Teri Garr
Actor
December 11, 1944 — October 29, 2024 (79 years)
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.
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 & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 2017 | Spielberg · as Ronnie Neary |
| 2012 | This Means War · as Inga |
| 2008 | Role Model: Gene Wilder · as Inga |
| 2007 | Kabluey · as Suze |
| 2007 | Expired · as Claire's Mother / Aunt TildeOn Plex |
| 2006 | Unaccompanied Minors · as Aunt Judy (uncredited) |
| 2006 | Legends · as Inga (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2006 | Crumbs · as Lorraine Bergman |
| 2005 | A Taste of Jupiter · as GinnieOn Plex |
| 2005 | Aloha, Scooby-Doo! · as Mayor Molly Quinn (voice) |
| 2004 | The Best TV Shows That Never Were · as Roberta Lincoln |
| 2002 | Greetings From Tucson · as Helen |
| 2002 | Life with Bonnie · as Mrs. Abigail Portinbody |
| 2002 | What's New Scooby-Doo? · as Sandy Gordon (voice) |
| 2002 | Life Without Dick · as Madame Hugonaut |
| 2001 | Ghost World · as Maxine (uncredited) |
| 2001 | The Downer Channel · as Wilma Mcvoid |
| 2001 | A Colder Kind of Death · as Tess Malone |
| 2000 | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker · as Mary Mcginnis (voice) |
| 2000 | |
| 2000 | Strong Medicine · as Mimi Stark |
| 1999 | The Sky Is Falling · as Mona Hall |
| 1999 | Ultimate Trek: Star Trek's Greatest Moments · as Roberta Lincoln |
| 1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit · as Minerva Grahame-Bishop |
| 1999 | Chicken Soup for the Soul · as Cast |
| 1999 | Dick · as Helen Lorenzo |
| 1999 | Half a Dozen Babies · as Lee Dilley |
| 1999 | Kill the Man · as Mrs. Livingston |
| 1999 | Batman Beyond: The Movie · as Mary Mcginnis (voice) |
| 1999 | Batman Beyond · as Mary Mcginnis (voice) |
| 1999 | The Definite Maybe · as Dionne Waters |
| 1998 | Felicity · as Dr. Zwick |
| 1998 | Casper Meets Wendy · as Fanny |
| 1998 | Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular · as Cast |
| 1997 | A Simple Wish · as Rena |
| 1997 | Changing Habits · as Connie |
| 1997 | NightScream · as Julie Ordwell |
| 1997 | Ronnie & Julie · as Elizabeth MonroeOn Plex |
| 1997 | Murder Live! · as Joann Mcgrath |
| 1997 | Hey, Hey We're the Monkees · as Testy True |
| 1997 | King of the Hill · as Laney (voice) |
| 1996 | Great Drives · as Host (volume 3: Pacific Coast Highway) |
| 1996 | Michael · as Judge Esther Newberg |
| 1996 | Sabrina, The Teenage Witch · as Yenta |
| 1996 | Men Behaving Badly (US) · as Carol |
| 1996 | Double Jeopardy · as Cindy Dubroski |
| 1995 | Perfect Alibi · as Laney Tolbert |
| 1995 | Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist · as Teri (voice) |
| 1995 | Aliens for Breakfast · as Mrs. Bickerstaff |
| 1995 | Women of the House · as Sissy EmersonOn Plex |
| 1994 | Ready to Wear · as Louise Hamilton |
| 1994 | Dumb and Dumber · as Helen Swanson |
| 1994 | Friends · as Phoebe Sr. |
| 1994 | ER · as Celinda Randlett |
| 1994 | Duckman · as Vanessa La Pert (voice) |
| 1993 | Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert · as Brita Burrows |
| 1993 | Frasier · as Nancy (voice) |
| 1993 | Good Advice · as Paige Turner |
| 1992 | Mom and Dad Save the World · as Marge Nelson |
| 1992 | Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View · as Susan Woolley |
| 1992 | Adventures in Wonderland · as Duchess |
| 1991 | Stranger in the Family · as Randi Thompson |
| 1991 | Good & Evil · as Denise Sandler |
| 1991 | The Legend of Prince Valiant · as SelenaOn Plex |
| 1990 | A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder · as Marsha Pegler |
| 1990 | Waiting for the Light · as Kay |
| 1990 | Dream On · as Sandra Mccadden |
| 1990 | Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme · as Jill (of Jack And Jill) |
| 1990 | Short Time · as Carolyn Simpson |
| 1989 | Let It Ride · as Pam |
| 1989 | Tales from the Crypt · as Irene Paloma ("segment "the Trap") |
