Known For
Acting
Known Credits
176
Gender
Female
Birthday
December 11, 1944 (81 years old)
Place of Birth
Lakewood, Ohio, USA
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.
| 2018 | Mel Brooks: Unwrappedas Self (archive footage) | |
| 2013 | Mel Brooks: Make a Noiseas Self (archive footage) | |
| 2008 | A Better Man: The Making of 'Tootsie'as Self | |
| 2007 | Kablueyas Suze | |
| 2007 | Expiredas Claire's Mother / Aunt Tilde | |
| 2006 | Unaccompanied Minorsas Aunt Judy (uncredited) | |
| 2006 | Legendsas Inga (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 2006 | Crumbsas Lorraine Bergman | |
| 2005 | A Taste Of Jupiteras Ginnie | |
| 2005 | The Wiki-Tiki Tail of Aloha Scooby-Dooas Self | |
| 2005 | Aloha Scooby-Doo!as Mayor Molly Quinn (voice) | |
| 2004 | The Tony Danza Showas Self | |
| 2004 | The Dream Studioas self | |
| 2002 | Life with Bonnieas Mrs. Abigail Portinbody | |
| 2002 | What's New, Scooby-Doo?as Sandy Gordon (voice) | |
| 2002 | Searching for Debra Wingeras Self | |
| 2002 | Life Without Dickas Madame Hugonaut | |
| 2001 | Ghost Worldas Maxine (uncredited) | |
| 2001 | The Sky is Fallingas Mona Hall | |
| 2001 | The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'as Self | |
| 2001 | A Colder Kind of Deathas Tess Malone | |
| 2000 | Batman Beyond: Return of the Jokeras Mary McGinnis (voice) | |
| 2000 | Strong Medicineas Mimi Stark | |
| 1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unitas Minerva Grahame-Bishop | |
| 1999 | Dickas Helen Lorenzo | |
| 1999 | Half a Dozen Babiesas Lee Dilley | |
| 1999 | Kill the Manas Mrs. Livingston | |
| 1999 | Batman Beyond: The Movieas Mary McGinnis (voice) | |
| 1999 | Batman Beyondas Mary McGinnis (voice) | |
| 1998 | Felicityas Dr. Zwick | |
| 1998 | Casper Meets Wendyas Fanny | |
| 1997 | The Weird Al Showas Teri Garr | |
| 1997 | A Simple Wishas Rena | |
| 1997 | The Definite Maybeas Dionne Waters | |
| 1997 | Changing Habitsas Connie | |
| 1997 | NightScreamas Julie Ordwell | |
| 1997 | Ronnie and Julieas Elizabeth Monroe | |
| 1997 | Murder Live!as JoAnn McGrath | |
| 1997 | King of the Hillas Laney (voice) | |
| 1996 | Michaelas Judge Esther Newberg | |
| 1996 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witchas Yenta | |
| 1996 | Men Behaving Badlyas Carol | |
| 1996 | The Rosie O'Donnell Showas Self - Guest | |
| 1996 | Double Jeopardyas Cindy Dubroski | |
| 1996 | Making Frankensense of Young Frankensteinas Inga (archive footage) | |
| 1996 | Great Drivesas Self - Host | |
| 1995 | Shining Time Station: One of the Familyas Sister Conductor | |
| 1995 | Perfect Alibias Laney Tolbert | |
| 1995 | Dr. Katz, Professional Therapistas Teri (voice) | |
| 1995 | Women of the Houseas Sissy Emerson | |
| 1994 | Prêt-à-Porteras Louise Hamilton | |
| 1994 | Dumb and Dumberas Helen Swanson | |
| 1994 | Friendsas Phoebe Sr. | |
| 1994 | ERas Celinda Randlett | |
| 1994 | Aliens for Breakfastas Mrs. Bickerstaff | |
| 1994 | Duckmanas Vanessa La Pert (voice) | |
| 1993 | Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desertas Brita Burrows | |
| 1993 | Intimate Portraitas Self | |
| 1993 | Frasieras Nancy (voice) | |
| 1993 | Good Adviceas Paige Turner | |
| 1992 | The Larry Sanders Showas Teri Garr | |
| 1992 | Mom and Dad Save the Worldas Marge Nelson | |
| 1992 | The Playeras Teri Garr | |
| 1992 | Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta Viewas Susan Woolley | |
| 1992 | Adventures in Wonderlandas Duchess | |
| 1992 | Robert Altman's Playersas Self | |
| 1991 | Stranger in the Familyas Randi Thompson | |
| 1991 | Good & Evilas Denise Sandler | |
| 1991 | The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magicas Self | |
| 1991 | The General Motors Playwrights Theateras Edna Doe | |
| 1990 | A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murderas Marsha Pegler | |
| 1990 | Dream Onas Sandra McCadden | |
| 1990 | Waiting for the Lightas Kay | |
| 1990 | Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhymeas Jill (of Jack and Jill) | |
| 1990 | Short Timeas Carolyn Simpson | |
| 1989 | Let It Rideas Pam | |
| 1989 | Tales from the Cryptas Irene Paloma ("segment "The Trap") | |
| 1989 | Out Coldas Sunny | |
| 1988 | Full Moon in Blue Wateras Louise | |
| 1988 | Murphy Brownas Teri Garr | |
| 1988 | Jackie Gleason: The Great Oneas Self | |
| 1988 | Flapjack Floozieas Helen Eagles | |
| 1987 | Paul Reiser: Out on a Whimas Self | |
| 1987 | Martin Mull Live from North Ridgeville, Ohioas Self | |
| 1987 | Pack of Liesas Helen Schaefer | |
| 1986 | Fresnoas Talon Kensington | |
| 1986 | Miraclesas Jean | |
