An influential performer to comedians including Tina Fey, Garr was a familiar face in dozens of TV shows and films of the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. The actress revealed in 2002 that she had been diagnosed with MS, and she suffered an aneurysm in 2006.
After starting her career as a dancer, Garr first gained attention as Inga, the saucy assistant in Mel Brooks’ 1974 “Young Frankenstein,” who greeted Gene Wilder’s Dr. Frederick Frankenstein with the memorable “Vould you like to have a roll in ze hay?”
With over 140 credits across film and television, Garr’s career in Hollywood was both extensive and versatile. After starting her career as a dancer, she earned a breakout role as Inga, the audacious assistant in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein. In 1982, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars for her performance as actress Sandy Lester in Tootsie.
Garr also had an active TV career: Dedicated fans may remember her trio of episodes on Friends, playing the biological mother of Kudrow’s Phoebe Buffay, and in addition, Garr appeared on series including Sesame Street, Felicity, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and Adventures in Wonderland. She hosted an episode of SNL in 1980 in the show’s fifth season, with The B-52’s as musical guest.
