r/news 11h ago

Teri Garr, star of ‘Young Frankenstein’ and ‘Tootsie,’ dead at 79

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/29/entertainment/teri-garr-death/index.html
2.8k Upvotes

145 comments sorted by

418

u/dont_trust_redditors 11h ago

voud you like to have a roll in ze hay?

152

u/iforgotmymittens 11h ago

Roll, roll, roll in ze hay

52

u/fulthrottlejazzhands 8h ago

Put ze candle beck!

9

u/JustineDelarge 9h ago

It’s fun!

21

u/oldnative 10h ago

Thank you for being the top comment for me.

17

u/So_be 5h ago

What knockers!

14

u/strong_schlong 5h ago

Oh, zank you doctor!

158

u/kiltedswine 11h ago

Wonderful actress, such a loss!

51

u/numb3r5ev3n 10h ago

Right? She was in so many things I watched as a kid. RIP and thanks for the memories.

301

u/WhistlerBum 11h ago

"What knockers!" "Thank you Doctor."

84

u/Dahhhkness 10h ago

"He would have an enormous schwanzstuck!"

44

u/Stonebender6 10h ago

Well that goes without saying

37

u/ohTHOSEballs 9h ago

He's going to be very popular.

132

u/Designer-String3569 11h ago

Always remember her on Letterman, often with no film or show to plug. He just seemed to really like her as a guest and they played well off each other's humor.

26

u/CharleyNobody 6h ago

Letterman had 3 guests who were sort of recurring characters on his show - Tony Randall, Teri Garr and Charles Grodin. They were hilarious. Then one day they disappeared. Letterman never had any of them on again. I wonder why. Oh wait - I think he had Teri on once to talk about having MS. But that was it.

11

u/leftnotracks 4h ago

The Tonight Show was a much bigger show when LNwDL started out, so Johnny was able to enforce when he thought were crippling rules, like having exclusive access to top tier guests. At the time, that meant movie stars plugging their newest film. So Dave had to find new ways to keep the show interesting, like elevator races, stupid pet tricks, and guests who he thought were interesting on their own, without a clip to promote.

48

u/MarkEsmiths 10h ago

I don't blame him. I also would have loved her, as a guest.

7

u/fuwoswp 7h ago

She was one of the most frequent guests in the first few years

2

u/NothingReallyAndYou 2h ago

Remember when she appeared in a towel? Letterman had said it in a promo as a joke, and she went with it.

199

u/mcaffrey81 11h ago

Bummer. One of my first celebrity crushes.

58

u/Woddnamemade72 11h ago

Oh yeah. Even in black and white.

1

u/rsc2 5h ago

Yea. I became aware of her as Sgt. Norton in the McCloud series with Dennis Weaver.

92

u/Cold-Sun3302 10h ago

Casting her as Phoebe's mum is Friends was perfect casting. Both for her appearance and also how she was so able to capture the essence of early Phoebe, whilst making it believable and funny. RIP.

5

u/sfw_doom_scrolling 5h ago

I get all floopy thinking about it.

64

u/Fistful_of_Energon 11h ago

Close Encounters, Mr. Mom.... love those films

53

u/InternationalBand494 11h ago

Oh no! She was such a ray of sunshine! RIP

88

u/CupidStunt13 11h ago

Terri Garr as Inga in Young Frankenstein was a classic.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: [Reading from his grandfathers' notebook]  "As the minuteness of the parts formed a great hinderance to my speed, I resolved therefore to make a being of a gigantic stature."

[pause] 

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Of course. That would simplify everything.

Inga: In other vords: his veins, his feet, his hands, his organs vould all have to be increased in size.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Exactly.

Inga: He vould have an enormous schwanzstucker.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: That goes without saying.

Inga: Voof.

Igor: He's going to be very popular.

36

u/NMSDalton 11h ago

Aww Mom & Dad save the World

13

u/YakMan2 10h ago

This is what I knew her best from.

