The death of actress Teri Garr, known for Tootsie, Young Frankenstein, Friends

Teri Garr, a leading light of comedy, especially in the 1970s and 1980s, has died at the age of 79 in her home in Los Angeles. Variety was among the first media to report on her passing.

The actress was a true comedy icon in film and television, where she participated in films such as 'Young Frankenstein' (1974) and 'Tootsie' (1982).

However, her filmography also includes titles from all kinds of genres, such as Steven Spielberg's 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (1977) and Martin Scorsese's 'After Hours' (1985).

Teri Garr was born into a family of entertainers. Her father, Eddie Garr, was a well-known vaudeville artist, comedian, and actor, while her mother, Phyllis Lind, was a famous dancer and model.

Image: Ahmet Yalçınkaya / Unsplash

It was not surprising that Teri decided to enroll in the Actor's Studio at the University of California.

She made her acting debut at the age of 19. During the '60s and early '70s, she appeared in series such as 'Batman' and 'Star Trek'.

The leap forward came in 1974 when she starred in Mel Brooks's 'Young Frankenstein' and Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Conversation' (image, 1974).

Image: Paramount

Teri Garr was a star and took advantage of it. She became a regular on TV in 'Saturday Night Live' and 'The Tonight Show'. Here, we see her with David Letterman in 1979.

In 1982, Garr was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 'Tootsie', a film by Sydney Pollack. As it happens, her character Sandy Lester lost the statuette to the imposing Julie Nichols, played by Jessica Lange in the same movie.

As the end of the century approached, Teri Garr appeared in fewer productions, but we could still see her in some of the best series of the 90s. They included 'ER' and 'Friends' where she played Phoebe's biological mother in one of the most celebrated cameos of the series.

The actress's health problems began when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002. She announced the news of the illness to the public herself.

Her condition worsened four years later, in 2006, when she suffered a brain aneurysm that directly affected both her motor skills and her ability to speak.

After these two setbacks, the actress decided to stop acting. In 2011, she announced her retirement for good. And 13 years later, the Hollywood legend passed away.

Mel Brooks (pictured with 'Young Frankenstein' co-star Gene Wilder) was one of the first to say goodbye to the actress with a message on X.

"So very sorry to hear about Teri Garr’s passing. She was so talented and so funny."

Image: 'Young Frankenstein'

Brooks continued: "Her humor and lively spirit made the YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN set a pleasure to work on. Her 'German' accent had us all in stitches! She will be greatly missed."