Andy Kaufman was an actor who became famous for his performance art.
Andrew G. Kaufman ( January 17 , 1949 -- May 16 , 1984 ) was an American entertainer , actor , writer , performance artist and professional wrestler . During this time , he continued to tour comedy clubs and theaters in a series of unique performance art / comedy shows , sometimes appearing as himself and sometimes as obnoxiously rude lounge singer Tony Clifton . His body of work maintains a cult following and he continues to be respected for his original material , unique performance style , and unflinching commitment to character .