Andy Kaufman

Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman (January 17th 1949 – May 16th 1984) was a actor and a Artiste of performance. Often identified as artist " Comic " , Kaufman was never claimed tel. In an article of the NewYork Times, it declared:

" I am not comic, I never tell jokes… The promise of the actor, it is to be able to make you laugh at him… My only promise, it is to try to divert better than I can. I can handle the reactions of people. There are various kinds to laugh. The laughter of the tripe, it is when you do not have the choice, you are obliged to laugh. The laughter of the tripe does not come from intellect, and it is much more difficult to practice for me maintaining than I am known. They are said: " Wow, Andy Kaufman, this type is really marrant" , but I do not try to be funny, I want simply to play with their têtes.

It scorned the jokes, as well as the " comédie" with the direction or one generally hears it, and practiced a form of anti-humor rather, but of absurd and surrealist humor.

Biography

Kaufman was born with New York, the January 17th 1949, in a family Juive, oldest son of Stanley and Janice Kaufman. It grows with Great Neck, Long Island (a district of New York), and occurred on scene as of the 7 years age. It made academic works with the Grahm Junior College of Boston which does not exist today any more. Left the university, it occurs as an artist of " stand-up' in small clubs of the east coast.

Career (key periods)

" Foreign Man" (" The étranger")

Kaufman was first of all pointed out with a character known under the name of " Foreign man" (" The étranger"), which claimed to come from " Caspiar" (an imaginary island of the Caspian Sea). On the scene of various clubs of comedy, this character appeared, very intimidated, to sing in playback only one phrases credits of Mighty Mouse (celebrates American cartoon) (" Young stag I like to save the day"), to tell some very dirty tricks and to present very bad imitations (ex: archie Bunker, Richard Nixon, etc…) To give an example, it could say with this characteristic accent (which one could describe as " pseudo slavo-balkanico-danubien") : " I voudré to imitate Mossio Jimmy Carter, the president of Zéta-Zouni". It connected then with the same accent: " Hello, I am Mossio Carter, the president of Zéta-Zouni. Very thank you boukou". The public was in front of a cruel dilemma: to be outraged by a so bad number and a feeling of empathy towards a poor artist who started to cry over scene after being himself made hoot. With this stage, " Foreign Man" could announce: " And maintenon, I voudré to imitate Presley" Elvis; , announces to which the only evocation was enough to make laugh the assistance, so much the preceding imitations were bad… " Foreign Man" turned themselves then, back with the public, started a portable cassette player and, during the introduction of a piece of Elvis, removed his coat, plated the hair behind before retrouner and to launch out in a so good imitation that the " King" itself chose it like its preferred.

The public carried out whereas he had been deceived, proceeded which became the trademark of comic of Kaufman.

" Latka "

Kaufman made evolve/move the character of " Foreign Man" and " baptized it; Latka". Latka was to appear in 114 episodes of the sitcom " Taxi " on the chain ABC. The producer ED Weinberg explains: " We had not thought of Andy before of having seen it. But, having seen it, we wrote a rôle" to him; : version confirmed by Bob Zmuda (one of the appointed joint authors of Kaufman): " In fact, they bought the character of " Foreign Man" to integrate it like character in “Taxi” as “a Latka”. " . George Shapiro, the manager of Kaufman, encouraged Andy to take the role.

Hating the Sitcom S, Kaufman was more than reticent with the idea to take part in " Taxi". In order to give field to its character, the scenario writers allotted to Latka multiple disorders of the personality which made it possible Kaufman to incarnate other characters, by chance. In an episode, the character of Kaufman arrived in a state which made it behave like Alex Reiger, the main character of the series, interpreted by Judd Hirsch. Another recurring character interpreted by Kaufman in the series was " Vic Ferrari" , a lady-killer…

The series Taxi was rewarded many times, as well as a popular success in which Kaufman obtained the recognition, as a " Latka".

During this period, at the time of the spectacles of Kaufman on scene, the public expected to see it interpreting the very popular character of Latka and could even challenge the artist on scene for asking him. Kaufman then punished the public by announcing that it stopped the representation to start a reading of Gatsby Splendid the, of Scott Fitzgerald. The public laughed, before realizing that the advertisement was very serious and that Kaufman was really going to make last the reading several hours, in spite of the desertion from most of the public.

