Teri Garr: MS Advocate
Comedy Film Actress Maintains Sense of Humor About Illness
Actress Teri Garr, known for comedy roles, has lived with the challenges of MS for years. She now writes and speaks out about this neurological disease.
Teri Garr, a famous big screen and television actress, might not be so well-known for having multiple sclerosis. Like many with MS, Garr experienced strange, vague symptoms for years before being correctly diagnosed. Now a spokesperson for Rebif (one of the disease-modifying MS medications), Garr lives a slower-paced life, but not one without laughter and fun. She still possesses the daffy sense of humor that made her a success in many comedy films and shows, as well as live musicals.
Early Years
Teri Garr was born into a show business family and learned at an early age how to improvise in order to stay afloat. Her father Eddie worked sporadically as a vaudeville actor and her mother Phyllis was a Rockette-turned-wardrobist. Garr followed suit by dancing professionally with several touring companies. This early ballet and tap training set the stage for her entry into acting. Among other things, Garr appeared in commercials, as a dancer in nine Elvis films, and in Pajama Party with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello (ironically, Funicello would also be diagnosed with MS.)
Career Highlights
Teri Garr began to pick up speed after appearing in a Star Trek episode. She was seen in several other TV programs such as The Ken Berry Show and The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. Garr became a serious movie actress when she appeared in Francis Ford Coppola's film The Conversation (1974.) Her next film, Young Frankenstein, showed her great ability to be zany and comical. Perhaps Garr is most famous for her supporting role as Sandy in Tootsie, for which she was nominated for an Oscar. Teri went on to appear in the comedy film Mr. Mom, and various other films and TV movies. Her most recent role was as Phoebe's flakey mother on the hit TV show Friends.
Teri Garr's Diagnosis
Just like many with multiple sclerosis, Teri started out with mild, vague symptoms. At the height of her career, she started to experience tingling in her right foot. As time went on, Garr had trouble with tripping and experienced sharp pain in her arm. At one point, she tripped over a skateboard and landed against her fireplace, breaking her collarbone. Garr was finally diagnosed with MS in 1999.
Teri Garr Today
Teri Garr is now an advocate for multiple sclerosis awareness and a spokesperson for the disease-modifying drug Rebif. In 2002 she spoke on The Larry King Show about MS and how it impacts her life. In 2005, Garr's autobiography Speed Bumps was published, documenting her career and MS experiences. The book doesn't focus heavily on multiple sclerosis because Garr didn't want to give the disease more power than it needed.
Teri presently wears a brace on her foot to help her walk, and she admits that her memory is a little botched, but she tries to maintain her sense of humor. In December of 2006, she had surgery to repair a brain aneurysm, and has since recovered and is thriving and living life to the fullest.
- For more information about multiple sclerosis, see the MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS Suite.
- For related neurological information, check out the Neurological ARTICLE INDEX and Blog.
References:
- Speedbumps, by Teri Garr: Hudson Street Press, 2005
- http://www.rd.com/content/actress-terri-garr-battles-multiple-sclerosis/
- http://www.blockbuster.com/catalog/personDetails/22910
