Teri Garr
Born
December 11, 1944
Died
October 29, 2024 (79 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Lakewood, Ohio, USA
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
Mel Brooks: Unwrapped
Self (archive footage)
2018
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self (archive footage)
2014
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
Self (archive footage)
2013
A Better Man: The Making of 'Tootsie'
Self
2008
Kabluey
Suze
2007
Expired
Claire's Mother / Aunt Tilde
2007
Unaccompanied Minors
Aunt Judy / Valerie’s Sister
2006
Legends
Inga (archive footage) (uncredited) · (1 episode)
2006
A Taste Of Jupiter
Ginnie
2005
The Wiki-Tiki Tail of Aloha Scooby-Doo
Herself
2005
Aloha Scooby-Doo!
Mayor Molly Quinn (voice)
2005
The Tony Danza Show
Self · (1 episode)
2004
The Dream Studio
self
2004
Life with Bonnie
Mrs. Abigail Portinbody · (1 episode)
2002
What's New, Scooby-Doo?
Sandy Gordon (voice) · (1 episode)
2002
Searching for Debra Winger
Self
2002
Life Without Dick
Madame Hugonaut
2002
Ghost World
Maxine (uncredited)
2001
The Sky is Falling
Mona Hall
2001
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
Self
2001
The Wandering Soul Murders
Tess Malone
2001
A Colder Kind of Death
Tess Malone
2001
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Mary McGinnis (voice)
2000
Strong Medicine
Mimi Stark · (1 episode)
2000
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Minerva Grahame-Bishop · (1 episode)
1999
Dick
Helen Lorenzo
1999
Half a Dozen Babies
Lee Dilley
1999
Kill the Man
Mrs. Livingston
1999
Batman Beyond: The Movie
Mary McGinnis (voice)
1999
Batman Beyond
Mary McGinnis (voice) · (6 episodes)
1999
Felicity
Dr. Zwick · (1 episode)
1998
Casper Meets Wendy
Fanny
1998
The Weird Al Show
(1 episode)
1997
A Simple Wish
Rena
1997
The Definite Maybe
Dionne Waters
1997
Changing Habits
Connie
1997
NightScream
Julie Ordwell
1997
Ronnie and Julie
Elizabeth Monroe
1997
Murder Live!
JoAnn McGrath
1997
King of the Hill
Laney (voice) · (1 episode)
1997
Michael
Judge Esther Newberg
1996
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Yenta · (1 episode)
1996
Men Behaving Badly
Carol · (1 episode)
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1996
Double Jeopardy
Cindy Dubroski
1996
Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein
Inga (archive footage)
1996
Shining Time Station: One of the Family
Sister Conductor
1995
Perfect Alibi
Laney Tolbert
1995
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
Teri (voice) · (1 episode)
1995
Women of the House
Sissy Emerson · (13 episodes)
1995
Prêt-à-Porter
Louise Hamilton
1994
Dumb and Dumber
Helen Swanson
1994
Friends
Phoebe Sr. · (3 episodes)
1994
ER
Celinda Randlett · (1 episode)
1994
Aliens for Breakfast
Mrs. Bickerstaff
1994
Duckman
Vanessa La Pert (voice) · (1 episode)
1994
Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert
Brita Burrows
1993
Intimate Portrait
Self · (1 episode)
1993
Frasier
Nancy (voice) · (1 episode)
1993
Good Advice
Paige Turner · (13 episodes)
1993
Mom and Dad Save the World
Marge Nelson
1992
The Player
Teri Garr
1992
Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View
Susan Woolley
1992
Adventures in Wonderland
Duchess · (6 episodes)
1992
Robert Altman's Players
Self
1992
Stranger in the Family
Randi Thompson
1991
Good & Evil
Denise Sandler · (11 episodes)
1991
The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic
Self
1991
A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder
Marsha Pegler
1990
Dream On
Sandra McCadden · (2 episodes)
1990
Waiting for the Light
Kay
1990
Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme
Jill (of Jack and Jill)
1990
Short Time
Carolyn Simpson
1990
Let It Ride
Pam
1989
Tales from the Crypt
Irene Paloma ("segment "The Trap") · (1 episode)
1989
Out Cold
Sunny
1989
Full Moon in Blue Water
Louise
1988
Murphy Brown
