Teri Garr

Teri Garr began her career as a teenaged ballet dancer and joined a touring company to perform in successful showings of West Side Story.
With her vaudeville performing, comedian, actor of a father, Garr can claim a career in show biz by birthright.

She quickly moved to the big screen and has been seen in big hitters such as "The Andy Griffith Show," "Batman," and "Star Trek." In 1974 Garr had her first substantial film role where she played Amy Fredericks in "The Conversation." The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Writing, Original Screenplay, and Best Sound. The same year "The Conversation" won the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival.

Teri Garr's career started to take flight when she was cast as Inga in the 1974 film "Young Frankenstein" (directed by Mel Brooks, starring Gene Wilder). The movie's 2.8 million dollar budget grossed over $86 million at the box office. She continued on to land roles in Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and, in 1979, "The Black Stallion."

Aside from movies, Garr was also snagging roles and making guest appearances in popular TV shows such as "M*A*S*H*," "Law and Order," "Saturday Night Live," and "Friends." In the early 70's she was a regular cast member on "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour."

In 1982 Teri was given the role of Sandy Lester in Sydney Pollack's comedy "Tootsie." She was the neurotic actress friend of Dustin Hoffman's character. "Tootsie" became the most successful comedy of 1982 in the US. The next year, Garr starred with Michael Keaton in "Mr. Mom."

In 1983 Teri Garr was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She decided to keep it under wraps until 2002 when she made a public confirmation.
Since her announcement, Garr has become a leading advocate for raising awareness about MS and is an ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She is also a chair member of Society's Women Against MS program (WAMS). Hide