Academy Award-nominated actress Teri Garr passed away on October 29, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Best known for her roles in “Young Frankenstein,” “Tootsie,” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” Garr was 79. Her death was due to complications from multiple sclerosis, a disease she had been fighting for many years.
Born to actor Eddie Garr and costume designer Phyllis Garr, Teri Garr got her start in the entertainment industry as a dancer in Elvis Presley films. She eventually moved into acting, with her career taking off in the 1970s and ’80s thanks to roles in several high-profile films. Her performance in “Tootsie” earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
While filming “Tootsie” in the early 1980s, Garr began to notice unusual symptoms such as unexpected tripping while running and a tingling sensation in her arm. However, it would be nearly two decades before she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Garr revealed in a 2002 interview that diagnosing her condition had been difficult due to the subtle and sporadic nature of her symptoms. Initially, her limp led physicians to believe she had an orthopedic problem or a pinched nerve. It was only after consulting 11 doctors that she received her diagnosis in 1999, as she revealed in an interview with Closer Weekly.
After publicly disclosing her diagnosis in 2002, Garr became a spokesperson for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, raising awareness about the condition and encouraging others affected by it.
In 2006, Garr’s health faced another hurdle when she suffered a brain aneurysm that put her in a coma for a week and necessitated relearning basic skills such as walking and talking. Despite these challenges, Garr retained her sense of humor, viewing her health issues as an “odd gift” that forced her to “stop and settle down and focus.”
Over her career, Garr worked with many renowned directors, including Mel Brooks, Steven Spielberg, and Francis Ford Coppola. She also gained recognition for her lively guest appearances on “Late Night with David Letterman,” which contributed to the show’s success.
Later in her career, Garr took on a recurring role as Phoebe’s mother on “Friends” and made appearances on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” She continued to act until her retirement in 2011, following complications from her brain aneurysm.
Garr once remarked that if a serious movie she worked on didn’t succeed, she’d return to comedy. She remained dedicated to her craft, always seeking new opportunities and pushing her potential. To her, achieving movie stardom was akin to winning the lottery – a matter of luck and timing.
Survivors include her daughter, Molly, whom she adopted during her marriage to contractor John O’Neil in the 1990s, and a grandson.
