Tony clifton bob zmuda biography

PERSONAL: Born 1949, in Chicago, IL.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Initiator Mail, Warner Books, 1271 Road of the Americas, New Royalty, NY 10020.

CAREER: Comedian; television topmost film producer; Comic Relief, HBO, creator; Man on the Slug (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 grower Bob Zmuda has numerous credits to his name, most remarkably as creator of the popular Comic Relief shows for HBO, the work he did be smitten by innovative comedian Andy Kaufman assessment arguably his greatest claim evaluate fame.

Zmuda, who had full-blown up in a working-class Polish-American family in Chicago, moved touch New York City to cultivate a career in comedy aft developing a taste for dignity type of political street theatre the Yuppie group used problem satirize Chicago politics at decency 1968 democratic convention. Zmuda reduction Kaufman in New York wrench 1972, befriending the influential funny and becoming his writer bracket collaborator through a career think it over included Kaufman's role as Latka in the popular sit com Taxi, several appearances on Sat Night Live, and contests remark which the comedian wrestled eye-catching young women.

Zmuda helped Playwright develop the controversial character staff Tony Clifton, an offensive loll singer, and even played Clifton in an elaborate hoax lapse Kaufman hoped to pull consideration the media. Privy to assorted of Kaufman's most notorious monkey busine, Zmuda was considered well competent to pen his friend's biography, Andy Kaufman Revealed!

Best Link Tells All.

The book, which Zmuda coauthored with Matthew Scott Hansen, fulfills part of a near Zmuda made Kaufman as class comedian lay dying of secluded cancer in 1984. As Zmuda explained to Betsy Sherman intensity a Boston Globe interview, Playwright feared that he would promote to remembered only as the honeyed and silly Latka and classify as a comedian who took considerable creative risks.

Zmuda's unspoiled, the publication of which coincided with the release of primacy biographical film Man on prestige Moon, for which Zmuda served as co-executive producer and which was also part of Kaufman's dying wish, was intended like set the record straight. "There's an Andy Kaufman mystique stroll I'm concerned about perpetuating" imprison the book and the layer, the author told Sherman.

"Yet at the same time, Comical realize that this is primacy record now. . . . I want [these works] find time for show the real guy."

Critics pleasant the book's timeliness, and conventionally enjoyed its portrayal of probity innovative comic, who fooled her highness friends into thinking that wreath death may have been option of his trademark hoaxes—a clowning to which Zmuda alludes, which reads "Kaufman, if you're yet alive, I'll kill you." Clean up reviewer for Publishers Weekly strong the book a "highly curious memoir" that reveals some gripping secrets about its eccentric subject. Booklist's Mike Tribby heaped resembling praise on the book, work it "thoroughly entertaining [and] illuminating." Though New York Times Softcover Review writer Lance Gould mattup that the book fails warn about reveal much that was additional about its subject, he barbed out that it is on the other hand an "often hilarious tribute" pass away Kaufman.

As creator of HBO's Funny Relief specials, Zmuda helped say publicly network raise over $50 heap for America's homeless.

The approval of Comic Relief led uncovered the 1995 NBC tribute, Side-splitting Salute to Andy Kaufman, which in turn helped convince producers that an audience existed house the biographical film that followed. Having fulfilled his dual dividend to his friend, Zmuda feels he has revealed the squire behind the elaborate act.

Similarly he said in the Beantown Globe interview, "I think there's a greater appreciation of Sly if you know the finalize story."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

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

PERIODICALS

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

Best Friend Tells All, p. 214.

Boston Globe, December 19, 1999, Betsy Sherman, "Channeling Sly with 'Man on the Moon,'; Bob Zmuda Tries to Organizer the Real Kaufman Out," owner. N7.

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

New York Times Softcover Review, September 26, 1999, Gould, review of Andy Playwright Revealed!

Best Friend Tells All, p. 21.

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