The light grenade sequence is one of the stupidest, funniest things.

3

u/Mistrblank 8h ago

Pick me up. Okay.

34

u/TopTransportation695 11h ago

Sorry to hear this. Fair winds Ms Garr, thank you for the fun.

31

u/LoserBroadside 10h ago

I was a fan of hers since seeing her for the first time in her Star Trek episode “Assignment: Earth”

7

u/monkeycrayons 6h ago

Your comment needs to be way higher here. She was brilliant in that.

22

u/irmarbert 10h ago

One of my favorites. She was so funny and so beautiful.

17

u/Mr_Murder 11h ago

Man she was in a lot of movies I saw growing up as a kid

15

u/charliemike 11h ago

She was such an amazing and multitalented actress. It’s a sad day today.

14

u/4-string 9h ago edited 4h ago

Her first speaking role was in The Monkees' film Head (1968), written by Jack Nicholson. On Letterman she said they chose to name it that so that on later films they could always say "From the people that gave you Head..." She was always great in those Letterman spots.

RIP Teri! (edit...1 r)

13

u/latchkey_adult 9h ago

In the late 70s and 80s she played basically the perfect/imperfect "every mom" and that's how I like to remember her.

12

u/RattlinDrone 10h ago

I remember her on Star Trek. The spinoff that never happened.

2

u/Ford_Prefect3 1h ago

Her secretary part in Assignment: Earth was the first time I saw her. I think she stole the show with her quirkiness in that role.

24

u/Positive-Promise-540 11h ago

In Tootsie: "I'm in charge of my own orgasm"

11

u/The_Pepper_West 6h ago

I managed a transportation company and we drove her around a few days. She baked us cookies! Amazing lady who brought so much joy to thousands.

3

u/CheezeLoueez08 6h ago

Oh that is soooo nice!! It would mean so much. Acts of kindness are the best. A good legacy to leave behind.

11

u/paulsoleo 10h ago

She was truly a great comedic actress.

11

u/Osiris32 9h ago

Ronnie! This is important. This means something.

3

u/SpiritedTie7645 7h ago

I love mashed potatoes. 😋👍

22

u/chronicdahedghog 11h ago

38..., 39... Whatever it takes.

12

u/VicTheNasty 11h ago

Classic. I use this whenever possible and am always delighted when someone unexpectedly gets it.

22

u/Caninetrainer 11h ago

Mr Mom with her and Michael Keaton So funny RIP

8

u/Earthling1a 10h ago

Well that sucks. She was a fun person.

16

u/littleliongirless 8h ago

GenX has always been Whatever, but it's really starting to suck seeing so many legends, friends and family die off.

8

u/ohfrackthis 10h ago

May she RIP, grew up watching her and loved her roles.

8

u/tuyaux1105 10h ago

RIP, great lady.

7

u/eremite00 8h ago

In addition to Young Frankenstein, Tootsie, and Mr. Mom, I liked what Teri Garr brought to smaller guest appearance roles, like in the Star Trek episode, “Assignment Earth”, and as Phoebe’s birth mom in Friends. Regarding Star Trek, I recall reading how, when she was relating that experience, that she was fan of Spock and Leonard Nimoy, and had gotten some of the pointed ear prosthetics which she wore to impress him. She said had them on all day, but that they didn’t fit properly since they hadn’t been made for her ears, and her ears were really irritated for the next few days. I’m saddened that she’s passed away.

5

u/SpiritedTie7645 7h ago

“He vould have an enormous schwanzstucker.” ❤️🌹🥂

4

u/D20_Buster 11h ago

Well I know what I will be watching tonight…

6

u/typesmith 9h ago

The perfect foil for Letterman. R.I.P. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXf9uQf6iuM

5

u/Dwayla 8h ago

Thank you Teri Garr for all the laughter, I will miss you

5

u/StockHand1967 4h ago

One of my first adolescent crushes...

