RIP Teri Garr
Actress Teri Garr has died at 79, with her cause of death listed as multiple sclerosis. Garr started as a dancer but became known for mostly comic roles:
Garr’s big break came with her role as Inga, Frankenstein’s assistant, in Mel Brooks’ 1974 comedy horror “Young Frankenstein.” …
That same year, Garr starred in Francis Ford Coppola’s thriller “The Conversation.” She followed that up with Steven Spielberg’s 1977 sci-fi film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”
Come the 1980s, Garr landed a role opposite Dustin Hoffman in the satirical rom-com “Tootsie.” Her performance as Sandy Lester earned Garr her first and only nomination for an Academy Award.
Garr was in many more movies as well. She had a deft comic touch that was often subtly deadpan. I think most people might remember her best from “Young Frankenstein,” but for me it was “After Hours,” the quirky and somewhat surrealistic Scorcese film about a really bad night in New York:
After Hours is always near the top of my movie recommendations because so many people haven’t seen it. It’s great! Can’t imagine anyone not liking that movie.
She was great in After Hours.
After Hours is kinda the movie you accidentally tune into while going through the channels and end up watching the whole thing.
Then, every once in awhile, you watch it again from the beginning
One of my favorite actresses. RIP.
Mike Plaiss:
I love After Hours, and I saw it originally in a movie theater and have watched it many times since. But I have no trouble imagining people not liking it.
Trekkies also remember Teri Garr as the slightly ditzy but very intelligent secretary Roberta Lincoln in the “Assignment: Earth” episode (original series, season 2).
“After Hours” had a budget of $4.5 mil and a box office of $10.6 mil. So it didn’t lose money but didn’t make much either.
I saw it when it came out and loved it, but I never ran into many people who did see it. Comedy is one thing; black humor another. I tend to humour noir, myself.
It does seem to be a film which is better remembered than originally received.
My first reaction when seeing this news was “No, not Teri Garr!”
She was a one-of-a-kind, and I don’t mean that as a cliche. Not only did she have such great talent for acting (I didn’t know about the dancing though); but she always came across as such a likable person, one who you might be friends with if you met her in real life.
My she rest in peace.
“After Hours” had the same template as Scorcese’s “Goodfellas.” It starts low-key then gradually escalates the speed and tension to an insane climax, followed by utter deflation.
In Griffin Dunne’s case he is literally being pursued down the street by an angry mob led by a cute blond, Catherine O’Hara, driving a Mr. Softee ice cream truck.
A scholarly paper could be written on Dunne’s eye cuts in “After Hours.”
Wasn’t expecting this. But then, I haven’t seen her in a movie or a show in a long, long time. Of course, it’s possible that I missed her; I don’t catch a lot of movies or shows.
Always liked what Pauline Kael wrote in praise of her performance in “One From the Heart”: “She dances like a hot poney.”
Perfect.
And in “Young Frankenstein”:
DR. FRANKENSTEIN: “Say, those are nice knockers!”
INGA: “Oh, zank-you dok-tor!”
Very cute, very funny, very talented. Always a joy to watch. RIP, kid.
I’m seventy-two years old, and that’s enough time to have accumulated a few female friends, but I’ve always been suspicious of women as friends, and time has sadly proved me right.
In the US, celebrities and movie stars play roles similar to the saints in religious societies. We project our emotions and desires upon them. As a much, much younger man, I wanted to be Terri Garr’s friend. In that, she was a unique actress. As far as I know, it was the least of her achievements. RIP.
Star Trek, as the genius bimbo. Frankenstein… Frankenshteen, too. She was an entertaining and talented actress. A beautiful girl. A fond farewell.
MJR beat me to the obscure Star Trek episode.
I loved After Hours. There are also noteworthy films like Close Encounters of a Third Kind, Tootsie, The Player (Robert Altman), and The Conversation (F.F. Coppola).
The earliest entry for her in IMDB is as a go-go dancer – a real one, not acting – in the T. A. M. I. Show, a superb music performance video from 1964 featuring James Brown, The Rolling Stones, the Supremes, The Beach Boys, the Miracles and many others. RIP, Teri.
In the US, celebrities and movie stars play roles similar to the saints in religious societies. We project our emotions and desires upon them.
==
That’s not the role of saints in any society.
Oh yes close encounters i dont recall her part in the conversation i though cyndi marshall had a larger role nor the player
She wasnt a bimbo exactly more like someone out if depths in extraordinary circumstance in that trek episode (there was a trek series of books where they continue the adventures into the 70s leading into the eugenics wars)
She was appealing, especially as “Roberta Lincoln”. Cannot say I’ve seen her in anything since a TV movie that IMDB reminds me was released in 1990.