In the series, the woman of Latka, called " Simka" , was incarnated by the comic actress Carol Kane.

" Tony Clifton "

Other very famous character of Kaufman: Tony Clifton, singer of living room and completely outrageous piano-bar. Tony Clifton " débuta" in first part of the spectacles of Kaufman before occurring on scene for its own concerts. Clifton could be indifferently interpreted by Kaufman itself, its Michael brother or his accomplice Bob Zmuda, which gave place to a legendary series of misunderstandings around the character.

For one short period, much were persuaded that Clifton was a real person. The tv news interviewed Clifton as a first part of Kaufman and Clifton became quickly infâmant as soon as the name of " Kaufman" was quoted. Clifton insisted to say that Kaufman made very to dirty its reputation, in order to earn money and to become famous on its back.

As required by Kaufman like condition with its participation in the sitcom " Taxi" , Clifton was invited for a " guest" in the series. Hardly arrived on the plate, Clifton pushed a black anger before being made expel turning by security agents.

To the great satisfaction of Kaufman, the incident was reported in the local newspapers.

Carnegie Hall (" Milk and cookies" show)

At the time of this memorable spectacle given to Carnegie Hall, Kaufman began by inviting its " large-mère" to attend the spectacle, sitted on a chair at the edge of the scene. At the end of the show, the alleged grandmother rose, removed her mask and proved not to be other than the actor Robin Williams (friendly of Kaufman) disguised. Kaufman in addition utilized an old lady (named Eleanor Cody Gould) which it made dance until faintness. The lady fell dead on scene. Kaufman reappeared then, avoided of a cap of Indien of America, proceeded to invocations and dances around its body what caused of the " ressusciter".

But the spectacle remains especially famous for its conclusion, at the time which Kaufman invited all the public to divide with him cookies and milk (" Milk and cookie" , traditional collation of the American children). The public left and discovered jellyfish that 35 bus waited outside to take them along indeed in arranged hangars where milk glass and cookies awaited each one. Kaufman then invited all those which wished to meet it to join it the next morning on board a Staten Island Ferry where the spectacle of the day before continued…

Beyond the " stand-up" and of its role in " Taxi" , it is for this type of spectacle that Kaufman is most known.

" Andy' S Funhouse"

Like another condition with its participation in the sitcom " Taxi" , Kaufman required that a special program was granted to him, it was " Andy' S Funhouse" , concept based on a usual spectacle (created whereas it was at the university). The emission was recorded in 1977 but was diffused only in August 1979 on ABC.

The emission presented the majority of the famous numbers of Kaufman, in particular Foreign Man/Latka and its imitation of Elvis, as well as a crowd of original numbers. One of these numbers consisted of a truth-false fixed screen (pretense to indicate that the diffusion had been stopped). The persons in charge of the chain ABC were strong evil at ease of it, fearing that the televiewers change chain, which was precisely the comic effect sought by Kaufman.

The incident " Fridays"

In 1981, Kaufman made three appearances in the variety programme Fridays , on the chain ABC (comparable with SNL ). The first intervention of Kaufman in the emission was most memorable.

One of the sketches put in scene four people at the restaurant which in turn eclipsed with the toilets to smoke of the cannabis. In full diffusion, Kaufman left its character and refused to say his text, alleging that it found moved laughter of a so serious subject. The other actors of the scene were in a situation of most uncomfortable, into full direct televised. In answer, Michael Richards left the field of the cameras to return with several paperboard-prompters which it furiously threw in the plate of Kaufman, it with what Andy retorted by balancing to him glass full of water to the figure. The guest high-speed motorboat of the emission Jack Burns déboula on scene, it followed from there a pugilism under the eye of the cameras, finally stopped by an advertizing cut. It was discovered later that it was about a hoax -- all the actors were however not with the current -- what Kaufman denied savagely to add to general confusion.

Kaufman appeared nevertheless the following week to present excuses to the public. A few weeks later this year, Kaufman took part in the emission like guest high-speed motorboat. At a certain time of the show, it invited Kathie Sullivan (singer of Jazz and Gospel) to join it on scene to sing some songs of Gospel. Kaufman announced whereas they were about to marry, before making share with the public of its very new awakening of its faith in Jesus; still a Hoax.

