Teri Garr, star of ‘Young Frankenstein’ and ‘Tootsie,’ dead at 79
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Teri Garr, the uncommon comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley films to co-star of such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie,” has died. She was once 79.
Garr died Tuesday of a couple of sclerosis “surrounded by family and friends,” stated publicist Heidi Schaeffer. Garr battled other health problems in recent years, underwent an operation in January 2007 to fix an aneurysm.
Admirers took to social media in her honor, with writer-director Paul Feig calling her “truly one of my comedy heroes. I couldn’t have loved her more” and screenwriter Cinco Paul announcing: “Never the star, but always shining. She made everything she was in better.”
The actor, who was once every now and then credited as Terri, Terry or Terry Ann all over her lengthy profession, appeared destined for display industry from her youth.
Her father was once Eddie Garr, a important vaudeville comic; her mom was once Phyllis Lind, one of the crucial untouched high-kicking Rockettes at Unutilized York’s Radio Town Track Corridor. Their daughter started dance courses at 6 and through 14 was once dancing with the San Francisco and Los Angeles ballet firms.
She was once 16 when she joined the street corporate of “West Side Story” in Los Angeles, and as early as 1963 she began to appear in bit portions in movies.
She recalled in a 1988 interview how she gained the “West Side Story” function. Upcoming being dropped from her first audition, she returned a date nearest in several garments and was once authorized.
From there, the golden, statuesque Garr discovered secure paintings dancing in films, and she or he gave the impression within the refrain of 9 Presley movies, together with “Viva Las Vegas,” “Roustabout” and “Clambake.”
She additionally gave the impression on diverse tv presentations, together with “Star Trek,” “Dr. Kildare” and “Batman,” and was once a featured dancer at the rock ‘n’ roll song display “Shindig,” the rock live performance efficiency T.A.M.I. and a solid member of “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.”
Her large movie split got here as Gene Hackman’s female friend in 1974’s Francis Ford Coppola mystery “The Conversation.” That ended in an interview with Mel Brooks, who stated he would rent her for the function of Gene Wilder’s German lab worker in 1974’s “Young Frankenstein” — if she may discuss with a German speech.
“Cher had this German woman, Renata, making wigs, so I got the accent from her,” Garr as soon as recalled.
The movie established her as a skilled comedy performer, with Unutilized Yorker movie critic Pauline Kael proclaiming her “the funniest neurotic dizzy dame on the screen.”
Her large smile and off-center attraction helped land her roles in “Oh God!” reverse George Burns and John Denver, “Mr. Mom” (as Michael Keaton’s spouse) and “Tootsie” during which she performed the female friend who loses Dustin Hoffman to Jessica Lange and learns that he has dressed up as a lady to restore his profession. (She additionally misplaced the supporting actress Oscar at that while’s Academy Awards to Lange.)
Despite the fact that very best identified for comedy, Garr confirmed in such movies as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “The Black Stallion” and “The Escape Artist” that she may care for drama similarly smartly.
“I would like to play ‘Norma Rae’ and ‘Sophie’s Choice,’ but I never got the chance,” she as soon as stated, including she had change into typecast as a comic book actor.
She had an inherent ability for spontaneous humor, ceaselessly taking part in David Letterman’s foil all over visitor appearances on NBC’s “Late Night With David Letterman” early in its run.
Her appearances turned into so common, and the pair’s good-natured bickering so convincing, that for a occasion rumors cropped up that they have been romantically concerned. Years nearest, Letterman credited the ones early appearances with serving to create the display a collision.
It was once additionally all over the ones years that Garr started to really feel “a little beeping or ticking” in her proper leg. It all started in 1983 and ultimately unfold to her proper arm as smartly, however she felt she may are living with it. Via 1999 the indications had change into so hideous that she consulted a physician. The diagnosis: multiple sclerosis.
For 3 years Garr didn’t divulge her defect.
“I was afraid that I wouldn’t get work,” she defined in a 2003 interview. “People hear MS and think, ‘Oh, my God, the person has two days to live.’”
Upcoming going family, she turned into a spokeswoman for the Nationwide A couple of Sclerosis Public, making funny speeches to gatherings within the U.S. and Canada.
“You have to find your center and roll with the punches because that’s a hard thing to do: to have people pity you,” she commented in 2005. “Just trying to explain to people that I’m OK is tiresome.”
She additionally persisted to behave, showing on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Greetings From Tucson,” “Life With Bonnie” and alternative TV presentations. She additionally had a short lived routine function on “Friends” within the Nineties as Lisa Kudrow’s mom. Upcoming a number of failed romances, Garr married contractor John O’Neill in 1993. They followed a daughter, Molly, earlier than divorcing in 1996.
In her 2005 autobiography, “Speedbumps: Flooring It Through Hollywood,” Garr defined her resolution now not to talk about her hour.
“My mother taught me that showbiz people never tell their real ages. She never revealed hers or my father’s,” she wrote. California balloting registration information gave her moment of beginning as Dec. 11, 1947.
She stated she was once born in Los Angeles, despite the fact that maximum reference books listing Lakewood, Ohio. As her father’s profession waned, the folk, together with Teri’s two used brothers, lived with family members within the Midwest and East.
The Garrs ultimately moved again to California, settling within the San Fernando Valley, the place Teri was once graduated from North Hollywood Prime College and studied accent and drama for 2 years at California Shape College, Northridge.
Garr recalled in 1988 what her father had informed his youngsters about pursuing a profession in Hollywood.
“Don’t be in this business,” he informed them. “It’s the lowest. It’s humiliating to people.”