Teri Garr
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Teri Ann Garr (December 11, 1944 – October 29, 2024) was an American actress, dancer and singer. She frequently appeared in comedic roles throughout her career, which spanned four decades and includes over 140 credits in film and television. Her accolades include one Academy Award nomination, a BAFTA Award nomination, and one National Board of Review Award. Born in Lakewood, Ohio, Garr was raised in North Hollywood. She was the third child of a comedic-actor father and a studio costumer mother. In her youth, Garr trained in ballet and other forms of dance. She began her career as a teenager with small roles in television and film in the early 1960s, including appearances as a dancer in six Elvis Presley musicals. After spending two years attending college, Garr left Los Angeles and studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York City. Her self-described "big break" as an actress was landing a role in the Star Trek episode "Assignment: Earth," after which she said, "I finally started to get real acting work." Garr had a supporting role in Francis Ford Coppola's thriller "The Conversation" (1974) before having her film breakthrough as Inga in "Young Frankenstein" (1974). In 1977, she was cast in a high-profile role in Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Garr continued to appear in various high-profile roles throughout the 1980s, including supporting parts in the comedies "Tootsie" (1982), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role of Sandra Lester, and then appearing opposite Michael Keaton the next year in "Mr. Mom" (1983). She reunited with Coppola the same year, appearing in his musical "One from the Heart" (1982), followed by a supporting part in Martin Scorsese's black comedy "After Hours" (1985). Her quick banter led to Garr being a regular guest on "The Tonight Show" starring Johnny Carson and "Late Night with David Letterman." In the 1990s, she appeared in two films by Robert Altman: "The Player" (1992) and "Prêt-à-Porter" (1994), followed by supporting roles in "Michael" (1996) and "Ghost World" (2001). She also appeared on television as Phoebe Abbott in three episodes of the sitcom "Friends" (1997–98). In 2002, Garr announced that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the symptoms of which had negatively affected her ability to perform beginning in the 1990s. After years of declining health, she passed away on October 29, 2024.
Known for
Credits
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
as Helen Swanson
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
as Ronnie Neary
The Player (1992)
as Teri Garr
Young Frankenstein (1974)
as Inga
After Hours (1985)
as Julie
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)
as Mary McGinnis (voice)
The Conversation (1974)
as Amy Fredericks
Aloha Scooby-Doo! (2005)
as Mayor Molly Quinn (voice)
Prêt-à-Porter (1994)
as Louise Hamilton
A Simple Wish (1997)
as Rena
Batman Beyond: The Movie (1999)
as Mary McGinnis (voice)
Tootsie (1982)
as Sandy Lester
The Black Stallion (1979)
as Alec's Mother
Ghost World (2001)
as Maxine (uncredited)
One from the Heart (1982)
as Frannie
Unaccompanied Minors (2006)
as Aunt Judy (uncredited)
Casper Meets Wendy (1998)
as Fanny
Mr. Mom (1983)
as Caroline
Dick (1999)
as Helen Lorenzo
What a Way to Go! (1964)
as Shipboard Number Dancer (uncredited)
Michael (1996)
as Judge Esther Newberg
Full Moon in Blue Water (1988)
as Louise
Viva Las Vegas (1964)
as Dancer (uncredited)
The Black Stallion Returns (1983)
as Alec Ramsay's Mother
Fun in Acapulco (1963)
as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
Let It Ride (1989)
as Pam
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
as Harem Girl (uncredited)
The Sky is Falling (2001)
as Mona Hall
Roustabout (1964)
