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Lloyd Kaufman co-founded Troma Studios in 1974 and directed The Toxic Avenger 1984, a monster hit that defined independent cult cinema. He worked on sets like Rocky 1976 and Saturday Night Fever 1977 before building Troma’s library of over 1,000 films. Kaufman received the Time Machine Award for his contributions to filmmaking.
Names, aliases, and relatives of Lloyd Kaufman — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
Lloyd Kaufman by the numbers — life, work, and family.
Lloyd Kaufman — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
At Yale University, Lloyd Kaufman executive-produced the short film Rappacini and shot a 15-minute film of a pig slaughter in Chad, Africa. He was born in New York City on December 30, 1945. At Yale, he encountered B-pictures and the works of Roger Corman. His family’s shocked reaction convinced him provocative filmmaking could keep audiences engaged. He worked on the sets of Rocky 1976 and Saturday Night Fever 1977 while learning the business.
In 1974, Kaufman co-founded Troma Studios with Michael Herz after the failure of Schwartz: The Brave Detective 1973. They released Blood Sucking Freaks 1976 to pay debts, then scored a box-office hit with Squeeze Play 1979. That success let Troma buy its own building. Kaufman directed a string of comedy films—Waitress! 1981, The First Turn-On!! 1983, Stuck on You! 1983—before an article claiming horror movies were dead inspired him to create The Toxic Avenger 1984. The film fused horror and comedy and became a massive cult hit. He continued directing Class of Nuke ‘Em High 1986, Troma’s War 1988, and Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead 2006. Troma has distributed over 1,000 films.
Kaufman married Patricia Kaufman on July 13, 1974. They have one daughter, Charlotte Kaufman. His brother Charles Kaufman is also involved in film. He speaks fluent French and serves as chairman of the Independent Film & Television Alliance. On set, he posts a sign with the three rules of a Troma production: safety to humans, safety to property, and make a good movie with the third rule in smaller font.
Kaufman’s Troma Studios became a cornerstone of independent cult cinema. The Toxic Avenger spawned multiple sequels, a franchise, and even a stage show. He was inducted into the International Horror and Sci-Fi Hall of Fame in 2005 alongside Tobe Hooper. Kaufman co-wrote a screenplay with Stan Lee and appeared in the National Film Registry title Rocky 1976. He received the Time Machine Award for his decades-long impact on independent film. He is most remembered for creating The Toxic Avenger and building Troma into a lasting independent studio.
The complete filmography of Lloyd Kaufman — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
Every award, honor, and recognition received by Lloyd Kaufman — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
A wall of memorable lines from Lloyd Kaufman — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
In Our Racist, Sexist Society, Christmas Is the Eight Hours When We Stop Killing Each Other and Gratuitous Overeating Is Encouraged so That the Starving and Other People in the World Can Die!
The Person Who Goes to the Troma Movie Knows That He or She May Love the Troma Movie Or, He or She May Hate the Troma Movie; but the Movie Goer Knows That He or She Will Never Forget the Troma Movie.
I’m from the ’60S but No One Has Ever Accused Me of Being a Hippie. I Never Had Much Interest in the Woodstock Crowd, Which Partied to Change the World, While Real People Were Starving to Death in Africa. I Never Liked Peter Paul & Mary or the Carpenters And, Despite Being the Era of Free Love, I Still Had to Pay for It.
I Like Fat People More Then I Like Thin People, Things Are Always a Lot More Funnier When They Happen to Fat People.
The Thing I Find About the Movie Industry Is That 99 Percent of the People Are Absolute Scum. They’re Horrible People, They Really Are. Very Nasty Killer Rabbits Who Hate Movies. but the Other 1 Percent Are Really the Greatest, Most Wonderful People in the World. They Love Movies – the Art of Movies and the Business of the Movies.
I Don’t Make Crappy Movies. I Spend Two or Three Years Making a Film. I Don’t Take Myself Seriously, but I Take My Movies Very Seriously.
Troma May Let You Down When It Comes to a Lot of Things, but Never, Ever, Will We Fuck You Over When It Comes to a Crushed Skull.
Little-known facts about Lloyd Kaufman — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
Kaufman collaborated with Stan Lee on a screenplay, though the project never reached production.
As president of Troma Films, Kaufman leads one of the longest-running independent film companies in the United States.
The inspiration for The Toxic Avenger 1984 came when Kaufman read an article titled Horror Movies are dead—he set out to prove otherwise.
At Yale, Kaufman was a class of 1968 contemporary of Oliver Stone who dropped out and future U.S. President George W. Bush.
Kaufman posts a sign on every Troma set listing three rules: safety to humans, safety to property, and make a good movie—with the third rule printed in conspicuously smaller font.
Kaufman speaks fluent French.
He serves as chairman of the Independent Film & Television Alliance in the United States.
On October 22, 2005, Kaufman was inducted into the inaugural class of the International Horror and Sci-Fi Hall of Fame alongside Tobe Hooper in Tempe, Arizona.
Kaufman founded Troma Studios in 1974 with his friend Michael Herz.
He provided vocals on songs with the Newgrounds.com team, including Tom Fulp and Shok, for FDA animated music videos.
Kaufman was originally cast as a record producer in Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan.
One of Kaufman’s film appearances—Rocky 1976—has been selected for the National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Lloyd Kaufman.
Celebrities similar to Lloyd Kaufman — same craft, ranked by reach.
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