Re: Teri Gar / Close Encounters of a Third Kind
TommyJay:
I found her scenes as the frazzled working class mom trying to hold it together while her husband, Richard Dreyfuss, has seemingly lost his mind, quite painful and hard watching in later viewings.
Sure, we know that Dreyfuss really Saw Something, but there is no way for Teri Garr to know that. All she knows is she must keep things together for the kids.
In later years Spielberg admitted that he regretted the ending of the film where Dreyfuss blithely abandons his family to fly off with the Space Beings.
Yes your husband goes nutz and drags you to devils peak colorado (its often suggested that et was sort of a sequel to ce) jj abrams sort of revisited these tropes with super 8 if memory serves
And don’t forget Mr Mom with Michael Keaton. Classic.
huxley,
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Close Encounters, but I can pull those rather brutal scenes of a marriage from my memory.
To Cornflour’s point, there was something extraordinarily special about Teri Garr. I think we all felt like she could be a remarkable friend. Whenever I’ve heard anyone mention her, including here, it’s more than just recalling a role. She connected with the audience in a unique way. She came across as extremely genuine, vulnerable, competent and sincere on film. Effortlessly whomever she was portraying. An amazing talent!
Rest in peace, Teri Garr and thank you for the wonderful memories!
I remember her from “Young Frankenstein.” I don’t remember her in “Star Trek” or “Tootsie.” I do remember Jessica Lange, who got the Oscar Terri was up for (not Lange’s best work maybe?). Most of all I remember Terri Garr from David Letterman’s show. They had great chemistry and the show was always worth staying up for when she was on. She said she had a crush on him. I don’t know if she actually did, but it might have ended up better for both of them if they’d gotten together.
It’s curious that Lange and Garr were both up for supporting actress Oscars in “Tootsie.” Lange should have been considered a lead actress and wouldn’t have had much shot at an Oscar — but maybe the Academy thought that Dustin’s Dorothy Michaels was the female lead.
I lived in West LA in the early 80s and once when I was standing in line at a popular place on Melrose Avenue that served really good Mediterranean food, I look up and bingo! I’m standing in line behind Terri Garr. I was maybe two feet away, and there was no fancy makeup, flattering stage lighting, or perfect camera angle – and she looked just great. I mean really great.
RIP Ms. Garr. I know she had many tough years health-wise later on.
I lived in West LA in the early 80s and one time when I was standing in line at a popular place on Melrose Avenue that served really good Mediterranean food, I look up and bingo! I’m standing in line behind Terri Garr. I was maybe two feet away, and there was no fancy makeup, flattering stage lighting, or perfect camera angle – and she looked just great. I mean really great.
RIP Ms. Garr. I know she had many tough years health-wise later on.
Rufus T.:
Lovely quote about Teri Garr. I had no idea. Though it’s true there are those artists who Make It in spite of all and are still decent grounded individuals.
Unless I’m deceived, James Garner — Maverick, Rockford — had an horrific early life, but in person and on screen was a decent, good-natured, talented fellow.
I too went “Oh no!” When I saw the post title. I pretty much remember every time I saw her, in the movies and on tv. The earliest being Star Trek . She was always incredibly funny on Letterman. I remember one episode where I think she was the only guest. It was November and the temps were in the 70’s . Letterman did the show from his office. He convinced Terri to take a shower in his bathroom. I remember her comment “Grrr, I HATE YOU LETTERMAN!” Never a boring moment watching her.
Star Trek episode “Assignment Earth”
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708419/
A fun bottle episode.
Sad news. She was a lovely actress: funny and sexy.
Miguel: she played Gene Hackman’s long-suffering girlfriend in “The Conversation”. A small role but she was heartbreaking in it.
Huxley: yes, James Garner had a lousy childhood. His mother died when he was five and he endured an abusive stepmother. His father departed for California soon after that marriage broke up and left Garner and his brothers to fend for themselves in Oklahoma. Garner bounced around during the Depression and WWII, eventually joining the Merchant Marine at 16. He later joined the Army and saw combat in Korea, where he was twice wounded. He drew on his experiences as a “scrounger” in the Army for his role as a General’s aide in “The Americanization of Emily” (1964)–his favorite movie role. Smart, centered guy. And a lifelong Democrat.
How many smart centered Democrat guys are there in these modern times? Seems few.