Teri Garr
- Teen actor
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.
Acted in
Mel Brooks: Unwrapped
2018
as Self (archive footage)
And the Oscar Goes To...
2014
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 / Valerie’s Sister
Legends
2006
as Inga (archive footage) (uncredited)
A Taste Of Jupiter
2005
The Wiki-Tiki Tail of Aloha Scooby-Doo
2005
as Herself
Aloha Scooby-Doo!
2005
as Mayor Molly Quinn (voice)
The Dream Studio
2004
as self
Life with Bonnie
2002
as Mrs. Abigail Portinbody
What's New, Scooby-Doo?
2002
as Sandy Gordon (voice)
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
The Wandering Soul Murders
2001
as Tess Malone
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
2000
as Mary McGinnis (voice)
Strong Medicine
2000
as Mimi Stark
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Minerva Grahame-Bishop
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)
Batman Beyond
1999
as Mary McGinnis (voice)
Felicity
1998
as Dr. Zwick
Casper Meets Wendy
1998
as Fanny
The Weird Al Show
1997
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
King of the Hill
1997
as Laney (voice)
Michael
1996
as Judge Esther Newberg
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
1996
as Yenta
Men Behaving Badly
1996
as Carol
Double Jeopardy
1996
as Cindy Dubroski
Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein
1996
as Inga (archive footage)
Shining Time Station: One of the Family
1995
as Sister Conductor
Perfect Alibi
1995
as Laney Tolbert
Women of the House
1995
as Sissy Emerson
Prêt-à-Porter
1994
as Louise Hamilton
Dumb and Dumber
1994
as Helen Swanson
Friends
1994
as Phoebe Sr.
ER
1994
as Celinda Randlett
Aliens for Breakfast
1994
as Mrs. Bickerstaff
Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert
1993
as Brita Burrows
Intimate Portrait
1993
as Self
Frasier
1993
as Nancy (voice)
Good Advice
1993
as Paige Turner
Mom and Dad Save the World
1992
as Marge Nelson
Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View
1992
as Susan Woolley
The Player
1992
as Teri Garr
Adventures in Wonderland
1992
as Duchess
Robert Altman's Players
1992
as Self
Stranger in the Family
1991
as Randi Thompson
Good & Evil
1991
The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic
1991
as Self
A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder
1990
as Marsha Pegler
Dream On
1990
as Sandra McCadden
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
Tales from the Crypt
1989
as Irene Paloma
Out Cold
1989
as Sunny
Full Moon in Blue Water
1988
as Louise
Jackie Gleason: The Great One
1988
as Self
Flapjack Floozie
1988
as Helen Eagles
Paul Reiser: Out on a Whim
1987
as Self
Pack of Lies
1987
as Helen Schaefer
Fresno
1986
as Talon Kensington
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: Homage to Steve
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
Faerie Tale Theatre
1982
as Self
Faerie Tale Theatre
1982
as Princess
The Escape Artist
1982
as Arlene
One from the Heart
1982
as Frannie
Prime Suspect
1982
as Amy McCleary
Honky Tonk Freeway
1981
as Ericka
Inside the Coppola Personality
1981
as Self
Rendez-Vous Video Magazine
1981
as Self (segment "Coppola")
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
The Girl with Something Extra
1973
as Amber
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
as Self
M*A*S*H
1972
as Lt. Suzanne Marquette
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
1971
as Wife/Singer
Summertree
1971
as Bennie's Girlfriend (uncredited)
The Odd Couple
1970
as Insurance Agent
The Moonshine War
1970
as Young Wife
McCloud
1970
as Sgt. Phyllis Norton
You Haven't Changed a Bit
1970
as Corinne
Changes
1969
as Waitress
Head
1968
as Testy True
Mayberry R.F.D.
1968
as Cashier
Maryjane
1968
as Teri
Clambake
1967
as Dancer (uncredited)
The Mothers-in-Law
1967
as Usherette
The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk
1967
as Susie
The Cool Ones
1967
as Whiz Girl
For Pete's Sake
1966
Star Trek
1966
as Roberta Lincoln
That Girl
1966
Where's the Bus?
1966
as Girl
Batman
1966
as Girl Outside Rink (uncredited)
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)
Pajama Party
1964
as Pajama Girl
Roustabout
1964
as Carnival Dancer (uncredited)
Shindig!
1964
as Self - Dancer
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
The Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Girl In A Red Convertible