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Andy Kaufman: Characters
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Kaufman later reprised his "Foreign Man" character, renamed "Latka Gravas", for the Taxi sitcom in 1978. Kaufman hated sitcoms and was not thrilled with the idea of being on one. In order to allow Kaufman to demonstrate some comedic range, his character was given multiple personality disorder which allowed Kaufman to display other characters. In one episode, Kaufman's character came down with a condition which made him act like the character played by Judd Hirsch.
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Much like Andy idolized Elvis and impersonated him, Wally began to impersonate Andy's Foreign Man character in 1977. He sent photos of himself to Andy, which was met with a response which would become the prized possession in Wally's vast collection.. a hand written full-page letter and autographed photo!
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In 1981, Kaufman made three appearances[12] on Fridays, a variety show on ABC that was similar to Saturday Night Live. Kaufman's first appearance on the show proved to be memorable. During a sketch about four people out on a dinner date who excuse themselves to the restroom to smoke marijuana, Kaufman broke character and refused to say his lines.
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Although known and recognized for his eccentric personality, love for performing, and his role as the foreign auto mechanic Latka Gravas in the television show Taxi, Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman never considered himself a comedian. Kaufman seldom broke character, and it often made people wonder who he really was.
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[Garfunkel gestures to Kaufman, leads the applause and departs. Kaufman, in character as British Man, acknowledges the applause, then bends over a portable phonograph and drops the needle on a record of noisy marching band music. After it plays for a few seconds, he lifts the needle and drops it at the beginning again. It plays for a few more seconds as British Man briefly moves his fists in rhythm with the beat before he lifts the needle again, shuts off the phonograph and steps forward to greet the audience.]
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The Taxi deal with ABC included giving Kaufman a television "special". He came up with Andy's Funhouse, based on an old routine he had developed while in college. The special was taped in 1977 but did not air until August 1979, on ABC.[11] It featured most of Andy's famous gags, including Foreign Man/Latka and his Elvis Presley impersonation, as well as a host of unique segments (including a special appearance by children's television character Howdy Doody and the "Has-been Corner"). There ... was a segment that included fake television screen static as part of the gag, which ABC executives were not comfortable with due to the fear that viewers would mistake the static with broadcast problems and would change the channel - which was the comic element Kaufman wanted to present. Paul Reubens stated that this special was the inspiration for his own version that later became Pee-Wee's Playhouse.
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