Andy Kaufman

Birthplace: New York, New York
Birthday: January 17, 1949

The inspired lunacy of Andy Kaufman "pushed the envelope" of comedy way beyond the old line that had separated reality from imagination. A risk-taker par excellence, this 20th Century Dadaist made comedy dangerous again, championing a performance art that elicited nervous laughter from audiences never quite sure where the character ended and Andy began. Kaufman's outrageous antics included sleeping through his entire act on stage and reading from "The Great Gatsby" until every last audience member got up and left, but nothing provoked more spec…more

Full Biography

Credits

Actor

The Lisa Hartman Show
A Johnny Cash Christmas
Stick Around
Andy; their robot
Cher and Other Fantasies
The Rodney Dangerfield Show: I Can't Take It No More
Guest

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Career Milestones

1998
Filming began on biopic "Man on the Moon", directed by Milos Forman and starring Jim Carrey
1995
NBC aired "A Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman"
1992
The rock band REM saluted Kaufman with the song "Man on the Moon"
1984
Release of final film project, "My Breakfast With Blassie", a 60-minute video spoof of "My Dinner With Andre"
1983
Broadway acting debut as a wrestling referee in "Teaneck Tanzi, The Venus Flytrap", co-starring Deborah Harry