Champion of Wrestling " mixte"

Child, Kaufman admired much the professional all-in wrestlers and their universe. During a time, Kaufman integrated into its spectacles a number at the time which it catchait against women and " was proclaimed; World champion of Wrestling mixte". It offered a reward of $1,000 to any woman who would manage to beat it.

Following a challenge launched by the all-in wrestler high-speed motorboat Jerry " The King" Lawler, Kaufman finally decided to go up on the boxing ring to face a man: Lawler itself. It is at the time of this combat that Lawler carried out on Kaufman the catch of wrestling known as of the " hammer-pilon" (" Piledriver "), following which Kaufman had allegedly the broken neck. After this episode, Kaufman did not move any more without a minerve, insistent on the fact that its wound was quite real. Spectacular the " dispute" between Keufman and Lawler (made declarations menaçantes and intimidations, completely in the spirit of wrestling) continued years, including a famous televisual brawl, in 1982, on the plate of the emission Late Night with David Letterman .

It was revealed later that argument between Kaufman and Lawler celebrates it, as their wrestling matches had been put in scene, whereas they were friendly in the life. The truth on this setting in scene was however kept secret during more than ten years after the death of Kaufman, until the diffusion of documentary the has Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman on NBC in 1995. The person who revealed this setting in scene finds being Jim Carrey (born one January 17th him also), which, later, the role of Kaufman in film of Milos Forman Man one will interpret the Moon (1999).

During an interview with the Memphis Flyer , Lawler explained to have improvised during their first wrestling match, like at the time of the incident on the plate of Letterman. Although representatives of the Saint-Francis hospital -- where Kaufman was examined following their initial combat -- affirmed that its wound with the neck was real, Lawler revealed in detail in its biography published in 2002 how had come to them the idea from this setting in scene and the way in which they could keep it secret.

Kaufman continued to defend its title of " Champion of Monde" in the enclosure of the " Mid-South Coliseum" with Memphis, Tennessee. It offered an additional reward (to the $1,000,00 initially promised), promising with the woman who would manage to beat it that she could marry it, like shaving the head.

Participations

Kaufman was made a name while taking part like guest in the emission of the chain NBC Saturday Night Live , beginning during the inaugural emission of October 1st 1975, before making 15 appearances in all. During these appearances, it presented usual numbers drawn from its spectacles of comedy, like the Mighty Mouse , " Foreign Man" , or the imitation of Elvis. After having exasperated the public with its number of wrestling against women, the televiewers of SNL had to vote by telephone to decide if Andy were to always belong to the emission or not. A majority of televiewers voted for her withdrawal, but one forever known if it were about a hoax or not. Kaufman made a last appearance (recorded) in the emission, recognizing the decision of the public to which he stated to yield while remaining with the variation of the emission.

Among the tele participations most notable of Kaufman, one finds a certain number of appearance in the initial emission of the The David Letterman Show in 1980, like 11 appearances with the Late Night with David Letterman in 1982 and 1983, including one during which he claimed to be become SDF and claimed money with the public, as another during which he presented his " child adopté" who appeared in fact being three adults Afro-Americans.

Kaufman made some appearances in feature films cinema, of which the first was God Told Me To in 1976, in which it incarnated a fatal police officer. It took part in several other films, incarnating in particular a Télévangeliste in the film In God We Tru$t (1980).

Laurie Anderson collaborated with Kaufman in the years 1970, participant in several of his spectacles. Laurie Anderson refers to these performances in its album of 1995: The Ugly One with the Jewels .

Died

Andy Kaufman died in Los Angeles, the May 16th 1984, of impaired renal function caused by cancerous metastasis S exits of a rare alternative of Cancer of the Poumons. It is buried with the Cimetière Beth David with Elmont, New York. The diagnosis of its disease was initially made in December 1983 after several family members, at the time of a dinner of Thanksgiving (thanksgiving), worried vis-a-vis a persistent cough. In spite of the fatal forecast of its doctor, Kaufman did not cease fighting the disease, of the diagnosis until its death. In spite of a massive treatment of Radiotherapy, cancer was quickly propagated. Its ultimate therapeutic step to fight against the disease led it to the Filipino in March 1984 to undergo an operation of " surgery paranormale ".

