Teri Garr RIP

October 29, 2024 12:03 PM

Teri Garr, the quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie,” has died. She was 79.

Garr died Tuesday of multiple sclerosis “surrounded by family and friends,” said publicist Heidi Schaeffer.
I had interviewed her for several DVD extras. Funny, kind and charming.

posted by Ideefixe (109 comments total)

She was delightful in so many things.

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posted by rmd1023 at 12:05 PM on October 29 [9 favorites]

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posted by whatevernot at 12:06 PM on October 29

She is one of the many many many many reasons that Young Frankenstein shines as bright as it does.

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posted by Fizz at 12:07 PM on October 29 [26 favorites]

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posted by briank at 12:09 PM on October 29

Teri Garr dancing in a scene with Elvis Presley and Ann Margaret Viva Las Vegas.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:13 PM on October 29 [12 favorites]

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posted by Unioncat at 12:14 PM on October 29

Aw man, I loved Teri! We'll miss you

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posted by Saxon Kane at 12:14 PM on October 29

I watch the Star Trek episode "Assignment: Earth" a lot and she's great in it. I wish it had been picked up as a series...
posted by mattgriffin at 12:15 PM on October 29 [16 favorites]

One of my favorites and a mainstay of so many movies that shaped my childhood.
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posted by phunniemee at 12:18 PM on October 29 [1 favorite]

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One From The Heart
posted by Rash at 12:22 PM on October 29 [2 favorites]

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posted by HearHere at 12:24 PM on October 29

Put the candle back.

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posted by The Bellman at 12:25 PM on October 29 [18 favorites]

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posted by MrBadExample at 12:27 PM on October 29

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posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 12:28 PM on October 29

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posted by robbyrobs at 12:29 PM on October 29

I loved her as the beleaguered wife in Close Encounters: "Don't you think I'm taking this really well?".
posted by effluvia at 12:29 PM on October 29 [20 favorites]

She was a gem in every role, but if you’ve never seen her turn as Michelle Williams’s flighty, catfished mom in 1999’s Dick, you owe it to yourself.

By the way, anyone else notice this at the bottom of the linked AP obit?

Bob Thomas, a longtime Associated Press journalist who died in 2014, was the principal writer of this obituary. AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy contributed to this report.

I know she had battled MS for decades, and I know many obits are pre-written in anticipation of an ailing person’s demise.

Still. Imagine outliving the guy who wrote your obituary by ten years.

It’s hard not to chalk that up to her strength and comic timing.

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posted by armeowda at 12:33 PM on October 29 [56 favorites]

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posted by maggiemaggie at 12:36 PM on October 29

My childhood movie crush.
Good in everything, best in "After Hours"
posted by chavenet at 12:37 PM on October 29 [15 favorites]

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posted by j_curiouser at 12:38 PM on October 29

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posted by djseafood at 12:41 PM on October 29

A delight to watch in everything she did.

Playing Phoebe's mom on Friends was a particularly inspired bit of casting.
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:42 PM on October 29 [19 favorites]

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posted by Thrakburzug at 12:43 PM on October 29

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posted by /\/\/\/ at 12:45 PM on October 29

She improved everything she was in, even in bit roles.

Her Random Roles at the A.V. Club is one of the ages.
posted by edencosmic at 12:49 PM on October 29 [15 favorites]

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posted by gkr at 12:50 PM on October 29

A great actress with excellent comedy timing. She was one of my first crushes. MS sucks.
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:52 PM on October 29 [5 favorites]

She was a wonderful actor, and had an outsize screen presence as well. She was so great in so many things but here's a very early appearance, as an actor disappointed after another unsuccessful audition who breaks out in dance while waiting for the bus. Even in a 5 minute black and white short from 1964 her presence is undeniable.

Thank you for what you gave the world.

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posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 12:56 PM on October 29 [8 favorites]

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posted by brujita at 12:56 PM on October 29

Among other amazing roles, She saved Mr Mom from being essentially dreck.

I loved her in everything but will always think of her most fondly as the Schooner Tuna spokesperson.
posted by seanmpuckett at 12:59 PM on October 29 [8 favorites]

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posted by jquinby at 1:06 PM on October 29

no, NO.

"I mean, I know this world needs help. That's why some of my generation are... kind of crazy and rebels, you know. We wonder if we're gonna be alive when we're thirty."

-Teri Garr as Roberta Lincoln from Star Trek, 'Assignment Earth'
posted by clavdivs at 1:11 PM on October 29 [10 favorites]

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posted by JustSayNoDawg at 1:12 PM on October 29

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Also my childhood movie crush.
posted by dannyboybell at 1:21 PM on October 29 [6 favorites]

Oh, damn. This is sad news. Easily one of the most underrated actresses ever, especially comedic.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:23 PM on October 29 [4 favorites]

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posted by eckeric at 1:32 PM on October 29

Nooooooooooo!

