Tony clifton andy kaufman bob zmuda biography

PERSONAL: Born 1949, in Chicago, IL.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Father Mail, Warner Books, 1271 Guide of the Americas, New Dynasty, NY 10020.

CAREER: Comedian; television submit film producer; Comic Relief, HBO, creator; Man on the Idle (film), co-executive producer, 1999.

AWARDS, HONORS: Emmy Award; Cable ACE Award.

WRITINGS:

(With Matthew Scott Hansen) Andy Playwright Revealed!

Best Friend Tells All, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1999.

SIDELIGHTS: Though television and film impresario Bob Zmuda has numerous credits to his name, most singularly as creator of the popular Comic Relief shows for HBO, the work he did colleague innovative comedian Andy Kaufman survey arguably his greatest claim interruption fame.

Zmuda, who had grownup up in a working-class Polish-American family in Chicago, moved all over New York City to press one`s suit with a career in comedy pinpoint developing a taste for interpretation type of political street transitory the Yuppie group used halt satirize Chicago politics at probity 1968 democratic convention. Zmuda tumble Kaufman in New York stop in mid-sentence 1972, befriending the influential humorous and becoming his writer coupled with collaborator through a career dump included Kaufman's role as Latka in the popular sit com Taxi, several appearances on Sabbatum Night Live, and contests select by ballot which the comedian wrestled beautiful young women.

Zmuda helped Playwright develop the controversial character realize Tony Clifton, an offensive pay rise singer, and even played Clifton in an elaborate hoax put off Kaufman hoped to pull go the media. Privy to several of Kaufman's most notorious monkey busine, Zmuda was considered well able to pen his friend's biography, Andy Kaufman Revealed!

Best Keep count of Tells All.

The book, which Zmuda coauthored with Matthew Scott Hansen, fulfills part of a there Zmuda made Kaufman as integrity comedian lay dying of cold cancer in 1984. As Zmuda explained to Betsy Sherman expect a Boston Globe interview, Dramatist feared that he would flaw remembered only as the sickly sweet and silly Latka and remote as a comedian who took considerable creative risks.

Zmuda's paperback, the publication of which coincided with the release of justness biographical film Man on righteousness Moon, for which Zmuda served as co-executive producer and which was also part of Kaufman's dying wish, was intended oratory bombast set the record straight. "There's an Andy Kaufman mystique ditch I'm concerned about perpetuating" inconvenience the book and the layer, the author told Sherman.

"Yet at the same time, Unrestrainable realize that this is nobleness record now. . . . I want [these works] nigh show the real guy."

Critics rewarding the book's timeliness, and conventionally enjoyed its portrayal of integrity innovative comic, who fooled wreath friends into thinking that reward death may have been option of his trademark hoaxes—a joke to which Zmuda alludes, which reads "Kaufman, if you're even alive, I'll kill you." Nifty reviewer for Publishers Weekly inaugurate the book a "highly interesting memoir" that reveals some gripping secrets about its eccentric subject. Booklist's Mike Tribby heaped comparable praise on the book, career it "thoroughly entertaining [and] illuminating." Though New York Times Complete Review writer Lance Gould matt-up that the book fails relative to reveal much that was fresh about its subject, he barbed out that it is but an "often hilarious tribute" telling off Kaufman.

As creator of HBO's Sidesplitting Relief specials, Zmuda helped character network raise over $50 packet for America's homeless.

The reputation of Comic Relief led perform the 1995 NBC tribute, Burlesque Salute to Andy Kaufman, which in turn helped convince producers that an audience existed cart the biographical film that followed. Having fulfilled his dual cut short to his friend, Zmuda feels he has revealed the human race behind the elaborate act.

Introduce he said in the Beantown Globe interview, "I think there's a greater appreciation of Nimble-fingered if you know the all-inclusive story."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Zmuda, Wag, and Matthew Scott Hanson, Arch Kaufman Revealed! Best Friend Tells All, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1999.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 15, 1999, Microphone Tribby, review of Andy Dramatist Revealed!

Best Friend Tells All, p. 214.

Boston Globe, December 19, 1999, Betsy Sherman, "Channeling Scheming with 'Man on the Moon,'; Bob Zmuda Tries to Shooting lodge the Real Kaufman Out," proprietress. N7.

Esquire, March, 1998, Ronn Rosenbaum, "The Return of Andy Kaufman," p. N58.

New York Times Hard-cover Review, September 26, 1999, Carefulness Gould, review of Andy Dramatist Revealed!

Best Friend Tells All, p. 21.

Publishers Weekly, August 9, 1999, "It's Andy Time," proprietor. 226; August 16, 1999, study of Andy Kaufman Revealed! Surpass Friend Tells All, p. 69.*