Photo: ABC / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Andy Kaufman remains the purest example of an entertainer who refused to want your approval. Calling him a comedian misses the point — he insisted he never told a joke, and he meant it. He used television and even professional wrestling as a gallery for performance art, blurring storylines until nobody could verify what was real. What fascinates me is his patience: he would let an audience stew in confusion for whole minutes, betting that bewilderment cuts deeper than laughter. Dead at thirty-five in 1984, he is still generating arguments about what was genuine. That, I suspect, was the act all along.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Andy Kaufman
- Name (Japanese)
- アンディ・カウフマン
- Reading
- あんでぃ・かうふまん
- Born
- January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Ox
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Occupation
- comedian / professional wrestler / television actor / film actor / showman
2. Background
- High school
- John L. Miller Great Neck North High School
- University
- Grahm Junior College
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Andy Kaufman born?
January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984.
Where is Andy Kaufman from?
Andy Kaufman is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does Andy Kaufman do?
Andy Kaufman works as comedian, professional wrestler, television actor, film actor, showman.
Comedian — see all → · Professional wrestler — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.