Terry Ann Garr (December 11, 1944 – October 29, 2024), known as Teri Garr, was an American actress, comedian and dancer. Early in her career, she was credited as Terry Garr. She later recalled changing her first name to “Teri” on the advice of a numerologist, who said she would be unsuccessful if she had repeating letters in her first and last names. Her movie debut was as an extra in A Swingin’ Affair (1963). During her senior year, she auditioned for the cast of the Los Angeles road company production of West Side Story, where she met one of the most important people in her early career, David Winters, who became her friend, dance teacher, and mentor. Winters cast her in many of his early movies and projects.
Garr began as a background go-go dancer in uncredited roles in youth-oriented films and TV shows choreographed by Winters. She often appeared on television during this time, performing as a go-go dancer on several musical variety shows, along with friend Toni Basil. Her first speaking role in a motion picture was a brief appearance as a damsel in distress in The Monkees’ film Head (1968), written by Jack Nicholson; Garr got the role after meeting Nicholson in an acting class.
Garr’s career made a significant leap in the 1970s, establishing her as a recognizable actress in both comedy and drama. She was a regular cast member on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (1971–1974), where she performed as a dancer and acted in comedy sketches, playing various characters including Countess Legustav. She later reunited with Cher on her show Cher (1975–1976). She also had recurring roles on McCloud from 1970–1975.
Her big shift came with Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation (1974). Though her role was small, critics noticed her dramatic potential. It marked the first time audiences saw Teri Garr as more than a dancer, she could handle nuanced, subtle acting. The real explosion came the same year in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein. As Inga, she delivered impeccable comic timing; the iconic “Roll, roll, roll in ze hay!” scene; a lovable, goofy, modern twist on the classic ingénue. This film made her a comedy star almost overnight.
By the late 1970s, Garr was a sought-after comedic actress. She co-starred as the wife of John Denver’s character in Oh, God! (1977). She appeared in Steven Spielberg’s science-fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) as Ronnie Neary, the wife of Richard Dreyfuss’s character. She played a dramatic role as the mother of the boy protagonist in The Black Stallion (1979).
Teri Garr was known for her unique brand of “offbeat” comedy and charm, often playing characters who were “refreshingly intelligent” rather than merely “ditzy.” Her style was quintessential 1970s, characterized by her blonde hair and expressive face.


































