A critic's tribute to Teri Garr in films and television

Really, Teri Garr was a category one. Those big cheeks and cute face of a puffin were an invitation to laugh, sometimes to cry, and occasionally both. She always conveyed a sense of fun and a willingness to do just about anything – but that sense was tinged with caution. Teri Garr wasn't a stupid blonde.

She died Tuesday after a decade-long battle with multiple sclerosis. She was 79.

With “X,” playwright and screenwriter Paul Rudnick got Garr exactly right. “Bubbling, contradictory and yearning, she created her own sublime archetype.” “Conflict” is the key word there. It was a quality that made Garr so memorable and valuable.

There are the films you probably know Garr is in: Young Frankenstein, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Oh God!, Tootsie (which received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress), “Mr. Mama.”

There are films you probably don't know she was in: the “TAMI Show” (as one of the go-go dancers – she was 19), supporting roles in five Elvis films, “Head” by the Monkees, ” The Conversation (as Gene Hackman's girlfriend – her performance is the warmest in this brilliantly cool film), The Black Stallion and its sequel.

In these two films, Garr played the young hero's mother. Garr was also a mother in “Close Encounters,” “Oh, God!” and of course “Mr. Mom.” What about her and motherhood? Garr appeared in three “Friends” episodes as the mother of Lisa Kudrow's Phoebe. This is a brilliant casting: Garr's beautiful hen as the parent of Kudrow's funny swan. This relationship would have its own spin -off series should have.

There was a lot of other TV stuff. Examples include a guest appearance in miniskirts on Star Trek in 1968; two episodes of “That Girl” (imagine if Garr had been the star, not Marlo Thomas); as a regular on “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour”; a recurring role on the short-lived 1993 sitcom “Good Advice.” Oh, and she hosted “Saturday Night Live” three times.

Garr was every talk show host's dream: funny, smart, unpredictable, responsive (as every great character actor must be). David Letterman recognized her on Tuesday as “one of our favorite guests of all time.” There's statistical evidence: Letterman had her there no less than 39 times. Garr's last appearance on “Late Night” was in 2008.

Garr was also a favorite of Johnny Carson. Her last performance with him was in 1992. “I like Teri Garr,” Carson introduces her, but the applause drowns him out. So Johnny repeats, “I like Teri Garr: wonderful actress, enjoy.” No one has ever said that a talk show host is taking an oath when he gives praise. But there is actual evidence that Johnny was serious. Not only did this appearance come a week before Carson's resignation, and at that point, receiving one final product placement next to his desk was the most coveted invitation in show business. (To Garr's right sat Martin Short and her “Mr. Mom” ​​co-star Michael Keaton, so she was in good company.) Here's the kicker: She wasn't there to hook anything up. She was a guest just because Johnny wanted her there and because she was…Teri Garr.

Mark Feeney can be reached at [email protected].