Teri Garr, who died this week at the age of 79 after a long battle with multiple sclerosiswas the definition of a comedy icon. The star of classics such as Young Frankenstein, Toetsie And Mister Mom was instantly recognizable by her blonde and blue-eyed charm, her hilarious facial expressions, her fabulously volatile delivery and her spot-on comedic timing, and she delighted audiences for decades, with more than 150 credits to her name.
Garr’s performance as an actress is undeniably impressive (she even earned an Oscar nomination for her role in Toetsie) and she lived a special life. Here’s a look at some fascinating facts you might not have known about the eternally lovable star.
Enter Teri Garr Young Frankenstein (1974)
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Teri Garr’s Hollywood roots: born into showbiz
Teri Garr came into contact with the entertainment industry at a young age. Her father, Eddy Garrwas an actor and vaudeville performer opposite Marilyn Monroe in the 1948 musical Ladies of the choir. Sadly, he died when Teri was only 11. Her mother, Phyllis Garrwas a Rockette who later became a costume designer.
Teri Garr started dancing with Elvis Presley
Garr is most associated with films from the ’70s and ’80s, but she got her start in the ’60s, and while most of her first roles were non-speaking and uncredited, that doesn’t make them any less impressive. Garr started her career as a dancer and you could see her showing off her moves Elvis musicals like Live Las Vegas, Kissing cousins, Roustabout And Klembake.
Reflecting on her Elvis films, Garr said: “I did a series of about six or seven Elvis films, all in a row. He made all those films in two years. All bad.”
Teri Garr and Carrie Fisher were roommates and lifelong friends
Early in her career, Garr was roommates with another 70s star, the late Carrie Visser. The two actresses remained friends, and as testament to their enduring cool, a photo of them with fellow It Girl emerged in 1977 Amy Irving has become an important part of social media.
Teri Garr with Amy Irving and Carrie Fisher in 1977
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Her first speaking film role was with the Monkees
By the end of the 1960s, Garr already had a number of appearances as a dancer in children’s films on her resume, and she switched to speaking roles with a brief but memorable role in the infamous film Heada 1968 vehicle for the Monkeys which was written and produced by Jack Nicholson. The film fully embraced the psychedelic culture of the time, leading to a decidedly mixed response from moviegoers expecting squeaky clean pop star vibes.
Teri Garr in 1965
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Teri Garr’s science fiction debut in Star Trek And Close meetings
Garr’s most important early role was in 1968 Star Trek episode ‘Assignment: Earth’, which was originally intended as a pilot for a spin-off series. The actress was happy that the spin-off never happened and saw her character as an idiotic stereotype. As she recalls in her memoir, “I played Roberta Lincoln, a wimpy secretary in a pink and orange suit with a very short skirt. If the spin-off had succeeded, I would have continued as an Earthling and worked to preserve humanity. In a very short skirt.”
Garr returned to the science fiction world in 1977, when she had one of her most famous roles as Richard Dreyfusswoman inside Steven Spielberg‘s classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
She was part of the The Sonny & Cher comedy hour
In 1972, Garr became a cast member of the series The Sonny & Cher comedy hourand performed in comedy sketches with the musical duo. Her work with Cher surprisingly helped land an iconic role, when she revealed that her exaggerated accent in the 1974 film Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein was inspired by the pop diva’s wig maker and said: “Cher’s wig maker came from Dusseldorf, so I just did an imitation of her.” The rest is comedy history!
How Teri Garr Became David Letterman’s Favorite Guest
Garr was just as hilarious in real life as he was in the movies, and in its early days David LettermanDuring the late night show, she was a frequent guest and performed more than 30 times. Garr was one of the few guests who could dish out banter and sarcasm as well as the acerbic host, and viewers couldn’t get enough of their comedic chemistry.
Following the news of her death, Letterman wrote: “Teri Garr’s many performances continue Late evening gave it a cachet and importance that would not have been possible without her. She was one top-notch actor and comedian and a lovely person. A bright star and a true friend of the show. I was lucky to know her. She took everything to the next level, and I’m sad she’s gone.”
She played many women, but did not marry until later in life
An actress who often stole the show in supporting roles, Garr played many girlfriends and wives throughout her career. Although she excelled in this field, she did not marry herself until 1993, when she was 49. That year she married John O’Neil, a contractor, and they adopted a daughter, Molly. They divorced in 1996.
Teri Garr played a woman in many films including Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
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Teri Garr changed her name early on
Teri Garr was originally named Terry, but she decided to change the spelling early in her career when a numerologist told her that having double letters in her first and last name would lead to bad luck. She once joked that meeting a numerologist “the best $35 I once spent’ and found great success in Hollywood – although it probably had more to do with her brilliant comedic talents than the spelling of her name.
Teri Garr in 1984
Bob Riha, Jr./Getty
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