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Steele, Missouri

2025-10-01T16:05:42Z

2600:1004:B1CD:8178:51ED:142B:F37B:206D: /* Notable People */ dash for hyphen in this context

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Steele, Missouri
| settlement_type = [[City]]
| nickname =
| motto = 
| image_skyline = Steele MO 2013-05-11 003.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| image_seal = 
| image_map = Pemiscot_County_Missouri_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Steele_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize = 250x200px
| map_caption = Location of Steele, Missouri
| image_map1 =
| mapsize1 =
| map_caption1 = 
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Missouri]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Missouri|County]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Pemiscot County, Missouri|Pemiscot]]
| government_footnotes =
| government_type =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| established_title =
| established_date = 
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_footnotes = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 28, 2022}}</ref>
| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 5.67
| area_land_km2 = 5.60
| area_water_km2 = 0.07
| area_total_sq_mi = 2.19
| area_land_sq_mi = 2.16
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.03

| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est =
| pop_est_as_of =
| population_footnotes =
| population_total = 1853
| population_density_km2 = 330.85
| population_density_sq_mi = 857.08

| timezone = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset = -6
| timezone_DST = CDT
| utc_offset_DST = -5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft = 259
| coordinates = {{coord|36|04|54|N|89|50|09|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code = 63877
| area_code = [[Area code 573|573]]
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info = 29-70558<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID =
| blank1_info = 2395961<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2395961}}</ref>
| website =
| footnotes =
| pop_est_footnotes =
| named_for = Leonidas Lucilius Steele (1845–1907)
}}

'''Steele''' is a city in southern [[Pemiscot County, Missouri|Pemiscot County]] in the [[Missouri Bootheel]] of southeastern [[Missouri]], United States.<ref name=gnis/> The population was 1,853 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile/Steele_city,_Missouri?g=1600000US2970558 |access-date=2022-09-30 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

==History==
The Steele post office was in operation from 1896 to 2017.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=MO&county=Pemiscott | title=Post Offices| publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=29 November 2016}}</ref> The community was named for Leonidas Lucilius Steele, an early settler who came to Pemiscot County in 1874 and moved to Steele in 1885, where he operated a hotel and mercantile business.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 22, 1907 |title=Capt. L.L. Steele Dead |work=The Pemiscot Press |publication-place=Caruthersville, Missouri |url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9281150/leonidas-lucilius-steele }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Hamlett |first=Mayme L. |title=Place Names Of Six Southeast Counties Of Missouri |url=http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_pemiscot.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624071957/http://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_pemiscot.html |archive-date=June 24, 2016 |access-date=November 29, 2016 |website=The State Historical Society of Missouri }}</ref> The city's early growth was due to it being the only way for people and freight to cross the Little River Swamp to reach [[Cottonwood Point, Missouri|Cottonwood Point]] and the [[Mississippi River]]. The community was a point along the [[St. Louis–San Francisco Railway]]. In 1912, Steele contained seven general stores, three cotton gins, a sawmill and a gristmill.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G-AlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA382 | title=History of Southeast Missouri: A Narrative Account of Its Historical Progress, Its People and Its Principal Interests, Volume 1 | publisher=Lewis Publishing Company | year=1912 | pages=382}}</ref>

In 1942, an auxiliary field was constructed by the [[United States Army|US Army]] northwest of the city. This was one of four auxiliary fields that served [[Blytheville Air Force Base|Blytheville Army Airfield]], a [[North American B-25 Mitchell|B-25]] pilot training school in [[Blytheville, Arkansas|Blytheville]], [[Arkansas]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hartley |first=Jillian |title=Eaker Air Force Base |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/eaker-air-force-base-2795/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref> In August 1946, the Blytheville base and its auxiliary facilities (including the field at Steele) were declared surplus property. Local James K. Burton obtained a fiver year lease on the field to operate a flying school on the property.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1946-08-21 |title=BAAF declared surplus by US Military |pages=11 |work=The Courier News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-news-baaf-declared-surplus-b/102973415/ |access-date=2023-12-13}}</ref>