She was simply always awesome.

My belief (founded on zero research) is that she did everything with that perfect timing & manner on the first take, every time. Never had to ask "What's my motivation?" or "How do you want me to deliver this line?" Just always knew how to speak and move and look.

*sigh*
posted by wenestvedt at 1:33 PM on October 29 [3 favorites]

Young Frankenstein Bloopers & Outtakes.
posted by valkane at 1:47 PM on October 29 [2 favorites]

"He vould have an enormous schwanzstucker! Voof!"
posted by valkane at 1:56 PM on October 29 [3 favorites]

Oh man! I first saw her in Close Encounters, and have had a mad crush on her ever since. Loved her appearances on Letterman in the 80s and 90s.

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posted by phliar at 2:10 PM on October 29 [1 favorite]

Ohh man. She was so awesome. Young Frankenstein, After Hours, Close Encounters, etc etc.
posted by Liquidwolf at 2:12 PM on October 29

She was always great on talk shows. She once told a story that stuck with me: when very young and applying for a job, she listed some amazing qualifications on her résumé, put an asterisk next to each, and wrote *LIE at the bottom. And she got the job.
posted by jabah at 2:12 PM on October 29 [5 favorites]

What an Icon! So sad, but she did survive a long time with MS.
RIP

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posted by OHenryPacey at 2:12 PM on October 29

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posted by evilDoug at 2:18 PM on October 29

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posted by photo guy at 2:20 PM on October 29

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posted by PlusDistance at 2:23 PM on October 29

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posted by condour75 at 2:28 PM on October 29

She was so great in so many things. In particular, I love her in Tootsie.

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posted by BlahLaLa at 2:45 PM on October 29 [2 favorites]

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posted by solotoro at 3:18 PM on October 29

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posted by kram175 at 3:28 PM on October 29

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posted by The Great Big Mulp at 3:29 PM on October 29

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posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 3:43 PM on October 29

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Teri Garr's Academy Awards Dilemma.
posted by Pendragon at 4:01 PM on October 29 [1 favorite]

She was wonderful in so many movies...After Hours and the, "Aqua Net scene," was a personal favorite of mine.

She really brightened up the screen.


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posted by Chuffy at 4:01 PM on October 29 [1 favorite]

She was always so game on Letterman.

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posted by whuppy at 4:01 PM on October 29 [2 favorites]

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posted by ishmael at 4:03 PM on October 29

I just heard her name mentioned on NPR and knew exactly what it meant. This is so sad -- she started out so aglow. And then hit the interminable rough patch. She was wonderful in One from the Heart. This hits so hard.
posted by y2karl at 4:07 PM on October 29

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posted by humbug at 4:12 PM on October 29

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posted by Snowflake at 4:27 PM on October 29

Her “I’d rather have my pain now” speech in Tootsie was my everything. I had no idea she had MS, and I hope she didn’t suffer too greatly with it. She was an icon.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 4:42 PM on October 29 [3 favorites]

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posted by kinnakeet at 4:44 PM on October 29

Did I spit on you when I said Tootsie?
posted by y2karl at 4:44 PM on October 29 [3 favorites]

Young Frankenstein
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posted by Glinn at 4:48 PM on October 29

Oh, man, that AV Club interview.

TG: [Laughs.] Right. You weren’t supposed to laugh at Elvis, or he’d kill you with a karate chop. Oh, Kissin’ Cousins. Wasn’t that a good one. That’s where he played twins, right? Some blond guy and him. I did a string of about six or seven Elvis movies, all in a row. He made all of those movies in two years’ time. All of them bad. Don’t quote me.

AVC: Really?

TG: No, quote me. It’s not a secret that they were bad.

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posted by Halloween Jack at 4:58 PM on October 29 [12 favorites]

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posted by Foosnark at 5:22 PM on October 29

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posted by buffalo at 5:32 PM on October 29

I know Elaine May punched up the Tootsie script a lot and really elevated Garr's Sandy to someone who was a real character. But all of Garr's line readings are hilarious. I wish we had a movie just about Sandy.

I'm watching my Halloween movies this week otherwise I would've watched something for Garr tonight. However, I am seeing Young Frankenstein on Thursday so that works out.
posted by edencosmic at 5:33 PM on October 29 [4 favorites]

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posted by Ickster at 5:43 PM on October 29

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posted by LobsterMitten at 5:43 PM on October 29

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posted by bryon at 5:46 PM on October 29

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posted by fluffycreature at 6:13 PM on October 29

While known for her comedy, she started out as a dancer and was very good at that as well.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 6:26 PM on October 29 [1 favorite]

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posted by JoeXIII007 at 6:31 PM on October 29

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posted by Sphinx at 7:20 PM on October 29

Noooooooo!
She was amazing. Such a loss.
posted by chococat at 7:51 PM on October 29

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posted by lapolla at 8:01 PM on October 29

Just a couple weeks ago I realized I've had "Teri Garr" and "Tasha Yar" mixed up in my head for my entire adult life. Today, I found out Teri Garr was on Star Trek. Now I'm wondering if Tasha Yar was named after Teri Garr, creating my whole mixup.
posted by gurple at 9:34 PM on October 29 [4 favorites]

Four decades with MS is no joke. I hope she left us no sooner or later than she wanted.

