Teri Garr

Teri Garr

Acting

Born December 11, 1944Died October 29, 2024Lakewood, Ohio, USA

Biography

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.

Movies

See All
Mel Brooks: Unwrapped
6.4

Mel Brooks: Unwrapped

2018

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
8.1

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise

2013

A Better Man: The Making of 'Tootsie'
6.0

A Better Man: The Making of 'Tootsie'

2008

Unaccompanied Minors
6.0

Unaccompanied Minors

2006

A Taste Of Jupiter
4.2

A Taste Of Jupiter

2005

Aloha Scooby-Doo!
7.1

Aloha Scooby-Doo!

2005

The Dream Studio
10.0

The Dream Studio

2004

Searching for Debra Winger
6.4

Searching for Debra Winger

2002

Life Without Dick
3.7

Life Without Dick

2002

Ghost World
7.1

Ghost World

2001

The Sky is Falling
8.3

The Sky is Falling

2001

The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
7.1

The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'

2001

A Colder Kind of Death
7.0

A Colder Kind of Death

2001

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
7.3

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

2000

Half a Dozen Babies
7.0

Half a Dozen Babies

1999

Kill the Man
5.7

Kill the Man

1999

Batman Beyond: The Movie
7.2

Batman Beyond: The Movie

1999

Casper Meets Wendy
5.9

Casper Meets Wendy

1998

A Simple Wish
5.5

A Simple Wish

1997

The Definite Maybe
4.0

The Definite Maybe

1997

Changing Habits
2.7

Changing Habits

1997

NightScream
3.8

NightScream

1997

Ronnie and Julie
4.5

Ronnie and Julie

1997

Murder Live!
6.4

Murder Live!

1997

Double Jeopardy
5.7

Double Jeopardy

1996

Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein
8.3

Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein

1996

Perfect Alibi
4.0

Perfect Alibi

1995

Prêt-à-Porter
5.2

Prêt-à-Porter

1994

Dumb and Dumber
6.7

Dumb and Dumber

1994

Aliens for Breakfast
5.7

Aliens for Breakfast

1994

Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert
6.2

Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert

1993

Mom and Dad Save the World
4.9

Mom and Dad Save the World

1992

The Player
7.2

The Player

1992

Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View
10.0

Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View

1992

Robert Altman's Players
7.0

Robert Altman's Players

1992

Stranger in the Family
5.4

Stranger in the Family

1991

The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic
7.7

The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic

1991

A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder
7.2

A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder

1990

Waiting for the Light
6.7

Waiting for the Light

1990

Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme
5.3

Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme

1990

Short Time
6.5

Short Time

1990

Let It Ride
6.3

Let It Ride

1989

Out Cold
5.9

Out Cold

1989

Full Moon in Blue Water
6.0

Full Moon in Blue Water

1988

Flapjack Floozie
0.0

Flapjack Floozie

1988

Paul Reiser: Out on a Whim
6.0

Paul Reiser: Out on a Whim

1987

Martin Mull Live from North Ridgeville, Ohio
8.0

Martin Mull Live from North Ridgeville, Ohio

1987

Pack of Lies
6.8

Pack of Lies

1987

Miracles
4.6

Miracles

1986

Intimate Strangers
9.0

Intimate Strangers

1986

After Hours
7.5

After Hours

1985

The History of White People in America
6.4

The History of White People in America

1985

Night of 100 Stars II
6.8

Night of 100 Stars II

1985

Firstborn
6.1

Firstborn

1984

Steve Martin Live!
6.9

Steve Martin Live!

1984

To Catch a King
7.0

To Catch a King

1984

The Winter of Our Discontent
5.3

The Winter of Our Discontent

1983

The Black Stallion Returns
6.5

The Black Stallion Returns

1983

Do It Debbie's Way
10.0

Do It Debbie's Way

1983

The Sting II
4.7

The Sting II

1983

The Tale of the Frog Prince
5.8

The Tale of the Frog Prince

1982

The Escape Artist
6.2

The Escape Artist

1982

One from the Heart
5.9

One from the Heart

1982

Prime Suspect
6.7

Prime Suspect

1982

The Making of 'Tootsie'
6.0

The Making of 'Tootsie'

