A disruptive visit from Tony Clifton, the alter ego of comedian Andy Kaufman, threw the set of the late 1970s sitcom Taxi into disarray, frustrating the cast of the hit ABC series, a documentary on Kaufman reveals.
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Kaufman, known for portraying Latka Gravas from 1978 to 1983, died in 1984 at age 35. His co-stars, however, found Clifton's antics anything but entertaining.
Unbeknownst to the Taxi cast, Kaufman had inserted a clause into his contract during negotiations, requiring Clifton to appear in one episode or he would abandon his popular Latka role. The revelation emerged in Thank You Very Much, a newly released doc by Emmy-nominated director Alex Braverman. Kaufman's friend and writer Bob Zmuda recounts the tension.
"The cast threatened legal action, saying they wouldn't be humiliated by Andy's chaos," Zmuda told filmmakers.
Danny DeVito, who played dispatcher Louis DePalma, recalled Clifton's dramatic entrance. "He showed up in heavy makeup with two prostitutes in tow," DeVito said. Clifton was cast as DePalma's brother but quickly clashed with the crew.
'Taxi' Drama Drives On
Audio from the set, featured in the documentary, captures Judd Hirsch, the show's Alex Rieger, confronting Clifton. "My contract outlasts yours," Hirsch declared. Clifton claimed a four-episode deal. "You've got one, then you're gone," Hirsch shot back, urging the crew to remove him.
The situation escalated. DeVito noted the confusion among the cast. "Everyone was asking, 'Are we really doing this?'" Hirsch called Kaufman, demanding Clifton's exit, and insisted that it happen publicly. Marilu Henner, who portrayed Elaine Nardo, expressed disbelief.
"We had a successful show, a huge opportunity, and then this madness erupted over someone we cared about," she said.
Security escorted Clifton off the lot as reporters, tipped off in advance, documented the spectacle. Headlines soon speculated about Kaufman's mental state. Zmuda highlighted the stark contrast between the two personas. "Andy was a sober vegetarian. Clifton smoked, drank Jack Daniels, and ate rare steaks -- complete opposites," he said.
The incident briefly disrupted Taxi's momentum, leaving the cast to navigate the fallout of Kaufman's unpredictable stunt. More than four decades later, it remains a defining moment in the show's history.
