Actress Teri Garr, known for her comedic talent and versatility in film and television, has died at the age of 79, her representative confirmed. Garr, who found fame in classic films such as Young Frankenstein, Encounters in the third phase y Tootsiehad been fighting health problems for years. In 2002, he publicly announced that he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Later, in 2007, she underwent surgery due to a brain aneurysm that worsened her health condition.
Born on December 11, 1944 in Lakewood, Ohio, Garr grew up in a family dedicated to show business: her father, Eddie Garr, was a vaudeville and Broadway actor; and his mother, Phyllis Lind, a dancer with The Rockettes company at Radio City Music Hall in New York. From an early age, Teri became interested in the performing arts, beginning her career in ballet and eventually acting, studying at the Actor’s Studio in New York.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Garr became known on television with roles in series such as Star Trek y Batman. However, it was in the cinema where he shone brightest. In 1974, his role in the comedy Young Frankensteinby Mel Brooks, where she played Inga, Dr. Frankenstein’s assistant, earned her entry into the collective imagination. Years later, in 1982, he had a role in Tootsiein which she played Dustin Hoffman’s friend and partner, and which earned her an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. In addition to comedy, Garr also ventured into science fiction with films such as Encounters in the third phase (1977), directed by Steven Spielberg, where she played the wife of Richard Dreyfuss’ character.