1944-12-11 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.
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Mel Brooks: Unwrapped | Self (archive footage) | 2018-02-17 |
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Mel Brooks: Make a Noise | Self (archive footage) | 2013-05-20 |
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A Better Man: The Making of 'Tootsie' | Self | 2008-02-05 |
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Expired | Claire's Mother / Aunt Tilde | 2007-01-19 |
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Kabluey | Suze | 2007-06-25 |
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Unaccompanied Minors | Aunt Judy (uncredited) | 2006-12-08 |
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The Wiki-Tiki Tail of Aloha Scooby-Doo | Self | 2005-02-08 |
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A Taste Of Jupiter | Ginnie | 2005-09-15 |
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Aloha Scooby-Doo! | Mayor Molly Quinn (voice) | 2005-02-08 |
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The Dream Studio | self | 2004-01-01 |
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Searching for Debra Winger | Self | 2002-07-13 |
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Life Without Dick | Madame Hugonaut | 2002-03-05 |
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The Sky is Falling | Mona Hall | 2001-06-07 |
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Ghost World | Maxine (uncredited) | 2001-07-20 |
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A Colder Kind of Death | Tess Malone | 2001-01-09 |
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The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' | Self | 2001-05-08 |
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Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Mary McGinnis (voice) | 2000-12-12 |
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Dick | Helen Lorenzo | 1999-08-04 |
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Kill the Man | Mrs. Livingston | 1999-01-24 |
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Half a Dozen Babies | Lee Dilley | 1999-05-17 |
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Batman Beyond: The Movie | Mary McGinnis (voice) | 1999-01-10 |
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Casper Meets Wendy | Fanny | 1998-09-10 |
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Ronnie and Julie | Elizabeth Monroe | 1997-03-29 |
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The Definite Maybe | Dionne Waters | 1997-07-04 |
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Murder Live! | JoAnn McGrath | 1997-03-09 |
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Changing Habits | Connie | 1997-05-20 |
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NightScream | Julie Ordwell | 1997-04-14 |
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A Simple Wish | Rena | 1997-07-11 |
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Michael | Judge Esther Newberg | 1996-12-25 |
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Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein | Inga (archive footage) | 1996-01-01 |
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Double Jeopardy | Cindy Dubroski | 1996-01-30 |
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Shining Time Station: One of the Family | Sister Conductor | 1995-09-23 |
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Perfect Alibi | Laney Tolbert | 1995-09-04 |
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Dumb and Dumber | Helen Swanson | 1994-12-16 |
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Aliens for Breakfast | Mrs. Bickerstaff | 1994-04-02 |
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Prêt-à-Porter | Louise Hamilton | 1994-12-23 |
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Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert | Brita Burrows | 1993-11-19 |
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Deliver Them from Evil: The Taking of Alta View | Susan Woolley | 1992-04-28 |
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Mom and Dad Save the World | Marge Nelson | 1992-07-24 |
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The Player | Teri Garr | 1992-05-08 |
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Robert Altman's Players | Self | 1992-01-01 |
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Stranger in the Family | Randi Thompson | 1991-10-27 |
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The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic | Self | 1991-05-20 |
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Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme | Jill (of Jack and Jill) | 1990-05-19 |
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Short Time | Carolyn Simpson | 1990-05-04 |
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A Quiet Little Neighborhood, a Perfect Little Murder | Marsha Pegler | 1990-10-04 |
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Waiting for the Light | Kay | 1990-06-14 |
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Let It Ride | Pam | 1989-08-18 |
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Out Cold | Sunny | 1989-03-03 |
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Full Moon in Blue Water | Louise | 1988-11-23 |
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Jackie Gleason: The Great One | Self | 1988-09-10 |
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Flapjack Floozie | Helen Eagles | 1988-06-17 |
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Pack of Lies | Helen Schaefer | 1987-04-26 |
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Paul Reiser: Out on a Whim | Self | 1987-12-05 |
