LOS ANGELES — Teri Garr, an iconic figure in quirky comedy, gracefully transitioned from her early days as a background dancer in Elvis Presley films to becoming a beloved co-star in timeless classics like Young Frankenstein and Tootsie. Tragically, she passed away at the age of 79.
Garr’s death occurred on Tuesday due to complications from multiple sclerosis, and she was “surrounded by family and friends,” as confirmed by her publicist Heidi Schaeffer. Over the past several years, Garr faced numerous health challenges, including an operation in January 2007 to repair an aneurysm.
Her untimely passing prompted an outpouring of admiration on social media; celebrated writer-director Paul Feig fondly remembered her as “truly one of my comedy heroes. I couldn’t have loved her more,” while renowned screenwriter Cinco Paul remarked, “Never the star, but always shining. She made everything she was in better.”
Teri Garr, sometimes credited as Terri, Terry, or Terry Ann, was inherently connected to the entertainment industry from her early childhood.
Her father, Eddie Garr, was a well-known vaudeville comedian, while her mother, Phyllis Lind, was among the first high-kicking Rockettes at the illustrious Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Teri’s passion for dance began at the tender age of six, and by 14, her talent led her to dance with prestigious ballet companies in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
At just 16, she joined the touring company of West Side Story in Los Angeles and had begun to appear in minor film roles as early as 1963.
In a revealing 1988 interview, Garr recounted how she secured her role in West Side Story, stating that after being initially rejected, she returned a day later in a new outfit and successfully impressed the casting directors.
Following this breakthrough, Garr enjoyed a steady stream of work as a dancer in films, participating in the ensemble of nine Elvis Presley movies, including Viva Las Vegas, Roustabout, and Clambake.
Her impressive career also included numerous television appearances on iconic shows like Star Trek, Dr. Kildare, and Batman, as well as dancing on the legendary rock ’n’ roll music show Shindig, the rock concert T.A.M.I., and as a cast member of The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
Garr’s major film breakthrough came in the form of her role as Gene Hackman’s girlfriend in the 1974 Francis Ford Coppola thriller The Conversation. This pivotal performance led to an audition with Mel Brooks, who offered her the part of Gene Wilder’s German lab assistant in Young Frankenstein—contingent upon her ability to master a German accent.
“Cher had this German woman, Renata, making wigs, so I got the accent from her,” Garr once humorously recounted.
This film not only solidified her reputation as a skilled comedy performer but drew high praise from critics, including New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael, who dubbed her “the funniest neurotic dizzy dame on the screen.”
Her infectious smile and unique allure earned her memorable roles in films such as Oh, God! alongside George Burns and John Denver, Mr. Mom as Michael Keaton’s loving wife, and Tootsie, where she played the girlfriend who heartbreakingly loses Dustin Hoffman to Jessica Lange and learns of his cross-dressing to revive his career.
Although her career was marked by comedic roles, Garr also demonstrated her versatility in dramatic performances, notably in films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Black Stallion, and The Escape Artist.
“I would like to play Norma Rae and Sophie’s Choice, but I never got the chance,” she mentioned reflectively, acknowledging her typecasting as a comic actor.
Garr was known for her knack for spontaneous humor, often serving as a delightful foil for David Letterman during her guest spots on NBC’s Late Night With David Letterman in its early days.
The chemistry between Garr and Letterman was so captivating that rumors circulated about a potential romance between the two. Years later, Letterman credited those charismatic appearances as key to the show’s early success.
During that same period, Garr began to notice unsettling sensations in her right leg, which she described as “a little beeping or ticking,” a symptom that began in 1983 and eventually extended to her right arm. Despite the discomfort, she initially believed she could manage the symptoms.
By 1999, the symptoms had escalated significantly, prompting her to seek medical advice, leading to her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
For three years, Garr kept her illness a secret.
“I was afraid that I wouldn’t get work,” she explained candidly in a 2003 interview. “People hear MS and think, ‘Oh, my God, the person has two days to live.’”
Upon going public with her diagnosis, she became an advocate for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, delivering humorous yet heartfelt speeches across the U.S. and Canada.
“You have to find your center and roll with the punches because that’s a hard thing to do: to have people pity you,” she commented insightfully in 2005. “Just trying to explain to people that I’m OK is tiresome.”
Despite her challenges, Garr continued to act, making appearances in shows such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Greetings From Tucson, and Life With Bonnie. She also enjoyed a brief recurring role in the 1990s hit series Friends as Lisa Kudrow’s mother.
In her 2005 autobiography, Speedbumps: Flooring It Through Hollywood, Garr elaborated on her decision to keep her age private.
“My mother taught me that showbiz people never tell their real ages. She never revealed hers or my father’s,” she explained, highlighting her family’s values.
While she claimed to be born in Los Angeles, many reference sources continue to cite Lakewood, Ohio. As his career declined, the Garr family, which included Teri’s two older brothers, often lived with relatives across the Midwest and East.
Eventually, they returned to California, settling in the San Fernando Valley. Teri graduated from North Hollywood High School and went on to study speech and drama for two years at California State University, Northridge.
Garr reflected in 1988 on her father’s advice regarding a career in Hollywood.
“Don’t be in this business,” he candidly told them. “It’s the lowest. It’s humiliating to people.”
She is survived by her daughter, Molly O’Neil, and her grandson, Tyryn.
