. Others, mainly longtime Kaufman friend Bob Zmuda, also performed the role. released the album Automatic for the People, which featured the Andy Kaufman-themed song Man on the Moon. Bob Zmuda, Kaufman’s writing partner, and friend published the book Andy Kaufman: The Truth, Finally in 2014 that sparked rumors. Tony Clifton still makes occasional appearances, most notably in the days leading up to May 16, 2004, the twentieth anniversary of Kaufman's death. [1] Kaufman may have seen Clifton as the antithesis of the sweet, gentle "Foreign Man" character he was best known for (which was later adapted into Latka Gravas, Kaufman's character on Taxi). Navigation. Andy Kaufman as a child. Clifton fronted the Katrina Orchestra along with the Cliftonettes. After Eddie Murphy read both numbers, he said, "Now, Andy Kaufman is … Kaufman always maintained the illusion that Clifton was an entirely separate human being whom he claimed to have first encountered in 1969, according to Vice , and donned a thick wig, sunglasses, and … Andy Kaufman (1949-1984) was perhaps the most eccentric performer to emerge from the comedy scene of the 1970s. He was waiting for Elvis Presley to arrive so he could meet him. [8] The producers of Taxi had seen Andy's Foreign Man act and, according to producer Ed Weinberger, "We weren't considering Andy for the show before … He was interviewed on the 284th (May 31, 2012) episode of Marc Maron's WTF podcast as promotion.[4]. Simon did not join Taxi until two years later, during the series' third season. It was announced on May 16, 2008 that Comic Relief, in recognition of the 24th anniversary of Andy Kaufman's departure, would present "The Return of Tony Clifton", with his Katrina Kiss My Ass Orchestra. Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman (January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer, comedian, actor, and singer. During the SNL episode with the phone poll, many of the cast members stated their admiration for Kaufman's work. In 1982, Clifton also appeared on The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show as the host's "new discovery," although the other Muppets and host George Hamilton remained skeptical of Clifton's talent. The characters Andy Kaufman would later develop were made for entertaining, not necessarily for the audience to like him. Andy Kaufman. Technical Specs, See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro, Lorne Michaels - 'Saturday Night Live' Producer, movies that I love and I think you'll enjoy watching them too, director of photography (as Anastas Michos), post-production supervisor / production supervisor, second second assistant director (as Tim Engle), second assistant director (as Stephen Hagen), second second assistant director: New York (as Michael I. Smith), construction foreman: New York (as Michael Curry), art department production assistant: New York, construction shop production assistant: New York, stand-by painter (as Charles W. Eskridge), art department production assistant (as Michael Truesdale), set decorator: New York (as Karin Wiesel), re-recording mixer / supervising sound editor, re-recording assistant (as Terry Laudermilch), engineer: live recording / mixer: live recording, visual effects supervisor: Balsmeyer & Everett, digital compositing supervisor (uncredited), assistant fight coordinator: Jerry Lawler/Aaron Reckles (uncredited), first assistant camera: "b" camera, New York (as Jim Belletier), second assistant camera: "b" camera, New York, generator operator: New York (as Ray Fortune), rigging key grip: New York (as Thomas Gilligan), aerial assistant camera: Lake Tahoe (as Mark Leins), camera operator: "b" camera (as Scott Sakamoto), technician: Wescam camera, Lake Tahoe (as Steve Winslow), rigging electrician (as Christopher Zwirner), video assist operator: New York (uncredited), camera operator: video camera (uncredited), casting associate (as Kathleen Driscoll-Mohler), assistant costume designer (as Bob Wojewodski), assistant editor: New York (as Sonia Gonzalez), first assistant editor: New York (as Martin Levenstein), assistant location manager: New York (as Lynn Powers), location manager: New York (as Tom Whelan), music editor (as Shari Schwartz Johanson), assistant recording engineer (uncredited), pilot: Beech 18, Bagio City aerial unit (as Skip Evans), transportation captain: New York (as Thomas Leavey), transportation coordinator (as James Taylor), co-pilot: DC-3, Bagio City aerial unit (as Dirk Vahle), crew: Saturday Night Live (as Kenny Aymong), set production assistant (as Dan Berkowitz), assistant production office coordinator: New York (as Katherine M. Cohn), security officer: Cast Security (as Vince Cortez), set production assistant (as Tammy Dickson), executive assistant: Mr. Carrey (as Linda Fields-Hill), assistant accountant (as Nicole Gallardo), key assistant accountant (as Kaye McCall), production office secretary (as Elizabeth A. Meredith), production assistant (as Steven C. Rosso), puppeteers: Howdy Doody (as Rene and His Puppets), assistant production office coordinator (as Marci Rosenberg), key set production assistant (as John Saunders), production accountant: New York (as Carla Schorr Rose), stand-in: Mr. DeVito (as Freddie Scialla), helicopter pilot: Lake Tahoe (as Dirk Vahle), executive in charge: Australian production services (as James Michael Vernon), caterer: For Stars Catering (as Frank Woodward), assistant accountant: New York (as Joanna Zorcik). 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