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Miracles | Jean | 1986-07-11 |
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Intimate Strangers | Sally Bierston | 1986-01-01 |
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The History of White People in America | Self | 1985-06-04 |
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Night of 100 Stars II | Self | 1985-03-10 |
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After Hours | Julie | 1985-09-13 |
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Steve Martin: Homage to Steve | Self | 1984-09-06 |
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Firstborn | Wendy | 1984-10-26 |
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To Catch a King | Hannah Winter | 1984-01-20 |
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Do It Debbie's Way | Self | 1983-03-11 |
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The Winter of Our Discontent | Mary Hawley | 1983-12-06 |
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The Black Stallion Returns | Alec Ramsay's Mother | 1983-03-25 |
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Mr. Mom | Caroline | 1983-07-22 |
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The Sting II | Veronica | 1983-02-18 |
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The Escape Artist | Arlene | 1982-05-28 |
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One from the Heart | Frannie | 1982-02-11 |
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Tootsie | Sandy Lester | 1982-12-17 |
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The Tale of the Frog Prince | Princess | 1982-09-11 |
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Prime Suspect | Amy McCleary | 1982-01-20 |
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Rendez-Vous Video Magazine | Self (segment "Coppola") | 1981-01-01 |
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Inside the Coppola Personality | Self | 1981-01-01 |
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Honky Tonk Freeway | Ericka | 1981-08-21 |
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Doctor Franken | Kelli Fisher | 1980-01-13 |
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Witches' Brew | Margaret Lightman | 1980-10-31 |
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Mr. Mike's Mondo Video | Self | 1979-09-20 |
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Java Junkie | Waitress | 1979-03-07 |
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The Black Stallion | Alec's Mother | 1979-10-13 |
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Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary | Self | 1977-11-25 |
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The Absent-Minded Waiter | Susan Cates | 1977-07-13 |
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Once Upon a Brothers Grimm | Frog Princess | 1977-11-23 |
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Close Encounters of the Third Kind | Ronnie Neary | 1977-12-14 |
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Oh, God! | Bobbie Landers | 1977-10-07 |
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Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood | Fluffy Peters | 1976-07-26 |
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Law and Order | Rita Wasinski | 1976-05-06 |
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Young Frankenstein | Inga | 1974-12-15 |
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The Conversation | Amy Fredericks | 1974-04-07 |
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Summertree | Bennie's Girlfriend (uncredited) | 1971-06-06 |
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The Moonshine War | Young Wife | 1970-06-30 |
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You Haven't Changed a Bit | Corinne | 1970-01-04 |
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Changes | Waitress | 1969-02-11 |
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Maryjane | Teri | 1968-02-01 |
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Head | Testy True | 1968-11-06 |
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The Cool Ones | Whiz Girl | 1967-04-12 |
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Clambake | Dancer (uncredited) | 1967-12-04 |
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The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Chinese Junk | Susie | 1967-09-08 |
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Where's the Bus? | Girl | 1966-02-26 |
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For Pete's Sake | 1966-10-14 | |
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Red Line 7000 | Nightclub Dancer (uncredited) | 1965-11-09 |
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John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! | Harem Girl (uncredited) | 1965-03-24 |
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Viva Las Vegas | Dancer (uncredited) | 1964-02-08 |
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Pajama Party | Pajama Girl | 1964-11-11 |
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Kissin' Cousins | Hillbilly Dancer (uncredited) | 1964-03-06 |
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Roustabout | Carnival Dancer (uncredited) | 1964-11-11 |
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What a Way to Go! | Shipboard Number Dancer (uncredited) | 1964-07-02 |
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The T.A.M.I. Show | Self - Go-Go Dancer (uncredited) | 1964-11-14 |
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A Swingin' Affair | 1963-05-23 | |
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Fun in Acapulco | Hotel Guest (uncredited) | 1963-11-27 |
