Celebrated Oscar-nominated actress who earned accolades for her performances in films like ‘Young Frankenstein,’ ‘Tootsie,’ and ‘Mr. Mom,’ Teri Garr has passed away.
Her manager, Marc Gurvitz, confirmed that Garr died on Tuesday in Los Angeles, marking the end of decades-long battle with multiple sclerosis (MS).
She was aged 79.
Gurvitz said the actress was diagnosed with the condition more than 20 years ago.
She had gone public with her illness in 2002 to raise awareness for others living with multiple sclerosis.
“I think everybody is scared and frightened when they hear something like that,” Garr said during an interview with CNN at the time, recounting the challenges she faced before receiving a diagnosis.
This was after visiting 11 doctors and enduring years of unexplained symptoms.
“That’s because there’s so much – you know, there’s not a lot of information out there about it. And a lot of people don’t know that it’s not that bad. I mean, I’m going on with my life,” she added.
Born into show business, Garr was the daughter of a Broadway performer and a Radio City Rockette.
She grew up studying dance in Los Angeles, where she began auditioning shortly after finishing high school.
Her earliest roles were as a dancer and extra, including a part in Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas.’
Garr’s breakthrough came during the 1970s, a prolific period in which she made several television appearances on hit shows like ‘The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour,’ ‘The New Dick Van Dyke Show,’ ‘The Odd Couple,’ and ‘The Bob Newhart Show’.
Reflecting on those early days, Garr once said, “I finally asked myself, ‘Why am I not in the front?’ I didn’t study all those years to be in the back and get no money.”