Kaufman having always maintained the secrecy on its health condition (almost until the day of its death), much fans doubted his death, thinking that it was once again about a setting in scene kaufmanienne. The rumors according to which Kaufman would be always alive go back to the following day even its death, when a listener called the very popular radio program of Howard Stern to announce that the death of Kaufman was a hoax. The friends and the family of Andy specified that he almost never smoked, only drank very occasionally and that he was vegetarian. At that time, lung cancer was regarded as extremely rare in the nonsmokers, like at the subjects of less than 50 years.

Kaufman itself had announced that if it came from there to put in clean scene its dead, it reappears then 20 years later, day for day. The May 16th 2004, his/her friends surviving organized a festival on the topic of " Welcome at the Andy" house; , but Kaufman was not present there personally.

After its death the existence of a girl of Kaufman was revealed: Marie, who abandoned then was adopted. It forever known his/her biological father.

Alleged returns

Andy Kaufman would have said to a great number of people (of which Bob Zmuda) that it wished to simulate its clean dead before its real death. These allegations led a great number of fans to believe that it was always alive.

At the time of its death, Kaufman worked on a scenario which concerned a character claiming to be reached of a lung cancer and which simulated its clean dead. In addition, Kaufman lost all its hair before its death, which one imagined of with the radiotherapy. However, according to the site AndykaufmanLives.com (" Andy Kaufman is vivant"), been engaged of Andy affirmed to have shaved the hair with a razor to him. The sister of Andy declared after her death that it found odd the fact that the doctor who had announced the diagnosis with the family carried shoe of tennis, which caused a debate among the fans on the fact of knowing if Andy would not have engaged a friend actor to play the part of the doctor.

There exist many rumors of this kind around died of Andy and the film Man one the Moon refers to some of them, finishing even on an open end in which, according to interpretations, Andy could (or not) be always in life. Bob Zmuda ironically recognized the rumors of hoax concerning the death of Andy, admitting that Andy and had discussed to him well the simulation of its death on several occasions, going until saying that Andy was " obsessed by this idée" , but Zmuda always maintained that Andy really died. Zmuda affirms not to think that Andy can be shown enough cruel to spend so much time without contacting its family if it were always alive. However, Zmuda could express the idea according to which Andy would have simulated its death in 1984, but would have died since, of another cause.

Like example of the type of hoax or joke perpetuated in connection with the death of Kaufman, one finds a blog, created the May 16th 2004, which claims to be a chronicle of the return of Kaufman. The author of the blog proved not to be other than Steve Rocco (whose weekly magazine OC Weekly implied that it was about Kaufman itself).

Rocco, which manages a certain number of sites relative to Kaufman, on which it uses many pseudonyms, claims to be in possession of irrefutable evidence as what Kaufman would be always in life. It published some of these " preuves" in line, of which photographs of albums of family of Kaufman. This episode led certain fans to believe that Rocco worked for Bob Zmuda (which could have been in possession of personal objects of Kaufman) and which the AndyKaufmanLives.com site would be a kind of " jeu" , created to very honor the memory with Kaufman in a style Kaufmanien and for its fans a source of entertainment and inspiration would get. The AndyKaufmanLives.com site comprises many other indices and " jokes of initiés" some are detailed on the site of OC Weekly.

Catalog of films

As actor

• 1976 : Murder under control ( God Told Me To ): Police force Officer
• 1977: Stick Around (TV): Andy, the Robot
• 1978: Taxi (TV): Latka Engraved
• 1980: the Bible does not make the monk ( In God We Tru$t ): Armageddon T. Thunderbird
• 1981: Heartbeeps : Valley
• 1982: The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show (TV): Tony Clifton

As scenario writer

• 1979 : Andy' S Funhouse (TV)
• 1980: Andy Kaufman Plays Carnegie Hall (video)
• 1989: I' m from Hollywood

As type-setter

• 1979 : Andy' S Funhouse (TV)

As producer

• 1979 : Andy' S Funhouse (TV)

Rewards and Nominations

Rewards

Nominations

Notes and refer

NB: This article is based on the page Wikipedia Andy Kaufman in English.