RIP: Teri Garr

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Teri Garr died today due to complications from multiple sclerosis.  Ms. Garr was 79.

Teri Garr’s parents were both in showbusiness.  Her father was an actor/comedian.  Ms. Garr’s mother was a model, dancer and costumer.  As a young girl Teri Garr studied dance with a focus on ballet.

Ms. Garr graduated from North Hollywood High School.  She then attended San Fernando Valley State College, but dropped out after two years.  Teri Garr moved to New York City.  She studied at the Actors Studio and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute while pursuing an acting career.

Teri Garr’s first roles were often uncredited roles in films and television as a background or go-go dancer. 1968 was a big year for Teri Garr.  She received a feature role on Star Trek in the episode Assignment Earth.  Ms. Garr earned her first feature film speaking role in The Monkees movie Head.  Jack Nicholson wrote the film and knew Teri Garr since they were in the same acting class.

Teri Garr is probably best known for her roles in Young Frankenstein; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; Tootsie and Mr. Mom.  Ms. Garr was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her work in Tootsie.  Throughout her career Teri Garr worked on television, in feature films as well as theater throughout her career.

In 2002, Teri Garr announced that she had multiple sclerosis. In 2006, she wrote her autobiography SPEEDBUMPS: FLOORING IT THROUGH HOLLYWOOD.  Ms. Garr retired from acting in 2011.

Television projects that feature Teri Garr include: Mr. Novak; What a Way To Go; Dr. Kildare; Batman; The Andy Griffith Show; Star Trek; That Girl; Mayberry RFD; Room 222; It Takes a Thief (2 episodes); This is the Life; The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (12 episodes); The Ken Berry ‘Wow’ Show; Banyon; The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour; MASH; The New Dick Van Dyke Show; The Odd Couple; The Bob Newhart Show (2 episodes); The Girl with Something Extra (4 episodes); Barnaby Jones; McCloud (6 episodes); Cher; Maude; Law and Order; Hunter; Saturday Night Live; Fresno (6 episodes); Sesame Street; Tales from the Crypt; Good & Evil (11 episodes); Dream On (2 episodes); Murphy Brown; The Legend of Prince Valiant (2 episodes); The Larry Sanders Show; Adventures in Wonderland (6 episodes); Good Advice (13 episodes); Women of the House (12 episodes); Frasier; Sabrina the Teenage Witch; Friends (3 episodes); ER; Dr. Katz; King of the Hill; Batman Beyond (10 episodes); Felicity; The Downer Channel (2 episodes); What’s New Scooby-Doo? and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Feature films that Teri Garr appeared in include: A Swingin’ Affair; Fun in Acapulco; Viva Las Vegas; Roustabout; Red Line 7000; Head; The Conversation; Young Frankenstein; Oh, God!; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; The Black Stallion; One from the Heart; Tootsie; The Sting II; The Black Stallion II; Mr. Mom; After Hours; The Player; Dumb and Dumber and Ghost World.

I probably first saw Teri Garr in one of her many guest television appearances.  My favorite Teri Garr role was in Young Frankenstein.  She made quite an impact on this young boy.  It was always nice to see Ms. Garr’s name in the credits of television shows or movies.  She was also a fun guest on talk shows.  Ms. Garr always came off as a nice person, the kind you’d like to know as a friend.

Out thoughts and prayers go out to Teri Garr’s family, friends and fans.