Andy Kaufman passed away 40 years ago this month

[TMC]

May 16, 1984 was the date that Andy Kaufman succumbed to lung cancer at only 35 years old.

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A post shared by on Jan 01, 2022 at 12:00pm PDT

[Chocolate Moose]

It's starting to look like he's not coming back to prank us.

[howilu]

Andy Kaufman was hilarious as Latka. He created the character's unique language and mannerisms. Latka was also a frequent target of Louie's abuse. In one episode he called him a "dumb foreigner." For those of you with Paramount+, watch the Latka episodes and you will see how hilarious Kaufman was.

[Adamantium]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Moose

It's starting to look like he's not coming back to prank us.

That's just what he wants you to think.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Moose

It's starting to look like he's not coming back to prank us.

Did “Taxi” Star Andy Kaufman Fake His Death? His Best Friend Has Some Thoughts

Bob Zmurda looks at the evidence in the new documentary 'Thank You Very Much'.

Angela Andaloro
Sat, March 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM PDT

Andy Kaufman's death garnered just as many varying opinions as his life did.

The idea that the comedian may or may not have faked his own death is explored in Thank You Very Much, a newly released documentary by Emmy-nominated director Alex Braverman. Kaufman played Latka Gravas on the ABC sitcom Taxi from 1978 to 1983 and died from lung cancer in 1984 at age 35.

In a clip from an interview with Kaufman's Taxi costar Danny DeVito from shortly after Kaufman's death, DeVito recalls how their fellow costar Carol Kane reacted at the comedian's funeral.

"She went to the funeral. She said she went up to the casket and poked him because even at that moment, she didn’t think Andy had gone. That’s how he had us," DeVito says in the archival clip.

Asked about longstanding rumors that the comedian didn't actually die in 1984, his best friend, writer Bob Zmurda, says, "So this is where I have to watch what I say, guard myself here."

"Because, did Andy Kaufman fake his death or not? One thing I do know, had Andy Kaufman not died, what would he be doing? He’d be faking his own death," he says.

A conversation between Zmurda and Kaufman about the subject is played in the documentary. Zmurda says the root of the idea was obvious.

"Think of that. Faking his death... Where did Andy get that premise from? His parents!" he says.

"They faked Papu’s death," he continues, referring to Kaufman's beloved grandfather. When Papu died, Kaufman's parents told their son he was away on a trip. Kaufman didn't discover the truth until he was older. "They faked it and said he didn’t die," Zmurda adds. "The lie, the cherished lie, can change reality. Reality can always be maneuvered and controlled. This is very important."

Lynne Margulies, who was Kaufman's girlfriend at the time of his death, admits, "We used to talk about it."

"[We talked about] how many years he would have to stay away, you know, like to really... and the years kept getting longer and longer, because one year wasn't enough. Then it would be 10 years, oh, maybe 10 years, maybe like 20 years or about 30 years," she says.

"And it's like, 'Do you think people will still remember me in 30 years, if I come back?' and I would say, 'Well, they will, if you come back.' "

Bob Pagani, another friend of Kaufman's and a professional hoaxer in his own right, says, "It's almost 40 now, you know what I mean? But on the other hand, God damn would I admire the commitment to the bit."

Though Kaufman is remembered for his offbeat comedy, he had a serious side, Margulies recalls.

"After we had the premiere of [Kaufman's 1983 film] My Breakfast with Blassie. He looked at me, and he was very serious," she says.

"And he said, 'Lynn, I want you to promise me to keep my work alive. I want my entire life to be seen as a long, confusing, beautiful performance. Like, if it was a pebble dropped into water, it would ripple out and just keep rippling and rippling and rippling and it never stops. It just never stops."

[Dude111]

Very sad.............

[Chocolate Moose]

I heard recently of some Tony Clifton sightings in comedy clubs.

[TMC]

In this video, we delve into the fascinating life and legacy of Andy Kaufman, a comedic genius who constantly blurred the lines between reality and performance. Born in 1949 in New York City, Kaufman showed a talent for entertainment from a young age, leading him to develop iconic characters like "Foreign Man" and "Latka Gravas" on the hit TV show Taxi. Known for his unconventional and boundary-pushing acts, Kaufman’s career was as much about challenging expectations as it was about making people laugh.

We explore his early life, his rise to fame, and the creation of his most infamous persona, Tony Clifton, a belligerent lounge singer who added layers of intrigue to Kaufman’s already enigmatic presence. The video also covers Kaufman’s battle with a rare form of lung cancer, which he kept private, and the speculation that surrounded his untimely death in 1984.

• 00:00 to 01:10 Opening Credits Andy on Letterman
• 01:11 to 02:16 Andy's Early Years
• 02:17 to 03:01 Andy Plays Congas on Johnny Carson
• 03:02 to 02:50 Andy's College Years
• 03:51 to 05:37 Andy's SNL Audition
• 05:38 to 06:07 Andy's Foreign Man Character
• 06:08 to 10:06 Andy Does Foreign Man on Carson/ Andy Goofing on Elvis
• 10:07 to 10:47 Andy's Foreign Man Character Cont. / The Improv
• 10:48 to 12:24 Andy Returns to the Improv
• 12:25 to 13:37 Taxi and Tony Clifton
• 13:38 to 19:38 Danny Devito on Taxi Kaufman and Tony Clifton
• 19:39 to 20:06 Tony Clifton's Impact on Kaufman's Career
• 20:07 to 23:54 Andy Talks About Tony Clifton
• 23:55 to 25:36 Career High / Illness / Death
• 25:37 to 26:43 Judd Hirsch Talks Andy Kaufman and His Death on Larry King
• 26:44 to 28:30 Andy Kaufman's Death a Hoax?
• 28:31 to 29:30 Andy's Special Uncle Andy's Funhouse
• 29:31 to 30:12 Andy's Career and Legacy Wrap Up
• 30:13 to 30:53 Jim Carry as Andy in Man on the Moon
• 30:54 to 31:29 Conclusion / Andy's Greatest Prank
• 31:30 to 33:11 Andy Begging for Money on Letterman / End

[DEH55]

If Taxi had stayed on the air i wonder how they would have handled his illness and death. You think it would have been handled like Cheers did with Coach. Or would they just have Latka go back to his homeland.

[Chocolate Moose]

wow i never thought of that