==Geography==
Steele is located in southern Pemiscot County, approximately five miles north of the Missouri-[[Arkansas]] state line. The community is on [[Missouri Route 164]] and [[U.S. Route 61#Missouri|U.S. Route 61]]. [[Interstate 55 in Missouri|Interstate 55]] passes just to the east of the city. [[Caruthersville, Missouri|Caruthersville]] is on the [[Mississippi River]], eleven miles northeast of Steele.<ref>''Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer,'' DeLorme, 1998, First edition, p. 71, {{ISBN|0-89933-224-2}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.87|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|1.84|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.03|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-07-08|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archive-date=2012-01-25}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1910= 833
|1920= 751
|1930= 1219
|1940= 1585
|1950= 2360
|1960= 2301
|1970= 2107
|1980= 2419
|1990= 2395
|2000= 2263
|2010= 2172
|2020= 1853
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-07-08}}</ref> of 2010, there were 2,172 people, 838 households, and 551 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1180.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 919 housing units at an average density of {{convert|499.5|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 77.53% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 18.69% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.46% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.37% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.38% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.57% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.16% of the population.

There were 838 households, of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.12.

The median age in the city was 35.4 years. 29.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 23% were from 45 to 64; and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,263 people, 887 households, and 582 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,205.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 971 housing units at an average density of {{convert|517.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 80.87% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 17.41% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 100% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.93% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.75% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.81% of the population.

There were 887 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,958, and the median income for a family was $29,125. Males had a median income of $30,595 versus $19,286 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $13,695. About 25.5% of families and 31.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 39.6% of those under age 18 and 26.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
[[South Pemiscot Schools]] is the local district.<ref name=SDMap2020>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st29_mo/schooldistrict_maps/c29155_pemiscot/DC20SD_C29155.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Pemiscot County, MO|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|date=January 12, 2021|access-date=2022-12-09}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st29_mo/schooldistrict_maps/c29155_pemiscot/DC20SD_C29155_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> It operates these public schools: East Elementary School (Kindergarten), Central Elementary School (grades 1–5), and [[South Pemiscot High School]] (grades 6–12).

Steele has a lending library, the Steele Public Library.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.publiclibraries.com/missouri.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610012728/http://www.publiclibraries.com/missouri.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=10 June 2017 | title=Missouri Public Libraries | publisher=PublicLibraries.com | access-date=5 June 2019}}</ref>

[[Three Rivers College (Missouri)|Three Rivers College]]'s service area includes Pemiscot County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://trcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/23-24_Catalog_Information.pdf|title=23-24 Catalog_Information|publisher=[[Three Rivers College (Missouri)|Three Rivers College]]|page=11 (PDF p. 7/44)|access-date=2025-06-01}}</ref>

== Notable people ==

* Isaac Harmon Severn<ref>{{Cite web |last=Steinhoff |first=Ken |date=2015-08-08 |title=I.H. Severn and Harry Truman |url=https://www.capecentralhigh.com/mo-bootheel/i-h-severn-and-harry-truman/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Cape Girardeau History and Photos |language=en-US}}</ref> – Political ally of President [[Harry S. Truman]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* Historic maps of Steele in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A138976 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the [[University of Missouri]]
{{Commons category}}
{{Pemiscot County, Missouri}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Pemiscot County, Missouri]]
[[Category:Cities in Missouri]]

Tony Clifton

2025-10-01T14:47:23Z

2600:1004:B1CD:8178:51ED:142B:F37B:206D: /* Other appearances */ italicized show title

{{short description|Character created by Andy Kaufman}}
[[File:Tony-clifton-web-rev (cropped).JPG|thumb|Cartoon of the Clifton character]]



'''Tony Clifton''' is a character created by comedian and performance artist [[Andy Kaufman]] in the late 1970s. An absurdly foul-mouthed and domineering [[lounge singer]] claiming to hail from [[Las Vegas]], the [[tuxedo]]-clad Clifton often led unsuspecting audiences through awkward yet elaborate lounge singer performances. Kaufman appeared as Clifton on stage and on television programs ranging from ''[[The Merv Griffin Show]]'' to ''[[The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show]]''.

