Teri Garr, star of ‘Tootsie,’ ‘Young Frankenstein,’ dies at 79

Oscar-nominated actor Teri Garr, best known for her work in films including “Young Frankenstein,” “Tootsie” and “Mr. Mom,” has died at the age of 79 due to complications from multiple sclerosis. The actor’s publicist Heidi Schaeffer told PEOPLE that Garr died on Tuesday in Los Angeles, “surrounded by family and friends.”

Garr first revealed her MS diagnosis in a 2002 interview with Larry King on CNN, sharing that she had been secretly battling multiple sclerosis since the 1980s. Garr later suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm in 2006, which left her in a coma for a week. She recovered and briefly returned to acting before retiring in 2011. Garr served as a national ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and chaired the organization’s Woman Against MS programs.

After starting her career as a dancer, Garr’s acting career took off after her breakout role in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein (1974). She also had memorable roles in Carl Reiner’s Oh, God! (1977); Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977); Francis Ford Coppola’s musical One From the Heart (1981); the popular John Hughes film, Mr. Mom (1983).  Garr earned a supporting actress Oscar nomination for her role in Sydney Pollack’s Tootsie (1982).

Garr was married to contractor John O’Neil from 1993 until their divorce in 1996.  She is survived by her daughter, Molly O’Neil, and grandson Tyryn.

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