Teri Garr
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- December 11, 1944
- Died
- October 29, 2024
- Birthplace
- 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.
Filmography
Mel Brooks: Unwrapped 2018
as Self (archive footage)
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise 2013
as Self (archive footage)
A Better Man: The Making of 'Tootsie' 2008
as Self
Kabluey 2007
as Suze
Expired 2007
as Claire's Mother / Aunt Tilde
Unaccompanied Minors 2006
as Aunt Judy (uncredited)
A Taste Of Jupiter 2005
as Ginnie
Aloha Scooby-Doo! 2005
as Mayor Molly Quinn (voice)
- The Wiki-Tiki Tail of Aloha Scooby-Doo
The Wiki-Tiki Tail of Aloha Scooby-Doo 2005
as Self
The Dream Studio 2004
as self
Searching for Debra Winger 2002
as Self
Life Without Dick 2002
as Madame Hugonaut
Ghost World 2001
as Maxine (uncredited)
The Sky is Falling 2001
as Mona Hall
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' 2001
as Self
A Colder Kind of Death 2001
as Tess Malone
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker 2000
as Mary McGinnis (voice)
Dick 1999
as Helen Lorenzo
Half a Dozen Babies 1999
as Lee Dilley
Kill the Man 1999
as Mrs. Livingston
Batman Beyond: The Movie 1999
as Mary McGinnis (voice)
Casper Meets Wendy 1998
as Fanny
A Simple Wish 1997
as Rena
The Definite Maybe 1997
as Dionne Waters
Changing Habits 1997
as Connie
NightScream 1997
as Julie Ordwell
Ronnie and Julie 1997
as Elizabeth Monroe
Murder Live! 1997
as JoAnn McGrath
Michael 1996
as Judge Esther Newberg
Double Jeopardy 1996
as Cindy Dubroski
Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein 1996
as Inga (archive footage)
- Shining Time Station: One of the Family
Shining Time Station: One of the Family 1995
as Sister Conductor
Perfect Alibi 1995
as Laney Tolbert
Prêt-à-Porter 1994
as Louise Hamilton
Dumb and Dumber 1994
as Helen Swanson
Aliens for Breakfast 1994
as Mrs. Bickerstaff
Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert 1993
as Brita Burrows
Mom and Dad Save the World 1992
as Marge Nelson
The Player 1992
as Teri Garr
Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View 1992
as Susan Woolley
Robert Altman's Players 1992
as Self
Stranger in the Family 1991
as Randi Thompson
The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic 1991
as Self
A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder 1990
as Marsha Pegler
Waiting for the Light 1990
as Kay
Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme 1990
as Jill (of Jack and Jill)
Short Time 1990
as Carolyn Simpson
Let It Ride 1989
as Pam
Out Cold 1989
as Sunny
Full Moon in Blue Water 1988
as Louise
- Jackie Gleason: The Great One
Jackie Gleason: The Great One 1988
as Self
Flapjack Floozie 1988
as Helen Eagles
Paul Reiser: Out on a Whim 1987
as Self
Martin Mull Live from North Ridgeville, Ohio 1987
as Self
Pack of Lies 1987
as Helen Schaefer
Miracles 1986
as Jean
Intimate Strangers 1986
as Sally Bierston
After Hours 1985
as Julie
The History of White People in America 1985
as Self
Night of 100 Stars II 1985
as Self
Firstborn 1984
as Wendy
Steve Martin Live! 1984
as Self
To Catch a King 1984
as Hannah Winter
The Winter of Our Discontent 1983
as Mary Hawley
Mr. Mom 1983
as Caroline
The Black Stallion Returns 1983
as Alec Ramsay's Mother
Do It Debbie's Way 1983
as Self
The Sting II 1983
as Veronica
Tootsie 1982
as Sandy Lester
The Tale of the Frog Prince 1982
as Princess
The Escape Artist 1982
as Arlene
One from the Heart 1982
as Frannie
Prime Suspect 1982
as Amy McCleary
The Making of 'Tootsie' 1982
as Self
Honky Tonk Freeway 1981
as Ericka
Rendez-Vous Video Magazine 1981
as Self (segment "Coppola")
Inside the Coppola Personality 1981
as Self
Witches' Brew 1980
as Margaret Lightman
Doctor Franken 1980
as Kelli Fisher
The Black Stallion 1979
as Alec's Mother
Mr. Mike's Mondo Video 1979
as Self
Java Junkie 1979
as Waitress
Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1977
as Ronnie Neary
Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary 1977
as Self
Once Upon a Brothers Grimm 1977
as Frog Princess
Oh, God! 1977
as Bobbie Landers
The Absent-Minded Waiter 1977
as Susan Cates
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood 1976
as Fluffy Peters
Law and Order 1976
as Rita Wasinski
Young Frankenstein 1974
as Inga
The Conversation 1974
as Amy Fredericks
Summertree 1971
as Bennie's Girlfriend (uncredited)
The Moonshine War 1970
as Young Wife
You Haven't Changed a Bit 1970
as Corinne
Changes 1969
as Waitress
Head 1968
as Testy True
Maryjane 1968
as Teri
Clambake 1967
as Dancer (uncredited)
- The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk
The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk 1967
as Susie
The Cool Ones 1967
as Whiz Girl
For Pete's Sake 1966
as MarJean
Where's the Bus? 1966
as Girl
Red Line 7000 1965
as Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! 1965
as Harem Girl (uncredited)
The T.A.M.I. Show 1964
as Self - Go-Go Dancer (uncredited)
Roustabout 1964
as Carnival Dancer (uncredited)
Pajama Party 1964
as Pajama Girl
What a Way to Go! 1964
as Shipboard Number Dancer (uncredited)
Kissin' Cousins 1964
as Hillbilly Dancer (uncredited)
Viva Las Vegas 1964
as Dancer (uncredited)
Fun in Acapulco 1963
as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
A Swingin' Affair 1963
Actor
Credits from TMDB.