The character has also been performed on stage by longtime Kaufman friend [[Bob Zmuda]]. Clifton was portrayed by actor [[Jim Carrey]] (who also portrayed Kaufman) in the 1999 film ''[[Man on the Moon (film) | Man on the Moon]]'' and in the documentary ''[[Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond]]''.<ref name="ANDY KAUFMAN: TONY CLIFTON APPEARANCES">{{cite news| title= Tony Clifton| website= paleycenter.org| publisher= Paley Center for Media |url= https://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?item=B:5832|access-date=2021-04-24}}</ref>

==Origin==
Kaufman would sometimes claim that Tony Clifton was a real lounge singer whom Kaufman encountered<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Mullen |first1=Michael |last2=EDT |date=July 6, 2012 |title=Andy Kaufman is dead, but Tony Clifton still wants your applause |url=https://ew.com/article/2012/07/06/andy-kaufman-tony-clifton-comedy-store/ |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref> at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in 1969.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2012-12-16 |title=Tony Clifton lives! At least, he does at midnight at the Wranglers game - Las Vegas Weekly |url=https://lasvegasweekly.com/blogs/kats-report/2012/dec/16/tony-clifton-lives-least-he-does-midnight-wrangler/ |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=lasvegasweekly.com}}</ref> He said he was waiting for [[Elvis Presley]] to arrive so he could meet him.<ref>{{cite book|last=Zehme|first=Bill|title=Lost In The Funhouse: The Life And Mind Of Andy Kaufman|year=1999|publisher=4th Estate| location=London|pages=108}}</ref> Kaufman may have seen Clifton as the antithesis of the sweet, gentle "Foreign Man" character he was best known for (which was later adapted into [[Latka Gravas]], Kaufman's character on ''[[Taxi (TV series)|Taxi]]'').<ref>{{Cite web |title=On the Road with Tony Clifton |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/on-the-road-with-tony-clifton/ |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=Vice.com |date=16 May 2013 |language=en}}</ref>

Clifton would often attempt to improvise comical lyrics that were [[anti-humor|intentionally unfunny]] before giving up entirely without seeming to care. Clifton also tended to randomly insult patrons, passing off the abuse as the "comedy" portion of his act.<ref name=":0" /> Adding to Clifton's annoying and unappealing presence was his tendency to rhyme various words at random in the middle of conversations. Clifton was often introduced as having "sold more records than Elvis and [[The Beatles]] combined."

For a brief time, it was unclear to some whether Clifton was a real person. News programs interviewed Clifton as Kaufman's opening act, but the interviews invariably would turn ugly whenever Kaufman's name came up. Clifton claimed Kaufman was using his name "to go places." Promoters who thought they had caught on to the joke would hire Clifton because he was cheaper than booking Kaufman. However, Kaufman had the last laugh, enlisting his brother Michael or his showbiz partner [[Bob Zmuda]] to play the role,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Blanco |first=Jodee |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xGqCDwAAQBAJ&dq=tony+clifton+origin&pg=PT202 |title=The Complete Guide to Book Publicity: Second Edition |date=2004-05-01 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-58115-996-7 |language=en}}</ref> with Kaufman making unannounced appearances on stage during Clifton's act.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Keller |first=Florian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ww6UFWJ03WQC&dq=tony+clifton+origin&pg=PA84 |title=Andy Kaufman: Wrestling With the American Dream |publisher=U of Minnesota Press |isbn=978-1-4529-0739-0 |pages=80–85 |language=en}}</ref>

[[Rodney Dangerfield]] was a big fan of Andy Kaufman, and he hired Clifton to open for him for three shows at San Francisco’s [[Fillmore West|Warfield Theater]]. After a disastrous first show, where Clifton took the stage with [[Tony Bennett]]'s famous "[[I Left My Heart in San Francisco]]" and was summarily booed, he reappeared on the second night in [[riot gear]] amid a shower of rotten vegetables and other detritus.

