[Nerdspresso] Remembering Teri Garr

We lost a national treasure recently when Teri Garr passed away at the age of 79. My first real memory of her was from a Star Trek rerun I watched as a kid in the mid-70’s. She played a secretary for some time-traveling alien super spy that encounters Kirk and Spock when the Enterprise goes back in time for “historical research.” That sounds like a big violation of the Prime Directive to me, but what are you gonna do? 

I was just a kid back then, but that quirky blonde got my attention. Garr played the wide-eyed Miss Lincoln, supplying most of the comic relief for that episode and holding her own against her iconic co-stars. As the years went by, I saw her next in steadfast wifey roles in the comic Oh, God and the cosmic Close Encounters of the Third Kind. She was solid, supporting her movie spouses through some extraordinary circumstances, but nothing that stood out to me. 

Remember, I was just a kid at the time. I had missed her hilarious and slightly sultry turn as Inga in Young Frankenstein. Mel Brooks was not on my menu yet. Garr didn’t really catch my attention again until she played the Mrs. to Michael Keaton’s Mr. Mom in 1983. I saw that movie during my friend’s fourteenth birthday party at the Plaza Theater, an awesome old-school moviehouse, where we snuck in home-popped popcorn in paper bags. We were such rebels.

That theater’s still around, but it doesn’t play movies anymore. It’s now a concert venue and home to the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. I guess it never recovered from playing Battlestar Galactica in SENSURROUND, which was the loudest movie I ever saw. It also had an intermission, which was probably mandated to save my little kid eardrums from bleeding. But back in 1983, the Plaza was still playing movies and we plopped in those velvet seats to watch Teri Garr play another loving spouse. But surprises were in store for us. 

In this darling comedy, written by the legendary John Hughes (The Breakfast Club, Planes, Trains & Automobiles), Garr goes back to work when hubby Keaton gets laid off. While this flick is mainly a vehicle for Keaton’s lovable goofball antics, Garr is more than just window dressing. Her storyline parallels Keaton’s. They’re both fish out of water. And while I’m a huge Michael Keaton fan (check out my earlier columns on Batman and Beetlejuice when you have a second), Mr. Mom wouldn’t be half as endearing, or as timeless, without Teri Garr. 

This flick is a warm cup of cinematic cocoa. A serving of comfort food for the soul. Garr is a perfect balance to Keaton’s domestic tomfoolery. but she’s no buzzkill. I watched this one again following the news of Garr’s passing. Her warmth embraces that movie like a hug. She’s both brassy and maternal in a role that could have been one-dimensional with someone less gifted. Mr. Mom is a little dated some 40 years later, but still plays thanks to the amazing chemistry of the two leads and their obvious affection for each other and the material. 

This movie is a classic role reversal as Mom goes back to work while Dad stays home with the kids. Both are greatly overwhelmed but rise to the challenge. In today’s world, this situation feels more like a novelty, but the messages of work/life balance and appreciation for your partner’s contributions are still really relevant. Plus, Garr gets her own chances to deliver laughs and never turns her character into a stereotype. 

I still chuckle when she cuts Martin Mull’s steak for him and more so later when she defends herself against his unwanted advances. And honestly, if you don’t smile when she pitches Schooner Tuna as “The tuna with a heart,” then we can’t be friends. Rewatch this flick again soon and pay attention to the scene where Keaton gets goaded into competing in the field day activities at the company picnic against Garr’s better judgment. It hits harder now.

Yes, this bit is hysterical with grown men running in scuba flippers and racing on tricycles, being the perfect juxtaposition of sports movie cliches and prop comedy. Now I also see that these moments touch on the real-life dilemma that occurs when your work persona collides with your home life. Garr handles it perfectly, doing more with a look to convey embarrassment, anxiety, relief, and ultimately pride than you’d expect to see in a standard Hollywood chucklefest. The woman was freaking effervescent. 

Many laud Garr’s masterful performances in Young Frankenstein, Tootsie, and After Hours as her career best. Others feel her roles in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Mom and Dad Save the World or The Black Stallion are more beloved. My choice will always be Mr. Mom. Even as a teen, munching on smuggled popcorn, I was enraptured by Garr’s quirky charisma. Now as an adult, I’m still taken by her ability to be both sassy and sincere. 

As we look back on a career spanning more than half a century, there’s no doubt that she left her mark. Starting as a backup dancer in Elvis movies in 1963, she went on to score an Oscar nomination as the neurotic actress girlfriend in the modern classic Tootsie. No matter the size of the part, she was always unforgettable. After decades of charming audiences in the movies, she enchanted TV viewers as Phoebe’s floopy mom on Friends. Her trademark twinkle made her an obvious choice for that role. It was not so much stunt casting as it was destiny. 

Teri Garr, we will miss you. A true original who approached every character with a dancer’s grace and a comedian’s skill, you were a dazzling combo of sweet and spicy. Like a frosted cupcake topped with a cinnamon stick. Thank you for all the smiles.