as Carnival Dancer (uncredited)
Mom and Dad Save the World (1992)
as Marge Nelson
The T.A.M.I. Show (1964)
as Self - Go-Go Dancer (uncredited)
Kabluey (2007)
as Suze
Short Time (1990)
as Carolyn Simpson
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976)
as Fluffy Peters
Night of 100 Stars II (1985)
as Self
The Sting II (1983)
as Veronica
Oh, God! (1977)
as Bobbie Landers
Waiting for the Light (1990)
as Kay
A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder (1990)
as Marsha Pegler
Steve Martin Live! (1984)
as Self
Head (1968)
as Testy True
Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme (1990)
as Jill (of Jack and Jill)
Honky Tonk Freeway (1981)
as Ericka
Pajama Party (1964)
as Pajama Girl
Life Without Dick (2002)
as Madame Hugonaut
Do It Debbie's Way (1983)
as Self
Paul Reiser: Out on a Whim (1987)
as Self
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (2013)
as Self (archive footage)
Clambake (1967)
as Dancer (uncredited)
The Tale of the Frog Prince (1982)
as Princess
Once Upon a Brothers Grimm (1977)
as Frog Princess
To Catch a King (1984)
as Hannah Winter
NightScream (1997)
as Julie Ordwell
The Winter of Our Discontent (1983)
as Mary Hawley
The Escape Artist (1982)
as Arlene
The Absent-Minded Waiter (1977)
as Susan Cates
The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic (1991)
as Self
The Moonshine War (1970)
as Young Wife
Half a Dozen Babies (1999)
as Lee Dilley
Double Jeopardy (1996)
as Cindy Dubroski
Mr. Mike's Mondo Video (1979)
as Self
The History of White People in America (1985)
as Self
Kissin' Cousins (1964)
as Hillbilly Dancer (uncredited)
Robert Altman's Players (1992)
as Self
Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary (1977)
as Self
The Making of 'Tootsie' (1982)
as Self
Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert (1993)
as Brita Burrows
A Colder Kind of Death (2001)
as Tess Malone
Out Cold (1989)
as Sunny
Stranger in the Family (1991)
as Randi Thompson
Firstborn (1984)
as Wendy
Maryjane (1968)
as Teri
Red Line 7000 (1965)
as Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)
Murder Live! (1997)
as JoAnn McGrath
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (2001)
as Self
The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk (1967)
as Susie
Perfect Alibi (1995)
as Laney Tolbert
Law and Order (1976)
as Rita Wasinski
Rendez-Vous Video Magazine (1981)
as Self (segment "Coppola")
Summertree (1971)
as Bennie's Girlfriend (uncredited)
Aliens for Breakfast (1994)
as Mrs. Bickerstaff
Prime Suspect (1982)
as Amy McCleary
Searching for Debra Winger (2002)
as Self
Inside the Coppola Personality (1981)
as Self
The Wiki-Tiki Tail of Aloha Scooby-Doo (2005)
as Self
The Cool Ones (1967)
as Whiz Girl
A Better Man: The Making of 'Tootsie' (2008)
as Self
For Pete's Sake (1966)
as MarJean
Doctor Franken (1980)
as Kelli Fisher
Jackie Gleason: The Great One (1988)
as Self
Ronnie and Julie (1997)
as Elizabeth Monroe
Pack of Lies (1987)
as Helen Schaefer
Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein (1996)
as Inga (archive footage)
Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View (1992)
as Susan Woolley
Martin Mull Live from North Ridgeville, Ohio (1987)
as Self
Where's the Bus? (1966)
as Girl
Mel Brooks: Unwrapped (2018)
as Self (archive footage)
A Taste Of Jupiter (2005)
as Ginnie
Witches' Brew (1980)
as Margaret Lightman
Shining Time Station: One of the Family (1995)
as Sister Conductor
You Haven't Changed a Bit (1970)
as Corinne
The Definite Maybe (1997)
as Dionne Waters
Miracles (1986)
as Jean
A Swingin' Affair (1963)
Actor
Changing Habits (1997)
as Connie
Expired (2007)
as Claire's Mother / Aunt Tilde
Kill the Man (1999)
as Mrs. Livingston
The Dream Studio (2004)
as self
Flapjack Floozie (1988)
as Helen Eagles
Changes (1969)
as Waitress
Intimate Strangers (1986)
as Sally Bierston
Java Junkie (1979)
as Waitress