Tony Clifton still makes occasional appearances, most notably in the days leading up to May 16, 2004, the twentieth anniversary of Kaufman's death. It was announced on May 16, 2008, that [[Comic Relief]], in recognition of the 24th anniversary of Andy Kaufman's death, would present "The Return of Tony Clifton", with his "Katrina Kiss My Ass Orchestra". The national tour kicked off on June 27, 2008, at the [[Georgia Theatre]] in [[Athens, Georgia]], to benefit Gulf Coast musicians, dancers, and singers affected by [[Hurricane Katrina]]. Clifton fronted the Katrina Orchestra along with the Cliftonettes. On August 15 they were at Chicago's [[Chopin Theatre]].<ref name="AVClub">{{cite news |url= http://www.avclub.com/content/blog/tony_clifton_is_alive_and_well_and|title=Tony Clifton is Alive and Well and Kicking Ass in Chicago|last=Rabin|first=Nathan|date=2008-08-18|work=[[The A.V. Club]] |publisher= The Onion|access-date=2008-08-19}}</ref> In May 2011, they were featured headliners as part of the annual Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.<ref name="Hangout Music Festival 2011">{{cite news|title=Tony Clifton|website=Hangout Music Festival|url=http://hangoutmusicfest.com/tony-clifton/| access-date=2011-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427162239/http://hangoutmusicfest.com/tony-clifton/|archive-date=April 27, 2011}}</ref> Later that month he began hosting the ''Tony Clifton Revue'' at [[The Comedy Store]] in Los Angeles. He was interviewed on May 31, 2012, at the 284th episode of [[Marc Maron]]'s podcast ''[[WTF with Marc Maron]]''.<ref>{{cite podcast|url=http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_284_-_craig_finn_tony_clifton |title= Episode 284 - Craig Finn / Tony Clifton |publisher= Marc Maron| work= WTF with Marc Maron |host= Maron, Marc |date=May 31, 2012 |time=6:30 |access-date=May 31, 2012 }}</ref>

==Television==

===''Taxi''===
Clifton was hired to appear on an early episode of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[Taxi (TV series)|Taxi]]''. In 1977, the producers of ''Taxi'' saw Kaufman's Foreign Man act at [[The Comedy Store]] and offered him a role in their show based on the character.<ref name=oral>{{cite web| url= http://www.bluedonut.com/ak.htm |title= Andy Kaufman Oral History |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20061206215413/http://www.bluedonut.com/ak.htm |archivedate= 2006-12-06 |interviewer= Don Steinberg| work= [[GQ Magazine]]| date= December 1999| publisher= republished online at bluedonut.com}}</ref> Kaufman was not a fan of sitcoms, but his manager, [[George Shapiro]], convinced him that this would propel him to stardom, where he would make a lot of money, which he could then put into his act, which became ''Andy's Funhouse''.<ref name="oral"/> Kaufman agreed to appear as [[Latka Gravas]] in 14 episodes per season, approximately half of the entire series if Tony Clifton was also allowed to guest star in the series. The producers were well aware that "Clifton" was an alter ego of Kaufman but went along with the fiction that Clifton was a separate actor. They signed Clifton to a separate contract and announced to the cast that Clifton was being hired to portray the brother<ref name=DeVito/><ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZWDB5rUWEg | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629205423/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZWDB5rUWEg| archive-date=2014-06-29 | url-status=dead|title= Tony Danza Discusses Andy Kaufman| first= Tony| last= Danza| interviewer= | date= | access-date= | via= YouTube}}</ref> of [[Danny DeVito]]'s character Louie De Palma in the series 13th episode.

However, after the first day of rehearsal, the producers felt Kaufman as Clifton was not up to the acting challenge of playing the offered role. Informed of this, Kaufman asked that "Clifton" be fired in public, ostensibly for coming to rehearsal late.<ref name=DeVito>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/7wDL8Q_nqSY Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20121101122759/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wDL8Q_nqSY&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wDL8Q_nqSY |title= Danny DeVito Archive of American Television Interview| first= Danny |last= DeVito | interviewer= | date= | access-date= | via= YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Clifton reappeared on set for the next day of filming and was demanding, boorish and obnoxious. The producers not only fired Clifton in front of the press and network executives (who had gathered on set to witness the promised spectacle) but threw him off the set after he caused havoc and enraged series stars [[Judd Hirsch]] and [[Jeff Conaway]]. The role was hurriedly recast, and when Kaufman (as himself) returned to work for the following episode, he acted as if nothing had happened.