| 1986 | Intimate Strangersas Sally Bierston | |
| 1985 | After Hoursas Julie | |
| 1985 | The History of White People in Americaas Self | |
| 1985 | Night of 100 Stars IIas Self | |
| 1984 | Firstbornas Wendy | |
| 1984 | Steve Martin Live!as Self | |
| 1984 | To Catch a Kingas Hannah Winter | |
| 1983 | The Winter of Our Discontentas Mary Hawley | |
| 1983 | Mr. Momas Caroline | |
| 1983 | The Black Stallion Returnsas Alec Ramsay's Mother | |
| 1983 | Do It Debbie's Wayas Self | |
| 1983 | The Sting IIas Veronica | |
| 1982 | Tootsieas Sandy Lester | |
| 1982 | The Tale of the Frog Princeas Princess | |
| 1982 | Faerie Tale Theatreas Princess | |
| 1982 | Faerie Tale Theatreas Self | |
| 1982 | The Escape Artistas Arlene | |
| 1982 | Woganas Self | |
| 1982 | One from the Heartas Frannie | |
| 1982 | Prime Suspectas Amy McCleary | |
| 1982 | The Making of 'Tootsie'as Self | |
| 1981 | Honky Tonk Freewayas Ericka | |
| 1981 | Inside the Coppola Personalityas Self | |
| 1981 | Rendez-Vous Video Magazineas Self (segment "Coppola") | |
| 1980 | Witches' Brewas Margaret Lightman | |
| 1980 | Doctor Frankenas Kelli Fisher | |
| 1979 | The Black Stallionas Alec's Mother | |
| 1979 | Mr. Mike's Mondo Videoas Self | |
| 1979 | Java Junkieas Waitress | |
| 1977 | Close Encounters of the Third Kindas Ronnie Neary | |
| 1977 | Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversaryas Self | |
| 1977 | Once Upon a Brothers Grimmas Frog Princess | |
| 1977 | Oh, God!as Bobbie Landers | |
| 1977 | The Absent-Minded Waiteras Susan Cates | |
| 1977 | Please Turn the Pageas Self | |
| 1976 | Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywoodas Fluffy Peters | |
| 1976 | Law and Orderas Rita Wasinski | |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Liveas Diner Waitress (uncredited) | |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Liveas Self (uncredited) | |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Liveas Self - Host | |
| 1974 | Young Frankensteinas Inga | |
| 1974 | The Conversationas Amy Fredericks | |
| 1973 | The Girl with Something Extraas Amber | |
| 1973 | The American Film Institute Salute to ...as Self | |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jonesas Maria Thompson | |
| 1972 | M*A*S*Has Lt. Suzanne Marquette | |
| 1972 | The Bob Newhart Showas Miss Brennan | |
| 1972 | Banyonas Mabel | |
| 1971 | The New Dick Van Dyke Showas Waitress | |
| 1971 | The Sonny & Cher Comedy Houras Wife/Singer | |
| 1971 | Summertreeas Bennie's Girlfriend (uncredited) | |
| 1970 | The Odd Coupleas Insurance Agent | |
| 1970 | The Moonshine Waras Young Wife | |
| 1970 | McCloudas Nora Mullins | |
| 1970 | McCloudas Sgt. Phyllis Norton | |
| 1970 | You Haven't Changed a Bitas Corinne | |
| 1969 | Changesas Waitress | |
| 1968 | Headas Testy True | |
| 1968 | Mayberry R.F.D.as Cashier | |
| 1968 | Maryjaneas Teri | |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thiefas Maggie Philbin | |
| 1967 | Clambakeas Dancer (uncredited) | |
| 1967 | The Mothers-in-Lawas Usherette | |
| 1967 | The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junkas Susie | |
| 1967 | The Cool Onesas Whiz Girl | |
| 1966 | For Pete's Sakeas MarJean | |
| 1966 | That Girlas Actress #1 At Audition (uncredited) | |
| 1966 | That Girlas Estelle | |
| 1966 | Star Trekas Roberta Lincoln | |
| 1966 | Where's the Bus?as Girl | |
| 1966 | Batmanas Girl Outside Rink (uncredited) | |
| 1965 | Red Line 7000as Nightclub Dancer (uncredited) | |
| 1965 | John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!as Harem Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1964 | The T.A.M.I. Showas Self - Go-Go Dancer (uncredited) | |
| 1964 | Roustaboutas Carnival Dancer (uncredited) | |
| 1964 | Pajama Partyas Pajama Girl | |
| 1964 | Shindig!as Self | |
| 1964 | Shindig!as Self - Dancer | |
| 1964 | What a Way to Go!as Shipboard Number Dancer (uncredited) | |
| 1964 | Kissin' Cousinsas Hillbilly Dancer (uncredited) | |
| 1964 | Viva Las Vegasas Dancer (uncredited) | |
| 1963 | Fun in Acapulcoas Hotel Guest (uncredited) | |
| 1963 | A Swingin' Affairas | |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin Showas Self | |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carsonas Self | |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Showas Self | |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildareas Naomi (uncredited) | |
| 1960 | The Andy Griffith Showas Girl in Red Convertible | |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awardsas Self |
| 1995 | Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist...Additional Writing |