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Teri Garr will be remembered for her comedic timing, on-screen wit and, of course, advocacy for those living with Multiple Sclerosis. The late 79-year-old died in Los Angeles on October 29, 2024, more than 20 years after she revealed the chronic health condition she had been living with. As fans grieve the loss of the Young Frankenstein actress, her cause of death has been revealed.
How Did Teri Garr Die?
Teri’s friend and publicist, Heidi Schaeffer, confirmed that her cause of death was from complications associated with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), according to NBC News.
What Is Multiple Sclerosis?
While appearing on CNN in 2002, Teri shared the several misdiagnoses she received before finally learning that she had MS.
“Starting many years ago, I would run, jog in the park, and I just started tripping,” Teri explained. “It was just, like, my toe. I would start to trip, and then, that would go away. Then, I would get some tingling in my arm. And I went to one doctor who said, ‘Oh, this is an orthopedic problem.’ … I called my brother in L.A. who is a doctor and he said, ‘You know, get another opinion.’ So, I went to a neurologist. And he said, ‘Yes, it’s a pinched nerve.’”
Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system damages the brain’s myelin, which protects the nerve fibers, according to Mayo. Clinic. Over time, the nerve fibers may become deteriorated.
There is currently no cure for Multiple Sclerosis. However, treatments are available for patients.
Teri Garr’s Movies & TV Shows
Teri began her entertainment career as a dancer. She trained in ballet as a child before switching to acting. Early on in her career, Teri was credited under a slew of different names, including Terri Garr, Teri Hope and Terry Carr. She initially earned uncredited roles as a backup dancer in projects, including several of Elvis Presley‘s movies.
By the 1970s, Teri steadily made progress in booking roles. Among her most famous credits was in 1974’s Young Frankenstein. She later appeared in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, followed by the comedy Tootsie, which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Throughout the 1980s, Teri earned multiple TV roles, including in an episode of Stark Trek. She also hosted Saturday Night Live three times throughout the decade.
By the late 1990s, Teri landed a recurring role in Friends as Phoebe Buffay’s biological mother.
