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‘Tootsie’ Oscar Nominee and ‘Young Frankenstein’ Star Turned 79
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‘Tootsie’ Oscar Nominee and ‘Young Frankenstein’ Star Turned 79

Teri Garrthe beloved comedic actor who was nominated for an Oscar for the Sydney Pollack film Tootsiestarred alongside Gene Wilder in Mel Brooks’ classic horror parody Young Frankenstein and played the wife of Richard Dreyfuss in Steven Spielberg’s film. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, died Tuesday of multiple sclerosis in Los Angeles. She was 79 years old.

Her publicist Heidi Schaeffer confirmed the news, writing: “Teri Garr died this morning after a long battle with MS. She was in Los Angeles and died peacefully surrounded by family and friends.

Garr was diagnosed with MS in 1999 and has had health problems in recent years.

Garr got his start with small roles in a number of 1960s Elvis Presley films, including Live Las Vegas And Tank Topand appeared in the 1964 film Annette Funicello Sleepover. She continued to land small film roles throughout the decade and also appeared in episodes of classic television series. Star Trek — as a secretary in the popular 1968 episode “Assignment: Earth” –This girl, Mayberry RFD, it takes a thief And Room 222.

In the early 1970s, she returned to Sonny and Cher time and invited on M*A*S*H, The Odd Couple, The Bob Newhart Show, Barnaby Jones and other popular series.

But his escape took place in 1974.

She appeared in Francis Ford Coppola’s Academy Award-nominated Best Picture film. The conversation, playing the girlfriend of star Gene Hackman, and later that year landed probably her most famous role. Garr starred as Inga, who becomes the laboratory assistant to Wilder’s Dr. Frederick Frankenstein – FRONK-un-STEEN, please – in the hit comedy. Young Frankenstein. Serve as a follow-up to Brooks for Flaming saddles, its stellar cast also included Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn and Hackman in a memorable appearance.

From left: Teri Garr, Peter Boyle (recumbent), Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman in “Young Frankenstein” by Mel Brooks

(1974), 20th Century Fox/Everett Collection

She is sweet, somewhat naive – or not? – And strangely accented character had no shortage of memorable lines. Who could forget “Would you like to roll in some hay?” » “He would have a huge schwanzstucker” or “Put a candle back!“?

RELATED: Mel Brooks Remembers the German Accent That Landed Teri Garr’s Immortal Role as ‘Young Frankenstein’

The film received critical acclaim and was a huge commercial success, before being resurrected as a Broadway musical.

Richard Dreyfuss and Garr in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977)

In the mid-70s, Garr was doing guest stints on other hit TV shows such as McCloud And Maud before starring alongside George Burns and John Denver in Carl Reiner’s 1977 comedy feature. Oh my God ! A few weeks later, the release of Close encounters, Spielberg’s alien-encounter film in which she plays Ronnie Neary, who tries to hold her young family together while her husband (Dreyfuss) becomes obsessed with a shared vision and ends up running away in pursuit.

Close Encounters of the Third set several box office records and became the highest-grossing Columbia Pictures film in history to that point.

Garr continued to work in films as the 1980s dawned, starring on the big screen in The black stallion, by Coppola One from the heart and the comic strip by John Schlesinger Honky Tonk Highway. His next role would be among his most famous.

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Garr played the role of Dustin Hoffman’s girlfriend in Tootsie (1982), Pollack’s Best Picture Oscar-nominated cross-dressing comedy about an unemployed actor (Hoffman) who lands a role in a plum soap opera while disguised as a woman. “Dorothy Michaels” becomes an overnight sensation, and tangles ensue as Hoffman’s Michael Dorsey struggles to keep his secret while being courted by clueless older men.

RELATED: Dabney Coleman dies: ‘Tootsie’, ‘9 To 5’, ‘WarGames’ and ‘Buffalo Bill’ actor was 92

Garr’s Sandy Lester auditions for the fictional soap opera and becomes Dorsey’s lover while he secretly pines for their co-star Julie, played by Jessica Lange, who won the Oscar for Supporting Actress over Garr . Also starring Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning and Bill Murray, the film was also a huge commercial success, surpassing Close Encounters as Columbia’s highest-grossing film.

She also starred with Jackie Gleason and Karl Malden in The Sting II and as Michael Keaton’s wife in the role reversal comedy Mr. Momboth in 1983. Written by emerging filmmaker John Hughes, the latter’s cast also included Martin Mull, Ann Jillian, Jeffrey Tambor and Christopher Lloyd.

RELATED: Martin Mull dies: ‘Clue’, ‘Roseanne’ and ‘Fernwood 2 Nite’ star was 80

Around this time, Garr began appearing on NBC’s burgeoning talk show. Late Night with David Letterman. His frequent, affectionate visits and fake feuds – more than two dozen over the show’s 11 years – were comedic gold, with a near-blushing David Letterman often barely able to contain his glee. She also appeared in 2nd Annual David Letterman Christmas Film Festival in 1986 and later appeared on its follow-up show on CBS Late Show with David Letterman about half a dozen times between 1993 and 2008. Watch them at a session in 1983 here:

RELATED: Lisa Kudrow Pays Tribute to ‘Friends’ TV Mom Teri Garr, Calling Her a ‘Comedy Theater Genius’

Lisa Kudrow and Teri Garr in the Season 4 episode of NBC’s “Friends” in 1997

Warner Bros. Television/Everett Collection

Garr continued to work in film and television into the 2010s, recurring as Phoebe’s (Lisa Kudrow) mother in Friends and also guest on television ER, Frasier, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and others. She was a series regular on the short-lived 1995 sitcom. Women of the House, playing press secretary to Suzanne Sugarbaker (Delta Burke), who moves to DC to serve out her late husband’s term in the House. Also starring Patricia Heaton, Jonathan Banks and Julie Hagerty, the final four episodes of the comedy aired on Lifetime as a two-hour film.

She also had a second career as a voice-over actress in television cartoons, including King of the Hill, The Legend of Prince Valiant, Dr. Katz, professional therapist, two Scooby-Doo! series and as Mary McGinnis on Batman Beyond.

Garr was born into a showbiz family on Dec. 11, 1944, in Los Angeles, according to the AP, although many reference books list her hometown as Lakewood, Ohio. His father was Eddie Garr, who had about two dozen screen credits and worked as a nightclub stand-up comedian. Her mother was Phyllis Lind Garr, who was an original Rockette at Radio City Music Hall and later had a second career as a costume designer and wardrobe worker whose credits include The Graduate, Walking Tall, Young Frankenstein and Alfred Hitchcock’s last gesture, Family land.

Garr has accumulated more than 150 film and television credits during his half-century career, as well as at least 100 appearances on various talk shows, game shows, music shows and documentaries. One of Garr’s first credits was as a go-go dancer on the legendary TAMI Show. Filmed at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in late 1964, it featured the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, James Brown, Chuck Berry, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Lesley Gore, Smokey Robinson, Jan and Dean and others. Toni Basil, who later had a No. 1 hit with “Mickey,” was also a dancer on the show.

Garr’s autobiography, titled Speedbumps: a journey through Hollywoodwas published in 2005.

She was married to John O’Neil for three years in the ’90s and adopted a daughter, Molly O’Neil.