Teri Garr dead at 79: Oscar nominated star of Tootsie, Young Frankenstein, and Friends passes away

2 weeks ago 8

By Justin Enriquez For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:29 GMT, 29 October 2024 | Updated: 17:57 GMT, 29 October 2024

Teri Garr - who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Tootsie - has passed away at the age of 79.

She is also known for her roles in Young Frankenstein,  Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, and as Phoebe's mother in iconic sitcom Friends.

The veteran actress passed away in Los Angeles on Tuesday after a long battle with Multiple sclerosis (MS).

In 2002 the talented star had revealed that she had been diagnosed with the  chronic disease that damages the central nervous system (CNS). Years later she suffered an aneurysm in 2006. 

As she had nearly 160 credits to her name  starring in influential television shows and films from the 1970s to 1990s, she was an influential performer to many including SNL legend Tina Fey.

Teri Garr - who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Tootsie - has passed away at the age of 79

The veteran actress (pictured in New Jersey back in October 2014)  passed away in Los Angeles on Tuesday after a long battle with Multiple sclerosis (MS)

The peak of her career came in 1983 as she was nominated in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category for her work as Sandy Lester in Tootsie.

She ultimately lost out to castmate Jessica Lange from the same film who happened to the the loan winner out of ten nominations that year.

Her most famous television role came from when she starred as Phoebe Abbott in three episodes of iconic sitcom Friends from 1997 to 1998.

In the episode The One At The Beach, her character discloses to Lisa Kudrow's character Phoebe Buffay that she's her birth mother.

Teri had returned to the role in two other episodes titled The One With Jellyfish and The One With Phoebe's Uniform. 

Another one of her iconic roles was as Ronnie Neary in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters Of The Third Kind in 1977. 

She portrayed the wife of Richard Dreyfuss' character Roy as the film won the Best Cinematography Oscar in 1978 for Vilmos Zsigmond.

However her breakout role was as saucy assistant Inga in 1974 Mel Brooks classic Young Frankenstein where she starred opposite Gene Wilder. 

The peak of her career came in 1983 as she was nominated in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category for her work as Sandy Lester in Tootsie; she is pictured with Dustin Hoffman (left) and Sydney Pollack (right)

Her most famous television role came from when she starred as Phoebe Abbott in three episodes of iconic sitcom Friends from 1997 to 1998 (pictured with Lisa Kudrow in 1998)

However her breakout role was as saucy assistant Inga in 1974 Mel Brooks classic Young Frankenstein where she starred opposite Gene Wilder

The talented thespian was originally born in Ohio but eventually moved to Los Angeles.

She attended Hollywood High School and attended Cal State Northridge before eventually moving to New York to study acting.

Teri actually started her career as a go-go dancer including in six Elvis Presley features and rock concert The T.A.M.I. Show.

In the 1960s she had small parts on sitcoms including That Girl, Batman, and The Andy Griffith Show. 

Her first speaking role came in 1968 as she starred in Head which was the offbeat feature film from the pop band The Monkees.

Read Entire Article