[[Sam Simon]], a season 5 writer and [[showrunner]] for ''Taxi'', said in a 2013 interview with Marc Maron for the ''[[WTF with Marc Maron]]'' podcast that the story of Kaufman (as opposed to "Tony Clifton") having generally been disruptive on the show was "a complete fiction" created mainly by Bob Zmuda. Simon maintained that Zmuda has a "vested interest" in promoting an out-of-control image of Kaufman. In the interview, Simon stated that Kaufman was "completely professional" and that he "told you Tony Clifton was him", but he also conceded that Kaufman would have "loved" Zmuda's version of events.<ref>{{cite podcast| url= http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_389_-_sam_simon |work= WTF with Marc Maron| first= Sam| last= Simon| title= Sam Simon interview| interviewer= Marc Maron | publisher= Marc Maron | date= | access-date= | via= wtfpod.com}}</ref>

===Other appearances===

Clifton (played by Zmuda) appeared once on ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]'', where he was interviewed and sang a medley with the band. In 1982, Clifton also appeared on ''[[The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show]]'' as the host's "new discovery," although the other [[Muppets]] and host [[George Hamilton (actor)|George Hamilton]] remained skeptical of Clifton's talent.

Perhaps the biggest myth surrounding Tony Clifton's TV appearances comes from [[Dinah Shore]]'s daytime talk show ''[[Dinah!|Dinah & Friends]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ANDY KAUFMAN: TONY CLIFTON APPEARANCES {MERV GRIFFIN, DINAH SHORE, DAVID LETTERMAN, MIDNIGHT SPECIAL} (TV) |url=https://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?q=Annie+Get+Your+Gun&p=1&item=B:58326 |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=www.paleycenter.org |via=Archives of the Paley Center for Media}}</ref> According to legend, Clifton arrived for the taping [[inebriation|drunk]] and then pressured Shore in front of the studio audience to sing a duet with him although he had been previously told that she had a sore throat. This was a prearranged [[bit (comedy)|bit]] which featured messages from the producers telling the viewers at home that this was a "put on".<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wRoyA8qj94 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203234127/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wRoyA8qj94| archive-date=2013-12-03 | url-status=dead|title= Tony Clifton aka Andy Kaufman on The Dinah Shore Show| date= | publisher= | via= YouTube}}</ref> The myth continues that, after dumping eggs on Shore's head, the show's producers quickly cut to a commercial as Clifton was escorted out of the studio, and the videotape of the incident was "destroyed". In reality, the footage has been lost, and the entire event was staged, as with all of Kaufman's appearances.

Clifton was also a heckler on ''[[The Green Room with Paul Provenza]]'' and was escorted out of the room.

Circa 1999 the character appeared in the pilot episode of ''Stormy Justice with Judge Tony Clifton''. The show was a parody of ''[[The People's Court]]'' which pitted Clifton as an abusive [[small claims]] judge against real life litigants who believed the judge and the proceedings to be legitimate.

In 2009, Clifton appeared on ''[[Opie and Anthony|The Opie & Anthony Show]]'' to promote a performance at [[Santos Party House]] in New York City.<ref name="Opie">Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/xfn179KFr1Y Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20201111080229/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfn179KFr1Y Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfn179KFr1Y| title= Opie & Anthony: Tony Clifton In-Studio | date= 12 April 2014 |via= YouTube |access-date=2014-12-29}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==In other media==
===Films===
{{more citations needed|section|date=April 2018}}

====Tony Clifton biopic====
Kaufman and Zmuda wrote a screenplay for a Tony Clifton [[biography]]. However, the plan was sidelined after the box office failure of Kaufman's first major motion picture ''[[Heartbeeps]]'', in which he co-starred with [[Bernadette Peters]] as a robot who falls in love. In the screenplay Clifton dies at [[Cedars-Sinai Medical Center]] in Los Angeles from cancer. Five years later, Kaufman died at the same hospital from lung cancer.

====''Man on the Moon''====
Clifton is portrayed in the Kaufman biographical film ''[[Man on the Moon (film)|Man on the Moon]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Travers | first=Peter | title=Travers on Milos Forman's Warmth and Mischief | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=April 14, 2018 | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/travers-on-milos-formans-warmth-and-mischief-w519139 | access-date=April 23, 2018}}</ref> credited as "Himself".

