Teri Garr, the Oscar-nominated actress best known for her work in films including Young Frankenstein, Mr Mom and Tootsie, has died at the age of 79, US media reported.
Garr died in Los Angeles on Tuesday after a 20-year battle with multiple sclerosis “surrounded by family and friends,” his publicist Heidi Schaeffer said in a statement.
He first spoke publicly about the chronic autoimmune disease in 2002 to raise awareness for others living with it.
The comedian faced other health problems and underwent surgery to repair an aneurysm in 2007, reported the BBC’s US news partner CBS.
Garr started out as a background dancer in Elvis Presley movies.
His mother, who was also a former dancer, enrolled him in dance classes at the age of six.
His first gig was joining the road company of West Side Story in Los Angeles.
He then began dancing in movies before starring in television shows such as Batman and Dr. Kildare.
Garr’s big break came in 1974 when he played a supporting role in the thriller, The Conversation.
He was then cast as Gene Wilder’s lab assistant in the horror comedy Young Frankenstein where he spoke with a German accent. This was the achievement of Garr’s career.
He established himself as a comedian and made frequent appearances on Late Night with David Letterman.
Beyond comedy, Garr also played dramatic roles in Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The Black Stallion. She has also appeared in television shows such as Star Trek and That Girl.
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