This afternoon, I learned of the passing of actress Terri Garr. She had been afflicted with MS for more than two decades, a condition which would eventually force her retirement. Garr would have turned 80 next month.
Despite being away from acting in the last decade plus of her life, Terri Garr's performances on the big and small screen endure because her presence brightened not only the proceedings but the medium in which they were presented. She made already great films like Young Frankenstein, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Tootsie even better with her warmth and wit. Her frequent appearances on both The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and especially Late Night with David Letterman were always showcases for her droll wit. Garr kept both hosts on their toes, and they liked her for it.
I remember when Garr appeared on Letterman some years after her MS diagnosis. It was difficult for her to move around, and one could not help but feel for her under the circumstances. But her mind remained razor sharp. There was no pitying her. Terri Garr lived a good life and her talents shall live on. R.I.P.
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