==Influence==
Kaufman's Tony Clifton character has influenced other "[[anti-humor|anti-comedy]]" acts, notably standup comedian [[Neil Hamburger]] and singer/comedian [[Unknown Hinson]]. [[Maren Ade|Maren Ade's]] Toni Erdmann, the protagonist in the 2016 Oscar-nominated [[Toni Erdmann|German movie of the same title]], was influenced by Kaufman concerning appearance, humor and first name.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/toni-erdmann-maren-ade-interview/|title='Toni Erdmann': Maren Ade Talks Andy Kaufman and 'My Father the Hero' Parallels |first=Formo |last=Brian |website= Collider.com |date=December 26, 2016 |access-date=October 22, 2017}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0305219/ Andy Kaufman's Really Big Show] on [[Internet Movie Database|IMDb]]
*[https://www.avclub.com/tony-clifton-1798218811 Tony Clifton interview by Nathan Rabin 1/20/10]
{{Andy Kaufman}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clifton, Tony}}
[[Category:Comedy theatre characters]]
[[Category:Comedy television characters]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from Las Vegas]]
[[Category:Male characters in theatre]]
[[Category:American male characters in television]]
[[Category:Theatre characters introduced in 1978]]
[[Category:Andy Kaufman]]
[[Category:Fictional musicians]]
[[Category:Nonexistent people used in jokes]]

Tanganyika African National Union

2025-09-29T22:22:39Z

2600:1004:B1CD:8178:51ED:142B:F37B:206D: /* Bunge elections */ punctuation standardized

{{Short description|1961–1977 ruling party of Tanganyika then Tanzania}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Tanganyika African National Union
| native_name =
| colorcode = {{Party color|Tanganyika African National Union}}
| flag = Flag of TANU.svg
| logo =
| logo_size = 200px
| leader = [[Julius Nyerere]]
| headquarters = Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
| foundation = 5 July 1954 ({{age in years and days|1954|7|5}})
| dissolution = 5 January 1977 ({{age in years and days|1977|1|5}})
| predecessor = [[Tanganyika African Association]]
| successor = [[Chama cha Mapinduzi]]
| ideology = [[African nationalism]] [[African socialism]]<ref name=Left>{{cite journal |last=Datta |first=Ansu K. |date=July–September 1967 |title=Left-Wing Movement in Sub-Saharan Africa |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/45069215 |journal=India Quarterly |volume=23 |issue=3 |publisher=[[JSTOR]] |pages=238–239 |doi=10.1177/097492846702300302 |jstor=45069215 |access-date=2025-05-17}}</ref> [[Democratic socialism]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Banks |first1=Arthur S. |last2=Overstreet |first2=William |date=1983 |title=Political Handbook of the World: 1982-1983: Governments and Intergovernmental Organisation as of January 1st 1983 |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Political_Handbook_of_the_World.html?id=NGO1zwEACAAJ |publisher=[[McGraw Hill Education|McGraw-Hill]] |page=476 |access-date=2025-07-29}}</ref> [[Ujamaa]]
| position = [[Left-wing]]<ref name=Left />
| country = Tanzania
}}

[[File:The National Archives UK - CO 1069-165-3.jpg|thumb|240px]]
The '''Tanganyika African National Union''' ('''TANU''') was the principal political party in the struggle for sovereignty in the [[East Africa]]n state of [[Tanganyika (territory)|Tanganyika]] (now [[Tanzania]]). The party was formed from the [[Tanganyika African Association]] by seventeen founders on 7th July 1954, namely S. M. Kitwana, Kisung'uta Gabara, John Rupia, Japhet Nkura Kirilo, [[Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere]], Germano Pacha, Abubakar Ilanga, Joseph Kimalando, Dossa Aziz, Tewa Said Tewa, Constantine Oswald Milinga, Lameck Makaranga Bugohe, Patrick George Kunambi, Joseph Kasella Bantu, Ally Sykes, Abdulwahid Sykes and Saadan Abdul Kandoro.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Osabu-Kle | first = Daniel Tetteh | title = Compatible Cultural Democracy: The Key to Development in Africa | publisher = [[University of Toronto Press]] | year = 2000 | pages = 167 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QVxsXI6n2RIC&pg=PA167 | isbn =1-55111-289-2 }}</ref> From 1964, the party was called the '''Tanzania African National Union'''. On 5th February 1977, the TANU merged with the ruling party in [[Zanzibar]], the [[Afro-Shirazi Party]] (ASP), to form the current Revolutionary State Party or [[Chama Cha Mapinduzi]] (CCM). The policy of TANU was to build and maintain a socialist state aiming towards economic self-sufficiency and to eradicate corruption and exploitation, with the major means of production and exchange under the control of the peasants and workers ([[Ujamaa]]-Essays on Socialism; "[[The Arusha Declaration]]").

