Skip to content
Join free
Teri Garr
Actor

Teri Garr

11 Dec 1944Born
29 Oct 2024Died
79Age at death
135Credits

Biography

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.

Read the full biography

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

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 135 credits.

  1. 2007KablueyFilm: Suze
  2. 2007ExpiredFilm: Claire's Mother / Aunt Tilde
  3. 2006Unaccompanied MinorsFilm: Aunt Judy (uncredited)
  4. 2006LegendsSeries: Inga (archive footage) (uncredited) (1 episode)
  5. 2006CrumbsSeries: Lorraine Bergman (1 episode)
  6. 2005A Taste Of JupiterFilm: Ginnie
  7. 2005Aloha Scooby-Doo!Film: Mayor Molly Quinn (voice)
  8. 2002Life with BonnieSeries: Mrs. Abigail Portinbody (1 episode)
  9. 2002What's New, Scooby-Doo?Series: Sandy Gordon (voice) (1 episode)
  10. 2002Life Without DickFilm: Madame Hugonaut
  11. 2001Ghost WorldFilm: Maxine (uncredited)
  12. 2001The Sky is FallingFilm: Mona Hall
  13. 2001A Colder Kind of DeathFilm: Tess Malone
  14. 2000Batman Beyond: Return of the JokerFilm: Mary McGinnis (voice)
  15. 2000Strong MedicineSeries: Mimi Stark (1 episode)
  16. 1999Law & Order: Special Victims UnitSeries: Minerva Grahame-Bishop (1 episode)
  17. 1999DickFilm: Helen Lorenzo
  18. 1999Half a Dozen BabiesFilm: Lee Dilley
  19. 1999Kill the ManFilm: Mrs. Livingston
  20. 1999Batman Beyond: The MovieFilm: Mary McGinnis (voice)
  21. 1999Batman BeyondSeries: Mary McGinnis (voice) (7 episodes)
  22. 1998FelicitySeries: Dr. Zwick (1 episode)
  23. 1998Casper Meets WendyFilm: Fanny
  24. 1997The Weird Al ShowSeries: Teri Garr (1 episode)
  25. 1997A Simple WishFilm: Rena
  26. 1997The Definite MaybeFilm: Dionne Waters
  27. 1997Changing HabitsFilm: Connie
  28. 1997NightScreamFilm: Julie Ordwell
  29. 1997Ronnie and JulieFilm: Elizabeth Monroe
  30. 1997Murder Live!Film: JoAnn McGrath
  31. 1997King of the HillSeries: Laney (voice) (1 episode)
  32. 1996MichaelFilm: Judge Esther Newberg
  33. 1996Sabrina, the Teenage WitchSeries: Yenta (1 episode)
  34. 1996Men Behaving BadlySeries: Carol (1 episode)
  35. 1996Double JeopardyFilm: Cindy Dubroski
  36. 1996Making Frankensense of Young FrankensteinFilm: Inga (archive footage)
  37. 1995Shining Time Station: One of the FamilyFilm: Sister Conductor
  38. 1995Perfect AlibiFilm: Laney Tolbert
  39. 1995Dr. Katz, Professional TherapistSeries: Teri (voice) (1 episode)
  40. 1995Women of the HouseSeries: Sissy Emerson (13 episodes)
  41. 1994Prêt-à-PorterFilm: Louise Hamilton
  42. 1994Dumb and DumberFilm: Helen Swanson
  43. 1994FriendsSeries: Phoebe Sr. (3 episodes)
  44. 1994ERSeries: Celinda Randlett (1 episode)
  45. 1994Aliens for BreakfastFilm: Mrs. Bickerstaff
  46. 1994DuckmanSeries: Vanessa La Pert (voice) (1 episode)
  47. 1993Fugitive Nights: Danger in the DesertFilm: Brita Burrows
  48. 1993FrasierSeries: Nancy (voice) (1 episode)
  49. 1993Good AdviceSeries: Paige Turner (13 episodes)
  50. 1992The Larry Sanders ShowSeries: Teri Garr (1 episode)
  51. 1992Mom and Dad Save the WorldFilm: Marge Nelson
  52. 1992The PlayerFilm: Teri Garr
  53. 1992Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta ViewFilm: Susan Woolley
  54. 1992Adventures in WonderlandSeries: Duchess (6 episodes)
  55. 1991Stranger in the FamilyFilm: Randi Thompson
  56. 1991Good & EvilSeries: Denise Sandler (11 episodes)
  57. 1991The General Motors Playwrights TheaterSeries: Edna Doe (1 episode)
  58. 1990A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little MurderFilm: Marsha Pegler
  59. 1990Dream OnSeries: Sandra McCadden (2 episodes)
  60. 1990Waiting for the LightFilm: Kay
  61. 1990Mother Goose Rock 'n' RhymeFilm: Jill (of Jack and Jill)
  62. 1990Short TimeFilm: Carolyn Simpson
  63. 1989Let It RideFilm: Pam
  64. 1989Tales from the CryptSeries: Irene Paloma ("segment "The Trap") (1 episode)
  65. 1989Out ColdFilm: Sunny
  66. 1988Full Moon in Blue WaterFilm: Louise
  67. 1988Murphy BrownSeries: Teri Garr (1 episode)
  68. 1988Flapjack FloozieFilm: Helen Eagles
  69. 1987Pack of LiesFilm: Helen Schaefer
  70. 1986FresnoSeries: Talon Kensington (5 episodes)
  71. 1986MiraclesFilm: Jean
  72. 1986Intimate StrangersFilm: Sally Bierston
  73. 1985After HoursFilm: Julie
  74. 1984FirstbornFilm: Wendy
  75. 1984To Catch a KingFilm: Hannah Winter
  76. 1983The Winter of Our DiscontentFilm: Mary Hawley
  77. 1983Mr. MomFilm: Caroline
  78. 1983The Black Stallion ReturnsFilm: Alec Ramsay's Mother
  79. 1983The Sting IIFilm: Veronica
  80. 1982TootsieFilm: Sandy Lester

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.