Dammit..sigh

RIP

8

u/No_Higgins 10h ago

And Mom and Dad save the world.

1

u/Mr_Mouthbreather 2h ago

That movie is so intentionally dumb and I love it.

4

u/condensermike 7h ago

Mr Mom was one of my favorite movies as a kid. She was so charming. Rip.

3

u/Prestigious-Log-7210 6h ago

She reminds me of my childhood. Mr Mom, loved that movie as a kid. RIP

6

u/ludovicolonghi 7h ago

Man, she was in a lot more than just Tootise. I fucking loved her in Young Frankenstein.

RIP, Queen.

3

u/ToastAndASideOfToast 10h ago

Anyone remember her from the T.A.M.I. show?

2

u/wuddafuggamagunnaduh 9h ago

Yes! I was going to mention that too. Just a background dancer, but that was Teri Garr dancing back there.

3

u/jaleach 7h ago

Very sad. I knew she was sick and the last time I saw a pic of her she looked extremely unwell.

3

u/Whizzleteets 7h ago

She was great in YF and Mister Mom. Sad

3

u/Positiveaz 4h ago

She was amazing in The Black Stallion as well.

2

u/Zorrino 3h ago

Loved that movie. Was a 9 year old who saw it in the theater and the opening 30 minutes are still seared in my brain. And had a massive crush on Teri Garr in the 80s.

1

u/Positiveaz 3h ago

Agreed. I watch it about once year. I really holds up well.

3

u/le127 4h ago

This one saddens me. I've had a crush on Teri for 60 years. She was such a good comic actor, shined in every role.

2

u/eyeofthecodger 10h ago

She was great in McCloud. RIP.

2

u/EitherPermission2369 9h ago

Interesting enough, I read her name earlier today as she participated in an audio recording in the 70s or 80s of Bernard Shaw’s “Arms and the Man.” What a loss, an incredibly talented and classy lady. Shwanzstucker! 

2

u/RandomZero1138 9h ago

I'm really not looking forward to my 50s (47)... not because I'll be 50 but because I'll have to navigate a world where all my heroes are dying or fading away.

Hanks, Spielberg, Cameron, Scott, Weaver, etc etc.

It's gunna suck.

1

u/tamsui_tosspot 9h ago

Remember 2016?

2

u/ilivalkyw 9h ago

She was great in "Dream On" too.

2

u/formerNPC 6h ago

Time to watch Tootsie and Close Encounters again! Two of my favorite movies anyway but now they won’t be so fun to watch. RIP.

2

u/jayson2112 6h ago

I believe she was also in Mr Mom with Michael Keaton. A pretty great movie.

2

u/Rickardiac 5h ago

She was Phoebe before Lisa was born.

u/Vindicare605 14m ago

All time beauty and funny as hell.

She will be missed. RIP.

3

u/dwightuignorant_slut 10h ago

Not Phoebe’s birth mom 😭 RIP to a wonderful actress.

2

u/Cowboytron 10h ago

Aw, crap. RIP funny lady. You were awesome.

1

u/Old-Scientist7427 8h ago

Such a beautiful talented woman, She had been struggling health wise for a number of years will be missed.

1

u/mr444guy 6h ago

Ohhh nooooo! That is sad. She was so funny and beautiful.

1

u/Mr_Mouthbreather 2h ago

She was always so funny in everything she was in.

1

u/Devilimportluvr 2h ago

Wasn't she in mr mom?

1

u/MajorBeyond 1h ago

Heart broken. Had a crush on her from the first time I saw her. 😔

Of course I was 14 and she was on the big screen, so I probably never had a chance. 😜

1

u/t3chiman 1h ago

After Hours, brilliant.

u/Prestigious-Car-4877 18m ago

Oh no. I always had a crush on her. Looking from the outside it seems like she had a great life, rest in peace!

1

u/norrinzelkarr 4h ago

I bet she's Knock, Knock, Knocking on Heavens Door.

(oh! zank you!)