Julius Nyerere was the first President of Tanzania, serving from the 1960s to 1985. In 1962, Nyerere and TANU created the Ministry of National Culture and Youth. Nyerere felt the creation of the ministry was necessary in order to deal with some of the challenges and contradictions of building a nation-state and a national culture after 70 years of colonialism.<ref>[http://www.indiana.edu/~rcapub/v21n3/p05.html Music and Performance in Funerals & Love Songs]</ref> The government of Tanzania sought to create an innovative public space where Tanzanian popular culture could develop and flourish. By incorporating the varied traditions and customs of all the people of Tanzania, Nyerere hoped to promote a sense of pride, thus creating a national culture.<ref>Lemelle, Sidney J. "'Ni wapi Tunakwenda': Hip Hop Culture and the Children of Arusha." In The Vinyl Ain't Final: Hip Hop and the Globalization of Black Popular Culture, ed. by Dipannita Basu and Sidney J. Lemelle, 230-54. London; Ann Arbor, MI: Pluto Pres</ref>

== Electoral history ==

=== Presidential elections ===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Election
!Party candidate
!Votes
!'''%'''
!Result
|-
|[[Tanganyikan presidential election, 1962|1962]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Julius Nyerere]]
|1,127,987
|98.1%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[Tanzanian general election, 1965|1965]]
|2,520,904
|96.5%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[Tanzanian general election, 1970|1970]]
|3,220,636
|96.7%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[Tanzanian general election, 1975|1975]]
|4,172,267
|93.3%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|}

=== Bunge elections ===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Election
!Party leader
!Votes
!'''%'''
!Seats
!+/–
!Position
!Result
|-
|[[Tanganyikan general election, 1958–59|1958–59]]
| rowspan="5" |[[Julius Nyerere]]
|47,685
|74.4%
|{{Composition bar|30|64|{{Party color|Tanganyika African National Union}}}}
|{{increase}} 30
|{{increase}} 1st
|{{yes2|Supermajority government}}
|-
|[[Tanganyikan general election, 1960|1960]]
|100,581
|82.8%
|{{Composition bar|70|71|{{Party color|Tanganyika African National Union}}}}
|{{increase}} 40
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Supermajority government}}
|-
|[[Tanzanian general election, 1965|1965]]
|2,263,830
{{Small|in alliance with [[Afro-Shirazi Party|ASP]]}}
|100%
|{{Composition bar|188|188|{{Party color|Tanganyika African National Union}}}}
|{{increase}} 118
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Sole legal party}}
|-
|[[Tanzanian general election, 1970|1970]]
|{{Small|in alliance with [[Afro-Shirazi Party|ASP]]}}
|66.6%
|{{Composition bar|106|106|{{Party color|Tanganyika African National Union}}}}
|{{decrease}} 82
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Sole legal party}}
|-
|[[Tanzanian general election, 1975|1975]]
|4,474,267
{{Small|in alliance with [[Afro-Shirazi Party|ASP]]}}
|100% 
|{{Composition bar|223|223|{{Party color|Tanganyika African National Union}}}}
|{{increase}} 117
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Sole legal party}}
|}
'''Notes'''

In the [[Tanganyikan general election, 1958–59|1958–59]] TANU won all seats contested; the remaining 34 seats were appointed.

The Afro-Shirazi party was the sole legal party in Zanzibar, which is an autonomous region.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links==
* http://www.tanserve.com/facts/index_files/history.htm
{{Chama Cha Mapinduzi |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1954 establishments in Tanganyika]]
[[Category:Defunct political parties in Tanzania]]
[[Category:Parties of one-party systems]]
[[Category:Political movements in Tanzania]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1954]]
[[Category:Political parties disestablished in 1977]]
[[Category:Politics of Tanganyika]]
[[Category:Tanganyika (territory)]]
[[Category:African and Black nationalist organizations in Africa]]
[[Category:African socialist political parties]]
[[Category:Chama Cha Mapinduzi]]
[[Category:Socialist parties in Tanzania]]