Teri Garr
Known for
One of the great comic actresses of 1970s and 1980s American cinema. A collaborator of prestigious directors, she shone in Mel Brooks' 'Young Frankenstein' (1974) as Inga, in Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Conversation' (1974) and in Steven Spielberg's 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (1977). Oscar-nominated for 'Tootsie' (1982). She appeared in 'Dumb and Dumber' (1994) and the series 'Friends' (1997). American actress identified with comedy, recognized for her eccentric charm and her comic timing, and for her brave openness about multiple sclerosis, until her death in 2024.
Teri Garr
68 Movies
39 Series
One of the great comic actresses of 1970s and 1980s American cinema. A collaborator of prestigious directors, she shone in Mel Brooks' 'Young Frankenstein' (1974) as Inga, in Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Conversation' (1974) and in Steven Spielberg's 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (1977). Oscar-nominated for 'Tootsie' (1982). She appeared in 'Dumb and Dumber' (1994) and the series 'Friends' (1997). American actress identified with comedy, recognized for her eccentric charm and her comic timing, and for her brave openness about multiple sclerosis, until her death in 2024.
Movies
Plays Helen Swanson
Dumb and Dumber
1994
Plays Ronnie Neary
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1977
Plays Julie
After Hours
1985
Plays Inga
Young Frankenstein
1974
Plays Teri Garr
The Player
1992
Plays Sandy Lester
Tootsie
1982
Plays Caroline
Mr. Mom
1983
Plays Amy Fredericks
The Conversation
1974
Plays Mary McGinnis (voice)
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
2000
Plays Louise Hamilton
Prêt-à-Porter
1994
Plays Alec's Mother
The Black Stallion
1979
Plays Mayor Molly Quinn (voice)
Aloha Scooby-Doo!
2005
Plays Pam
Let It Ride
1989
Plays Rena
A Simple Wish
1997
Plays Mary McGinnis (voice)
Batman Beyond: The Movie
1999
Plays Bobbie Landers
Oh, God!
1977
Plays Helen Lorenzo
Dick
1999
Plays Alec Ramsay's Mother
The Black Stallion Returns
1983
Plays Frannie
One from the Heart
1982
Plays Veronica
The Sting II
1983
Plays Kay
Waiting for the Light
1990
Plays Suze
Kabluey
2007
Plays Testy True
Head
1968
Plays Carolyn Simpson
Short Time
1990
Plays Pajama Girl
Pajama Party
1964
Plays Wendy
Firstborn
1984
Plays Sunny
Out Cold
1989
Plays Fluffy Peters
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
1976
Plays Jill (of Jack and Jill)
Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme
1990
Plays Marge Nelson
Mom and Dad Save the World
1992
Plays Young Wife
The Moonshine War
1970
Plays Louise
Full Moon in Blue Water
1988
Plays Ericka
Honky Tonk Freeway
1981
Plays Arlene
The Escape Artist
1982
Plays Madame Hugonaut
Life Without Dick
2002
Plays Teri
Maryjane
1968
Plays Whiz Girl
The Cool Ones
1967
Plays Susan Cates
The Absent-Minded Waiter
1977
Plays Ginnie
A Taste Of Jupiter
2005
Plays Margaret Lightman
Witches' Brew
1980
Plays Mrs. Livingston
Kill the Man
1999
Plays Laney Tolbert
Perfect Alibi
1995
Plays Lee Dilley
Half a Dozen Babies
1999
Plays Mona Hall
The Sky is Falling
2001
Plays Connie
Changing Habits
1997
Plays Amy McCleary
Prime Suspect
1982
Plays Jean
Miracles
1986
Plays JoAnn McGrath
Murder Live!
1997
Plays Claire's Mother / Aunt Tilde
Expired
2007
Plays Waitress
Changes
1969
TV Shows
Plays Sissy Emerson
Women of the House
1995
Plays Paige Turner
Good Advice
1993
Plays Denise Sandler
Good & Evil
1991
Plays Mary McGinnis (voice)
Batman Beyond
1999
Plays Duchess
Adventures in Wonderland
1992
Plays Phoebe Sr.
Friends
1994
Plays Sgt. Phyllis Norton
McCloud
1970
Plays Sandra McCadden
Dream On
1990
Plays Miss Brennan
The Bob Newhart Show
1972
Plays Maggie Philbin
It Takes a Thief
1968
Plays Roberta Lincoln
Star Trek
1966
Plays Lt. Suzanne Marquette
M*A*S*H
1972
Plays Mrs. Abigail Portinbody
Life with Bonnie
2002
Plays Laney (voice)
King of the Hill
1997
Plays Nancy (voice)
Frasier
1993
Plays Yenta
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
1996
Plays Wife/Singer
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
1971
Plays Cashier
Mayberry R.F.D.
1968
Plays Girl in Red Convertible
The Andy Griffith Show
1960
Plays Princess
Faerie Tale Theatre
1982
Plays Sandy Gordon (voice)
What's New, Scooby-Doo?
2002
Plays Carol
Men Behaving Badly
1996
Plays Teri Garr
The Weird Al Show
1997
Plays Usherette
The Mothers-in-Law
1967
Plays Irene Paloma ("segment "The Trap")
Tales from the Crypt
1989
Plays Mimi Stark
Strong Medicine
2000
Plays Insurance Agent
The Odd Couple
1970
Plays Celinda Randlett
ER
1994
Plays Teri Garr
Murphy Brown
1988
Plays Maria Thompson
Barnaby Jones
1973
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
Kabluey
Full Filmography
Kabluey
Suze
2007
Film
Expired
Claire's Mother / Aunt Tilde
2007
Film
Unaccompanied Minors
Aunt Judy (uncredited)
2006
Film
Crumbs
Lorraine Bergman · 1 episode
2006–
TV
A Taste Of Jupiter
Ginnie
2005
Film
Aloha Scooby-Doo!
Mayor Molly Quinn (voice)
2005
Film
Life with Bonnie
Mrs. Abigail Portinbody · 1 episode
2002–2003
TV
What's New, Scooby-Doo?
Sandy Gordon (voice) · 1 episode
2002–
TV
Life Without Dick
Madame Hugonaut
2002
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Teri Garr still alive?
Teri Garr passed away on October 29, 2024 at age 79.
What are the most famous roles of Teri Garr?
Teri Garr is best known for roles in Dumb and Dumber, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Young Frankenstein.
How many movies has Teri Garr been in?
Over a 61-year career (since 1963), Teri Garr has appeared in 67 movies and 39 TV shows.
What was Teri Garr's first movie?
The career of Teri Garr began with A Swingin' Affair (1963).
What is Teri Garr's most recent movie or series?
Teri Garr's most recent release is A Better Man: The Making of 'Tootsie', which premiered on February 5, 2008.
What TV shows has Teri Garr appeared in?
On television, Teri Garr has appeared in Friends, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Star Trek, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
Teri Garr
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.