American film and television actress Teri Garr died on Tuesday at the age of 79. She had been struggling with multiple sclerosis for years. Viewers know her from productions such as “Young Frankenstein” or “Tootsie”. She received an Oscar nomination for her role in the latter film. She also appeared in the series “Friends”.
Teri Garr was born in December 1944 in Lakewood, Ohio. She was the daughter of Broadway actor Eddie Garr and dancer Phyllis Garr. She graduated from the famous Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute in New York.
One of her first experiences in the world of show business was the role of a dancer in the video “Viva Las Vegas” by Elvis Presley.
After roles in television series such as “Star Trek” and “Batman,” Garr was cast by Mel Brooks as a lab assistant in the 1974 film “Young Frankenstein.”
Fans of the series “Friends” may also associate her with the role of Phoebe Abbott, the biological mother of one of the main characters of the series, Phoebe Buffay.
In 1983, she was nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role in the comedy “Tootsie”, where she starred alongside Dustin Hoffman.
She had been seriously ill for years
Garr died Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 79 from health complications related to multiple sclerosis.
The actress announced her diagnosis in 2002 and became a promoter of prevention and research for this disease. In 2007, she also underwent surgery for a brain aneurysm and used a wheelchair for some time. “I had to learn to walk, talk and think again, which I'm not sure is necessary in Hollywood,” she joked in an interview with Reuters in 2008.
She also admitted that her sense of humor helped her survive health problems. – A sense of humor and attitude are the most important in everything – she said in an interview with Reuters.
Main photo source: Avalon/PAP