Teri Garr, Young Frankenstein and Tootsie star, dies at 79
Oscar-nominated actress Teri Garr, best known for her roles in Young Frankenstein, Mr. Mom, and Tootsie, has passed away at age 79, according to U.S. media reports.
Garr died in Los Angeles on Tuesday after a 20-year battle with multiple sclerosis, “surrounded by family and friends,” her publicist Heidi Schaeffer said in a statement.
In 2002, Garr first publicly discussed her struggle with the chronic autoimmune disease to help raise awareness.
In addition to MS, the comedic actress faced other health challenges, including surgery in 2007 to repair an aneurysm, as reported by CBS, BBC’s U.S. news partner.
Garr began her career as a background dancer in Elvis Presley films. Her mother, a former dancer, introduced her to dance classes at age six.
Her first professional role was with the touring company for West Side Story in Los Angeles, which led to film dance roles and then appearances in TV series such as Batman and Dr. Kildare.
In 1974, Garr’s career took off with a supporting role in the thriller The Conversation. Her breakthrough role came when she played Gene Wilder’s lab assistant with a German accent in the comedy Young Frankenstein.
She established herself as a comedy actor and began making frequent appearances on Late Night with David Letterman.
Beyond comedy, Garr also played dramatic roles in Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The Black Stallion. She also appeared in television shows such as Star Trek and That Girl.