‘Never the star, but always shining’: Fans both famous and familiar grieve the loss of Teri Garr

Another devastating icon was lost to the world on Oct. 29, 2024, when news of the stunningly talented Teri Garr‘s death came down.

Garr was 79 when she passed away, leaving a horde of longtime friends, a daughter, and a tidal wave of fans to mourn her loss. She retired from acting more than a decade ago, and her most prominent roles predate that retirement by years more, but the mark she left on a million lives remains strong. That much is made clear by the wave of tributes that hit the web in the wake of her loss, as everyone from podcasters and regular folks to writers and full-blown producers rush to share their heartbreak over her loss.

Best known for her roles in 1974’s Young Frankenstein and 1982’s Tootsie — for which she earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress — Garr is an absolute treasure to those familiar with her work. Those acquainted with the star herself have even higher opinions of her poise and talent, and those are the reactions fans are truly waiting to hear.

Many of Garr’s closest friends, confidants, and collaborators unfortunately passed before she did, which robs fans of the no-doubt heartwarming tributes that would have come from the likes of Carrie Fisher, who introduced Garr to her longtime partner, David Kipper, and Gene Wilder, who she starred alongside in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein. That’s not to say the love isn’t pouring in — it absolutely is — its just from a slew of lesser-known figures and regular folks who share fond memories of the many delightful roles Garr brought to life.

Within hours of the tragic news breaking, hundreds of posts made their way to social media, dedicated wholly to Garr’s legacy. Many of these came from the fans she touched across her career, but they also came from prominent Hollywood writers, producers, and fellow funny-folk.

PR pro Danny Deraney was among the first to share his thoughts with the world, popping over to X to emphasize that Garr’s “absolute brilliant wit made her one of the greatest comedic actors.”

He was quickly joined by writers Paul Rudnick, who’s known for broad contributions to Broadway alongside films like Sister Act, and Cinco Paul, who is best known for penning a slew of children’s movies including the original Despicable Me trilogy, The Lorax, and The Secret Life of Pets.

Both writers praised the “completely irresistible” Garr for making “everything she was in better” for her presence.

As people continue to await a reaction from Mel Brooks — the man is 98, does he even know what social media is? — they’re satiating themselves on tributes from largely fans, some of whom are famous themselves. Like actor Michael Warburton, known most recently for his role in Netflix’s The Strays, who praised Garr for delivering in every performance, no matter the size of the role.

Artists like Tim Williams, actors like Barbara Crampton, and yet more writers like Courtney Enlow likewise joined the love-train, heaping praise on “comedy queen” Garr.

Garr was an icon, a treasure, and an unbeatable gem of Hollywood. Her presence in any project elevated it immensely, and she’ll be dearly missed by anyone that knew her — in person or through a screen.