LOS ANGELES (AP) — Teri Garr, the quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley motion pictures to co-star of such favorites as “Younger Frankenstein” and “Tootsie,” has died. She was 79.
Garr died Tuesday of a number of sclerosis “surrounded by household and pals,” mentioned publicist Heidi Schaeffer. Garr battled different well being issues in recent times and underwent an operation in January 2007 to restore an aneurysm.
Admirers took to social media in her honor, with writer-director Paul Feig calling her “actually one in all my comedy heroes. I couldn’t have beloved her extra” and screenwriter Cinco Paul saying: “By no means the star, however all the time shining. She made all the pieces she was in higher.”
The actor, who was typically credited as Terri, Terry or Terry Ann throughout her lengthy profession, appeared destined for present enterprise from her childhood.
Her father was Eddie Garr, a widely known vaudeville comic; her mom was Phyllis Lind, one of many authentic high-kicking Rockettes at New York’s Radio Metropolis Music Corridor. Their daughter started dance classes at 6 and by 14 was dancing with the San Francisco and Los Angeles ballet firms.
She was 16 when she joined the highway firm of “West Facet Story” in Los Angeles, and as early as 1963 she started showing in bit elements in movies.
She recalled in a 1988 interview how she received the “West Facet Story” position. After being dropped from her first audition, she returned a day later in numerous garments and was accepted.
From there, Garr discovered regular work dancing in motion pictures, and he or she appeared within the refrain of 9 Presley movies, together with “Viva Las Vegas,” “Roustabout” and “Clambake.”
She additionally appeared on quite a few tv reveals, together with “Star Trek,” “Dr. Kildare” and “Batman,” and was a featured dancer on the rock ‘n’ roll music present “Shindig,” the rock live performance efficiency T.A.M.I. and a solid member of “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.”
Her huge movie break got here as Gene Hackman’s girlfriend in 1974’s Francis Ford Coppola thriller “The Dialog.” That led to an interview with Mel Brooks, who mentioned he would rent her for the position of Gene Wilder’s German lab assistant in 1974’s “Younger Frankenstein” — if she may communicate with a German accent.
“Cher had this German lady, Renata, making wigs, so I acquired the accent from her,” Garr as soon as recalled.
The movie established her as a proficient comedy performer, with New Yorker movie critic Pauline Kael proclaiming her “the funniest neurotic dizzy dame on the display.”
Her huge smile and off-center enchantment helped land her roles in “Oh, God!” reverse George Burns and John Denver, “Mr. Mother” (as Michael Keaton’s spouse) and “Tootsie” through which she performed the girlfriend who loses Dustin Hoffman to Jessica Lange and learns that he has dressed up as a lady to revive his profession. (She additionally misplaced the supporting actress Oscar at that 12 months’s Academy Awards to Lange.)
Though greatest recognized for comedy, Garr confirmed in such movies as “Shut Encounters of the Third Variety,” “The Black Stallion” and “The Escape Artist” that she may deal with drama equally properly.
“I wish to play ‘Norma Rae’ and ‘Sophie’s Alternative,’ however I by no means acquired the prospect,” she as soon as mentioned, including she had grow to be typecast as a comic book actor.
She had a aptitude for spontaneous humor, typically enjoying David Letterman’s foil throughout visitor appearances on NBC’s “Late Night time With David Letterman” early in its run.
Her appearances grew to become so frequent, and the pair’s good-natured bickering so convincing, that for a time rumors cropped up that they had been romantically concerned. Years later, Letterman credited these early appearances with serving to make the present successful.
It was additionally throughout these years that Garr started to really feel “just a little beeping or ticking” in her proper leg. It started in 1983 and ultimately unfold to her proper arm as properly, however she felt she may reside with it. By 1999 the signs had grow to be so extreme that she consulted a physician. The prognosis: a number of sclerosis.
For 3 years Garr didn’t reveal her sickness.
“I used to be afraid that I wouldn’t get work,” she defined in a 2003 interview. “Individuals hear MS and assume, ‘Oh, my God, the particular person has two days to reside.’”
After going public, she grew to become a spokesperson for the Nationwide A number of Sclerosis Society, making humorous speeches to gatherings within the U.S. and Canada.
“It’s a must to discover your middle and roll with the punches as a result of that’s a tough factor to do: to have folks pity you,” she commented in 2005. “Simply attempting to clarify to people who I’m OK is tiresome.”
She additionally continued to behave, showing on “Legislation & Order: Particular Victims Unit,” “Greetings From Tucson,” “Life With Bonnie” and different TV reveals. She additionally had a quick recurring position on “Buddies” within the Nineties as Lisa Kudrow’s mom. Garr married contractor John O’Neil in 1993. They adopted a daughter, Molly, earlier than divorcing in 1996.
In her 2005 autobiography, “Speedbumps: Flooring It By means of Hollywood,” Garr defined her determination to not talk about her age.
“My mom taught me that showbiz folks by no means inform their actual ages. She by no means revealed hers or my father’s,” she wrote.
She mentioned she was born in Los Angeles, though most reference books record Lakewood, Ohio. As her father’s profession waned, the household, together with Teri’s two older brothers, lived with kin within the Midwest and East.
The Garrs ultimately moved again to California, settling within the San Fernando Valley, the place Teri graduated from North Hollywood Excessive Faculty and studied speech and drama for 2 years at California State College, Northridge.
Garr recalled in 1988 what her father had informed his youngsters about pursuing a profession in Hollywood.
“Don’t be on this enterprise,” he informed them. “It’s the bottom. It’s humiliating to folks.”
Garr is survived by her daughter, Molly O’Neil, and a grandson, Tyryn.
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Bob Thomas, a longtime Related Press journalist who died in 2014, was the principal author of this obituary. AP Leisure Author Mark Kennedy contributed to this report.
