The comics' families have agreed terms with Hologram USA officials to create a stage show based on their classic routines.

"Who knew that the persistent rumours that Andy Kaufman would return from death would come true," Hologram USA founder Alki David told the New York Times.

"We have the opportunity to resurrect him and present his genius with the same vitality and joy that his first audiences experienced 40 years ago. As for our other debut comedy hologram legend, Redd Foxx is a hero who helped change the game not just in comedy, but in how Americans talk about race and sex."

The news comes after holograms of Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur and Ol' Dirty Bastard appeared on awards show and festival stages in recent years, and David, who is currently working on a series of Whitney Houston virtual concerts in 2016, admits the eerie shows will quickly become the norm when he brings more late stars back from the dead.

"There are an awful lot of dead celebrities," he said. "There are an awful lot of dead people with a lot of followers. The fresher the memory, the bigger the star."

Hologram USA's first touring hologram will be Billie Holiday later this year (15).