| 1989 | Out Cold · as Sunny |
| 1988 | Full Moon in Blue Water · as Louise |
| 1987 | Trying Times · as Robin Stone |
| 1987 | Pack of Lies · as Helen Schaefer |
| 1986 | Fresno · as Talon Kensington |
| 1986 | Miracles · as Jean |
| 1986 | Intimate Strangers · as Sally Bierston |
| 1985 | After Hours · as Julie |
| 1984 | Firstborn · as Wendy |
| 1984 | To Catch a King · as Hannah Winter |
| 1984 | The New Show · as Various |
| 1983 | The Winter of Our Discontent · as Mary Hawley |
| 1983 | Mr. Mom · as Caroline |
| 1983 | The Black Stallion Returns · as Alec Ramsay's Mother |
| 1983 | The Sting II · as Veronica |
| 1982 | Tootsie · as Sandy Lester |
| 1982 | The Tale of the Frog Prince · as Princess |
| 1982 | Faerie Tale Theatre · as Princess |
| 1982 | The Escape Artist · as Arlene |
| 1982 | Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter · as Inga |
| 1982 | Prime Suspect · as Amy Mccleary |
| 1981 | One from the Heart · as Frannie |
| 1981 | Honky Tonk Freeway · as Ericka |
| 1980 | Witches' Brew · as Margaret Lightman |
| 1980 | Doctor Franken · as Kelli Fisher |
| 1979 | The Black Stallion · as Alec's Mother |
| 1979 | Java Junkie · as Waitress |
| 1977 | Close Encounters of the Third Kind · as Ronnie Neary |
| 1977 | Once Upon a Brothers Grimm · as Frog Princess |
| 1977 | Oh, God! · as Bobbie LandersOn Plex |
| 1977 | The Absent-Minded Waiter · as Susan Cates |
| 1976 | Hunter (1977) · as Peg Foley |
| 1976 | Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood · as Fluffy Peters |
| 1976 | Law and Order · as Rita Wasinski |
| 1976 | The Sonny & Cher Show · as Olivia (1976-1977) |
| 1974 | Young Frankenstein · as Inga |
| 1974 | Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers · as Sharon |
| 1974 | The Conversation · as Amy FredericksOn Plex |
| 1973 | The Girl with Something Extra · as Amber |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jones · as Maria Thompson |
| 1972 | M*A*S*H · as Lt. Suzanne Marquette |
| 1972 | The Bob Newhart Show · as Miss Brennan |
| 1972 | Maude · as Mrs. Carlson |
| 1971 | The New Dick Van Dyke Show · as Waitress |
| 1971 | The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour · as Wife/singer |
| 1971 | Summertree · as Bennie's Girlfriend (uncredited) |
| 1971 | Banyon · as Mabel |
| 1970 | The Moonshine War · as Young Wife |
| 1970 | The Odd Couple · as Insurance Agent |
| 1970 | McCloud · as Sgt. Phyllis Norton |
| 1969 | Room 222 · as Marianne |
| 1969 | Sesame Street · as Amelia |
| 1969 | Changes · as Waitress |
| 1968 | Head · as Testy True |
| 1968 | Mayberry R.F.D. · as Cashier |
| 1968 | Maryjane · as Teri |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thief · as Maggie Philbin |
| 1967 | Movin' with Nancy · as Dancer |
| 1967 | Clambake · as Dancer (uncredited) |
| 1967 | The Mothers-In-Law · as Usherette |
| 1967 | The Cool Ones · as Whiz Girl |
| 1966 | For Pete's Sake! · as Marjean |
| 1966 | That Girl · as Actress #1 At Audition (uncredited)On Plex |
| 1966 | Star Trek · as Roberta Lincoln |
| 1966 | Batman (1966) · as Girl Outside Rink (uncredited) |
| 1965 | Red Line 7000 · as Nightclub Dancer (uncredited) |
| 1965 | |
| 1965 | Where The Action Is · as The Telegram Lady |
| 1965 | John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! · as Harem Girl (uncredited) |
| 1964 | Roustabout · as Carnival Dancer (uncredited) |
| 1964 | Pajama Party · as Pajama Girl |
| 1964 | What a Way to Go! · as Shipboard Number Dancer (uncredited) |
| 1964 | Kissin' Cousins · as Hillbilly Dancer (uncredited) |
| 1964 | Viva Las Vegas · as Dancer (uncredited) |
| 1963 | Fun in Acapulco · as Hotel Guest (uncredited) |
| 1963 | Mr. Novak · as Lisa Calvert |
| 1963 | |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare · as Naomi (uncredited) |
| 1960 | The Andy Griffith Show · as Girl In A Red Convertible |
| 1960 | Insight · as Pat |
| 1955 | Captain Kangaroo · as Alien |
| 1952 | This Is The Life · as Jill |