Here she is vacuuming up a salad bar.

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posted by credulous at 9:39 PM on October 29 [6 favorites]

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posted by Coaticass at 10:17 PM on October 29

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(She was adorable in that short-lived Star Trek spin-off comedy series.)
posted by fairmettle at 11:17 PM on October 29

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posted by UhOhChongo! at 12:11 AM on October 30

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posted by fregoli at 12:53 AM on October 30

She'd been prominent my entire life; I saw Young Frankenstein in the theater, maybe not first-run when I was in first grade, but definitely before the end of fourth, and she was always in the air when I was growing up because Mel Brooks was the only things-that-people-like thing my dad had in common with us. She was my archetype of a perfect woman (or babysitter, teacher, lab partner, boss...maybe just a crush) forever; smart, successful, funny, and cute. She probably had good vacation ideas too.

She had an aneurysm like 15 years ago, after which came one of her last TV appearances, on Letterman of course. YouTube doesn't appear to have it anymore, but while she was obviously impaired, she walked out by herself and was game for the appearance. A real champ.

It's rare that a celebrity death makes me feel sad at my core. This is one of them.

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posted by rhizome at 2:00 AM on October 30 [5 favorites]

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posted by oozy rat in a sanitary zoo at 3:42 AM on October 30

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posted by kaymac at 3:51 AM on October 30

She was so good in so many things. We watched Young Frankenstein last night.

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posted by Gelatin at 4:27 AM on October 30

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posted by tommasz at 4:40 AM on October 30

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posted by drworm at 5:04 AM on October 30

I just watched the "Gary Seven" episode of Star Trek TOS with Teri Garr last night.

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posted by lordrunningclam at 5:11 AM on October 30 [1 favorite]

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posted by grubi at 5:30 AM on October 30

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posted by bonefish at 6:47 AM on October 30

Our "Young Frankenstein" DVD was about due for a re-watch anyway.

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posted by Artful Codger at 7:44 AM on October 30

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posted by faceplantingcheetah at 8:18 AM on October 30

Mod note: One comment removed at member’s request .
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 8:48 AM on October 30

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posted by snsranch at 10:23 AM on October 30

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posted by SonInLawOfSam at 10:36 AM on October 30

While known for her comedy, she started out as a dancer and was very good at that as well.

She danced in The TAMI Show and The Big T.N.T. Show way back in 60s when.
posted by y2karl at 10:43 AM on October 30 [2 favorites]

I loved her so, so much in every movie I got to see her in. So sorry she's gone.

♥ Teri ♥
posted by Lynsey at 11:23 AM on October 30 [4 favorites]

I Feel the Need to Share two of the small Xitter tributes that stuck in my mind yesterday.

"I am heartbroken to hear of my dear friend Teri Garr’s passing. We became fast friends nearly 50 years ago when I was close with the late Carrie Fisher, as they were roommates in New York. To have a friendship last that long is truly special, and Teri was always there for me — a wonderful, kind, and genuinely lovely person. ..." - Stephen Bishop

"Teri Garr was always my idol. When she starred opposite my first husband, Frederic Forrest, in One From the Heart, I was in awe of her dramatic chops, her comedy ease, and her very big heart! Any time I saw her, no matter the struggles, she was always a blast!" - Marilu Henner
posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 1:44 PM on October 30 [5 favorites]

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posted by but no cigar at 2:54 PM on October 30

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posted by Pouteria at 3:39 PM on October 30

I loved her work in everything I saw her in. I was sad when I read this news, but I’ve been watching clips and reading quotes and now my cheeks are sore from smiling. Thank you, Teri Garr.
posted by Songdog at 4:20 PM on October 30

I read her book and you should, too.
posted by Rash at 4:44 PM on October 30

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posted by Mental Wimp at 6:19 PM on October 30

I first fell in love with Teri Garr in Young Frankenstein, and fell in love with her all over again in Close Encounters.

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posted by lhauser at 7:46 PM on October 30

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posted by billsaysthis at 10:25 PM on October 30

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posted by riverlife at 2:54 AM on October 31

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posted by filtergik at 6:07 AM on November 2

A True Star, and charismatic enough to have been even more massive if it was meant to be...

Her memoir Speedbumps: Flooring it Through Hollywood is interesting: hard work, good friends, some bad boyfriends, and cynical Hollywood business as usual. (Trivia: brief romantic fling with Truffaut while making Close Encounters)
posted by ovvl at 3:57 PM on November 4