Teri Garr
Acting
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
Acting170
movieMel Brooks: Unwrapped
2018
Self (archive footage)
movieMel Brooks: Make a Noise
2013
Self (archive footage)
movieKabluey
2007
Suze
movieExpired
2007
Claire's Mother / Aunt Tilde
movieUnaccompanied Minors
2006
Aunt Judy (uncredited)
tvLegends
2006
Inga (archive footage) (uncredited)
tvCrumbs
2006
Lorraine Bergman
movieAloha Scooby-Doo!
2005
Mayor Molly Quinn (voice)
tvLife with Bonnie
2002
Mrs. Abigail Portinbody
tvWhat's New, Scooby-Doo?
2002
Sandy Gordon (voice)
movieLife Without Dick
2002
Madame Hugonaut
movieGhost World
2001
Maxine (uncredited)
movieThe Sky is Falling
2001
Mona Hall
movieA Colder Kind of Death
2001
Tess Malone
movieBatman Beyond: Return of the Joker
2000
Mary McGinnis (voice)
tvStrong Medicine
2000
Mimi Stark
tvLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
Minerva Grahame-Bishop
movieDick
1999
Helen Lorenzo
movieHalf a Dozen Babies
1999
Lee Dilley
movieKill the Man
1999
Mrs. Livingston
movieBatman Beyond: The Movie
1999
Mary McGinnis (voice)
tvBatman Beyond
1999
Mary McGinnis (voice)
tvFelicity
1998
Dr. Zwick
tvThe Weird Al Show
1997
Teri Garr
movieThe Definite Maybe
1997
Dionne Waters
movieChanging Habits
1997
Connie
movieNightScream
1997
Julie Ordwell
movieRonnie and Julie
1997
Elizabeth Monroe
movieMurder Live!
1997
JoAnn McGrath
tvKing of the Hill
1997
Laney (voice)
movieMichael
1996
Judge Esther Newberg
tvThe Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996
Self - Guest
movieDouble Jeopardy
1996
Cindy Dubroski
movieMaking Frankensense of Young Frankenstein
1996
Inga (archive footage)
Great Drives
1996
Self - Host
Shining Time Station: One of the Family
1995
Sister Conductor
moviePerfect Alibi
1995
Laney Tolbert
tvDr. Katz, Professional Therapist
1995
Teri (voice)
tvWomen of the House
1995
Sissy Emerson
moviePrêt-à-Porter
1994
Louise Hamilton
movieDumb and Dumber
1994
Helen Swanson
tvFriends
1994
Phoebe Sr.
tvER
1994
Celinda Randlett
movieAliens for Breakfast
1994
Mrs. Bickerstaff
tvDuckman
1994
Vanessa La Pert (voice)
movieFugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert
1993
Brita Burrows
tvFrasier
1993
Nancy (voice)
tvGood Advice
1993
Paige Turner
tvThe Larry Sanders Show
1992
Teri Garr
movieMom and Dad Save the World
1992
Marge Nelson
movieThe Player
1992
Teri Garr
movieStranger in the Family
1991
Randi Thompson
tvGood & Evil
1991
Denise Sandler
A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder
1990
Marsha Pegler
tvDream On
1990
Sandra McCadden
movieMother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme
1990
Jill (of Jack and Jill)
movieShort Time
1990
Carolyn Simpson
tvTales from the Crypt
1989
Irene Paloma ("segment "The Trap")
movieOut Cold
1989
Sunny
tvMurphy Brown
1988
Teri Garr
movieFlapjack Floozie
1988
Helen Eagles
moviePack of Lies
1987
Helen Schaefer
tvFresno
1986
Talon Kensington
movieIntimate Strangers
1986
Sally Bierston
movieAfter Hours
1985
Julie
movieFirstborn
1984
Wendy
movieTo Catch a King
1984
Hannah Winter
movieThe Winter of Our Discontent
1983
Mary Hawley
movieMr. Mom
1983
Caroline
movieThe Black Stallion Returns
1983
Alec Ramsay's Mother
movieThe Sting II
1983
Veronica
movieTootsie
1982
Sandy Lester
tvFaerie Tale Theatre
1982
Self / Princess
tvWogan
1982
Self
movieOne from the Heart
1982
Frannie
moviePrime Suspect
1982
Amy McCleary
movieRendez-Vous Video Magazine
1981
Self (segment "Coppola")
movieWitches' Brew
1980
Margaret Lightman
movieDoctor Franken
1980
Kelli Fisher
movieThe Black Stallion
1979
Alec's Mother
movieJava Junkie
1979
Waitress
movieClose Encounters of the Third Kind
1977
Ronnie Neary
movieOnce Upon a Brothers Grimm
1977
Frog Princess
movieOh, God!
1977
Bobbie Landers
movieThe Absent-Minded Waiter
1977
Susan Cates
movieWon Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
1976
Fluffy Peters
movieLaw and Order
1976
Rita Wasinski
tvSaturday Night Live
1975
Self - Host / Diner Waitress (uncredited) / Self (uncredited)
movieThe Conversation
1974
Amy Fredericks
tvBarnaby Jones
1973
Maria Thompson
tvM*A*S*H
1972
Lt. Suzanne Marquette
tvThe Bob Newhart Show
1972
Miss Brennan
tvBanyon
1972
Mabel
tvThe New Dick Van Dyke Show
1971
Waitress
tvThe Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
1971
Wife/Singer
movieSummertree
1971
Bennie's Girlfriend (uncredited)
tvThe Odd Couple
1970
Insurance Agent
movieThe Moonshine War
1970
Young Wife
tvMcCloud
1970
Sgt. Phyllis Norton / Nora Mullins
movieChanges
1969
Waitress
movieHead
1968
Testy True
tvMayberry R.F.D.
1968
Cashier
tvIt Takes a Thief
1968
Maggie Philbin
movieClambake
1967
Dancer (uncredited)
tvThe Mothers-in-Law
1967
Usherette
movieThe Cool Ones
1967
Whiz Girl
movieFor Pete's Sake
1966
MarJean
tvStar Trek
1966
Roberta Lincoln
tvThat Girl
1966
Estelle / Actress #1 At Audition (uncredited)
tvBatman
1966
Girl Outside Rink (uncredited)
movieRed Line 7000
1965
Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)
movieJohn Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
1965
Harem Girl (uncredited)
movieThe T.A.M.I. Show
1964
Self - Go-Go Dancer (uncredited)
moviePajama Party
1964
Pajama Girl
movieRoustabout
1964
Carnival Dancer (uncredited)
tvShindig!
1964
Self - Dancer / Self
movieWhat a Way to Go!
1964
Shipboard Number Dancer (uncredited)
movieKissin' Cousins
1964
Hillbilly Dancer (uncredited)
movieViva Las Vegas
1964
Dancer (uncredited)
movieFun in Acapulco
1963
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
tvDr. Kildare
1961
Naomi (uncredited)
tvThe Andy Griffith Show
1960
Girl in Red Convertible
Crew1
tvDr. Katz, Professional Therapist
1995
Additional Writing