Teri Garr · (1 episode)
1988
Jackie Gleason: The Great One
Self
1988
Flapjack Floozie
Helen Eagles
1988
Paul Reiser: Out on a Whim
Self
1987
Pack of Lies
Helen Schaefer
1987
Fresno
Talon Kensington · (5 episodes)
1986
Miracles
Jean
1986
Intimate Strangers
Sally Bierston
1986
After Hours
Julie
1985
The History of White People in America
Self
1985
Night of 100 Stars II
Self
1985
Firstborn
Wendy
1984
Steve Martin: Homage to Steve
Self
1984
To Catch a King
Hannah Winter
1984
The Winter of Our Discontent
Mary Hawley
1983
Mr. Mom
Caroline
1983
The Black Stallion Returns
Alec Ramsay's Mother
1983
Do It Debbie's Way
Self
1983
The Sting II
Veronica
1983
Tootsie
Sandy Lester
1982
The Tale of the Frog Prince
Princess
1982
Faerie Tale Theatre
Self · (1 episode)
1982
Faerie Tale Theatre
Princess · (1 episode)
1982
The Escape Artist
Arlene
1982
Wogan
Self · (1 episode)
1982
Prime Suspect
Amy McCleary
1982
Honky Tonk Freeway
Ericka
1981
One from the Heart
Frannie
1981
Inside the Coppola Personality
Self
1981
Rendez-Vous Video Magazine
Self (segment "Coppola")
1981
Witches' Brew
Margaret Lightman
1980
Doctor Franken
Kelli Fisher
1980
The Black Stallion
Alec's Mother
1979
Mr. Mike's Mondo Video
Self
1979
Java Junkie
Waitress
1979
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Ronnie Neary
1977
Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary
Self
1977
Once Upon a Brothers Grimm
Frog Princess
1977
Oh, God!
Bobbie Landers
1977
The Absent-Minded Waiter
Susan Cates
1977
Please Turn the Page
Self · (1 episode)
1977
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Fluffy Peters
1976
Law and Order
Rita Wasinski
1976
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host · (2 episodes)
1975
Young Frankenstein
Inga
1974
The Conversation
Amy Fredericks
1974
The Girl with Something Extra
Amber · (22 episodes)
1973
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self · (1 episode)
1973
Barnaby Jones
Maria Thompson · (1 episode)
1973
M*A*S*H
Lt. Suzanne Marquette · (1 episode)
1972
The Bob Newhart Show
Miss Brennan · (2 episodes)
1972
Banyon
Mabel · (1 episode)
1972
The New Dick Van Dyke Show
Waitress · (1 episode)
1971
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
Wife/Singer · (1 episode)
1971
Summertree
Bennie's Girlfriend (uncredited)
1971
The Odd Couple
Insurance Agent · (1 episode)
1970
The Moonshine War
Young Wife
1970
McCloud
Sgt. Phyllis Norton · (1 episode)
1970
You Haven't Changed a Bit
Corinne
1970
Changes
Waitress
1969
Head
Testy True
1968
Mayberry R.F.D.
Cashier · (1 episode)
1968
Maryjane
Teri
1968
It Takes a Thief
Maggie Philbin · (2 episodes)
1968
Clambake
Dancer (uncredited)
1967
The Mothers-in-Law
Usherette · (1 episode)
1967
The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk
Susie
1967
The Cool Ones
Whiz Girl
1967
For Pete's Sake
1966
Star Trek
Roberta Lincoln · (1 episode)
1966
That Girl
(2 episodes)
1966
Where's the Bus?
Girl
1966
Batman
Girl Outside Rink (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1966
Red Line 7000
Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)
1965
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
Harem Girl (uncredited)
1965
The T.A.M.I. Show
Self - Go-Go Dancer (uncredited)
1964
Pajama Party
Pajama Girl
1964
Roustabout
Carnival Dancer (uncredited)
1964
Shindig!
Self - Dancer · (4 episodes)
1964
What a Way to Go!
Shipboard Number Dancer (uncredited)
1964
Kissin' Cousins
Hillbilly Dancer (uncredited)
1964
Viva Las Vegas
Dancer (uncredited)
1964
Fun in Acapulco
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
1963
A Swingin' Affair
1963
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (26 episodes)
1962
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1962
The Andy Griffith Show
Girl In A Red Convertible · (1 episode)
1960
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter · (3 episodes)
1944