Andy Kaufman
Andy Kaufman | |
|---|---|
Kaufman in 1984 | |
| Born | Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman January 17, 1949 |
| Died | May 16, 1984 (aged 35) West Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Lung cancer |
| Resting place | Beth David Cemetery, Elmont, New York[1] 40°41′55″N 73°42′17″W / 40.6986°N 73.7047°W |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Grahm Junior College |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1974–1984 |
| Television | Latka Gravas in Taxi (1978–1983) |
Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman (January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer, comedian, actor, and singer. 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.[2] He was raised in Great Neck, Long Island, New York. Kaufman studied at Grahm Junior College. He was never married and had no children.
Kaufman died on May 16, 1984, in West Hollywood, California from a rare case of lung cancer, aged 35. He was buried at Beth David Cemetery, Elmont, New York.
Kaufman allegedly told many people—including Bob Zmuda—that he wished to fake his own death. This had caused some fans to believe Kaufman was still alive when he died. Kaufman himself said that if he were to fake his death, he would return 20 years later, which would have been in 2004. Many of Kaufman's fans saw a picture that looks similar to that of Andy.
There is a website related to this theory, and, recently, "a grainy video has surfaced that purports to show Kaufman living under an assumed name in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[3][4]
On March 31, 2023, Kaufman was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by both Jerry "The King" Lawler and Jimmy Hart.[5]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Andy Kaufman at Find a Grave
- ↑ Bill Zehme, Lost in the Funhouse: The Life and Mind of Andy Kaufman (New York 2001)
- ↑ "The Last(?) Days of Andy Kaufman". Andykaufman.jvlnet.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-26. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
- ↑ Sacks, Ethan (2013-05-23). "Andy Kaufman alive and well in Albuquerque, N.M., and video proves it, zealous fans claim 'Taxi' star died of cancer in 1984, but 'disciples' believe faking death was prankster's greatest joke". Daily News (New York). Retrieved 2013-05-23.
- ↑ "Andy Kaufman to Be Inducted Into WWE Hall of Fame". Variety. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
Other websites
[change | change source]- Andy Kaufman on IMDb
- The Tony Clifton Story[dead link] the "lost" Kaufman screenplay
- Andy Kaufman at Find a Grave
This short article about an actor or group of actors from the United States can be made longer. You can help Wikipedia by adding to it.- 1949 births
- 1984 deaths
- Actors from New York City
- American movie actors
- American stage actors
- American television actors
- American voice actors
- Cancer deaths in Los Angeles
- Comedians from New York City
- Deaths from lung cancer
- Jewish American actors
- Jewish American comedians
- Jewish American musicians
- Singers from New York City
- WWE Hall of Fame