1982

Honky Tonk Freeway
5.3

Honky Tonk Freeway

1981

Inside the Coppola Personality
7.5

Inside the Coppola Personality

1981

Rendez-Vous Video Magazine
5.0

Rendez-Vous Video Magazine

1981

Witches' Brew
4.9

Witches' Brew

1980

Doctor Franken
6.0

Doctor Franken

1980

The Black Stallion
7.1

The Black Stallion

1979

Mr. Mike's Mondo Video
5.3

Mr. Mike's Mondo Video

1979

Java Junkie
8.0

Java Junkie

1979

Close Encounters of the Third Kind
7.4

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

1977

Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary
8.0

Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary

1977

Once Upon a Brothers Grimm
9.0

Once Upon a Brothers Grimm

1977

Oh, God!
6.4

Oh, God!

1977

The Absent-Minded Waiter
6.7

The Absent-Minded Waiter

1977

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
4.4

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

1976

Law and Order
8.0

Law and Order

1976

Young Frankenstein
7.9

Young Frankenstein

1974

The Conversation
7.5

The Conversation

1974

Summertree
6.2

Summertree

1971

The Moonshine War
5.7

The Moonshine War

1970

You Haven't Changed a Bit
0.0

You Haven't Changed a Bit

1970

Maryjane
3.8

Maryjane

1968

Clambake
5.8

Clambake

1967

The Cool Ones
5.4

The Cool Ones

1967

For Pete's Sake
7.5

For Pete's Sake

1966

Where's the Bus?
0.0

Where's the Bus?

1966

Red Line 7000
5.5

Red Line 7000

1965

John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
3.8

John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!

1965

The T.A.M.I. Show
8.0

The T.A.M.I. Show

1964

Pajama Party
4.8

Pajama Party

1964

Roustabout
6.0

Roustabout

1964

What a Way to Go!
7.1

What a Way to Go!

1964

Kissin' Cousins
4.7

Kissin' Cousins

1964

Viva Las Vegas
6.1

Viva Las Vegas

1964

Fun in Acapulco
5.9

Fun in Acapulco

1963

A Swingin' Affair
7.3

A Swingin' Affair

1963

TV Shows

See All
Life with Bonnie
7.2

Life with Bonnie

What's New, Scooby-Doo?
7.8

What's New, Scooby-Doo?

Strong Medicine
7.4

Strong Medicine

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
8.0

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Batman Beyond
8.2

Batman Beyond

The Weird Al Show
7.0

The Weird Al Show

King of the Hill
7.4

King of the Hill

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
7.8

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch

Men Behaving Badly
5.1

Men Behaving Badly

The Rosie O'Donnell Show
4.1

The Rosie O'Donnell Show

Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
7.8

Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist

Women of the House
7.2

Women of the House

Intimate Portrait
4.5

Intimate Portrait

The Larry Sanders Show
7.8

The Larry Sanders Show

Adventures in Wonderland
7.2

Adventures in Wonderland

Tales from the Crypt
8.0

Tales from the Crypt

Murphy Brown
6.5

Murphy Brown

Faerie Tale Theatre
8.1

Faerie Tale Theatre

Faerie Tale Theatre
8.1

Faerie Tale Theatre

Saturday Night Live
6.9

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live
6.9

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live
6.9

Saturday Night Live

The Girl with Something Extra
8.3

The Girl with Something Extra

The American Film Institute Salute to ...
6.3

The American Film Institute Salute to ...

Barnaby Jones
7.0

Barnaby Jones

The Bob Newhart Show
7.5

The Bob Newhart Show

The New Dick Van Dyke Show
5.6

The New Dick Van Dyke Show

The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
6.7

The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour

The Odd Couple
7.8

The Odd Couple

Mayberry R.F.D.
6.2

Mayberry R.F.D.

It Takes a Thief
7.2

It Takes a Thief

The Mothers-in-Law
6.0

The Mothers-in-Law

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
7.6

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Merv Griffin Show
6.8

The Merv Griffin Show

The Mike Douglas Show
5.8

The Mike Douglas Show

The Andy Griffith Show
7.6

The Andy Griffith Show

Golden Globe Awards
7.0

Golden Globe Awards