Teri Garr, who starred in Tootsie and Young Frankenstein, dies aged 79

Teri Garr

Oscar-nominated actress Teri Garr, widely recognized for her performances in Young Frankenstein and Tootsie, has passed away.

Teri Garr - Figure 1
Photo Sky News

Garr, known for her role in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, passed away at 79 as a result of complications related to multiple sclerosis, her manager Heidi Schaeffer confirmed on Tuesday.

She made guest appearances in three episodes of Friends during 1997 and 1998, playing the role of Phoebe Abbott, the long-lost birth mother of Lisa Kudrow's character Phoebe.

Over a film career that lasted over four decades, she was considered for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1982 movie Tootsie, where she starred alongside Dustin Hoffman. However, she ultimately did not win, as the award went to Maureen Stapleton.

One of her most notable performances was as Inga, a local from Transylvania who becomes the assistant to Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, portrayed by Gene Wilder, in the 1974 comedy classic Young Frankenstein directed by Mel Brooks. She was part of an impressive ensemble that featured actors like Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, and Gene Hackman.

Garr delivered many unforgettable quotes, including the iconic, "Would you like to frolic in the hay?"

She was a well-known figure on comedy shows and late-night talk programs, notably appearing on NBC's The Tonight Show when Johnny Carson was the host.

In recent years, she faced various health challenges, and in 2002, she disclosed that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, having experienced symptoms for about twenty years.

Teri Garr - Figure 2
Photo Sky News

After five years, she had to have surgery for a brain aneurysm.

She went on to become a significant supporter of multiple sclerosis awareness, journeying around the nation to share her story with medical professionals and patients. NBC News, partner of Sky in the US, reported on her efforts. She stepped away from acting in 2011.

Teri Ann Garr was born in Cleveland in 1944 to parents involved in the entertainment industry and started taking dance classes when she was just six years old.

Her dad, Eddie, was a performer in vaudeville and an actor who took the stage on Broadway, while her mom, Phyllis, was part of the famous Rockettes dance group known for their precise choreography.

After completing his studies in Los Angeles, Garr relocated to New York to initially focus on a ballet career before transitioning to acting. He honed his craft at the prestigious Actor's Studio in Manhattan.

Garr, an eccentric comedy artist, found her opportunity by taking small roles in several Elvis Presley films from the 1960s, such as Viva Las Vegas and Roustabout.

In addition to her iconic performances in films like Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation and One From The Heart, she was also a well-known television actress, appearing in shows like That Girl, Batman, and The Andy Griffith Show, according to Variety's website.

She portrayed a scatterbrained secretary in an episode of the classic Star Trek series, and later became a frequent singer and dancer on The Sonny and Cher Show.

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In her 2005 autobiography, Speedbumps: Flooring It Through Hollywood, she expressed frustration about being pigeonholed into the role of a silly woman, according to Variety.

In 1993, Garr tied the knot with construction contractor John O'Neil. That November, they welcomed their adopted daughter, Molly O'Neil, into their lives.

The couple separated and finalized their divorce three years later.

She is remembered by her daughter and her grandson, Tyryn.

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