Actress Teri Garr back to work

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BY PHILIP POTEMPA ppotempa@nwitimes.com 219.852.4327 | Sunday, June 22, 2008 | (1 comment(s))

Her return

Next month will mark five years since actress Teri Garr spoke to more than 500 guests at a luncheon at Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Woman Against Multiple Sclerosis.

Garr, 60, has been dealing with the dehabilitating effects of multiple sclerosis since she was diagnosed with the disease 25 years ago.

The late Richard Pryor, actor David L. Lander (Squiggy on "Laverne & Shirley") and actress Annette Funicello are three other famous names whose faces have become associated with MS.

But despite challenges, Garr is determined to continue her successful career, which includes starring in two independent films that will be released this summer.

The most recent hurdle she faced was suffering from a brain aneurysm two years ago.

Fortunately, as she explained to Kathie Lee Gifford during an interview on NBC's "Today" show this week, daughter Molly, now 24, found her collapsed at their house in Los Angeles and got her to the hospital just in time.

"After they rushed me to the hospital, they drilled a hole in my head and wrapped a coil around my brain as I remained unconscious for more than a week," said Garr, who has been out of a wheelchair and walking for six months now.

"I then had to stay in rehab for two months, because I had to relearn to walk and talk again."

Garr said exercise, especially swimming, along with her incredible sense of humor have been the most important factors in her healing process.

As for who makes her laugh, she said her list of favorites includes Mike Myers, Steve Carell, David Letterman and Phyllis Diller, the woman she describes as "the Pope of female comedy."

As for her struggles with multiple sclerosis, she recommends everyone should be aware of the early symptoms, which served as her first clue in 1983.

"I was always big into jogging, and I was living in New York at the time," she said.

"I began having problems with stumbling and tripping over my own feet. I thought I was just being clumsy, but decided to check it out."

Garr, whose only brother is a physician in Southern California, saw specialists who believed the problem to be something minor, involving a pinched nerve. After a short time, the problem seemed to correct itself, and Garr put the episode behind her.

However, what Garr was experiencing was the earliest undetected signs of MS, which was relatively new in the world of medical research breakthroughs. The disease, which can be difficult to detect and control since it reveals itself in mounting intervals and spurts, had gone into remission, giving Garr little reason to further investigate her earlier medical advice.

By 1993, the disease re-emerged and in full force. This time around, doctors made a right-on target diagnosis.

Her health crisis also came just as her Hollywood career was heating up.

From her 1982 Academy Award-nominated performance in "Tootsie" opposite Dustin Hoffman, to starring roles in Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein," "Close Encounters," "The Black Stallion" and "Mr. Mom," Garr has earned her a reputation as well-versed. Her television work began with roles on the original "Star Trek" and included a busy resume in the 1990s, such as playing Lisa Kudrow's "Friends" character Phoebe's mother.

She said the worst part of dealing with the disease is the false opinions of others, especially the group she calls "the Hollywood set."

"There's always lots of rumors and whispering, and that's one of the reasons my phone stopped ringing for work," she said.

"I don't know what's worse in Hollywood, being handicapped or being a woman over age 50."

One of her new films is called "Expired," also starring Samantha Morton and Jason Patric, opening in Chicago this weekend. It's about a meter maid (Morton), who is love and Garr plays twins, one of whom is Morton's character's mother and the other is her wheelchair-bound aunt.

Her other new film is Sony Pictures' "Kabluey," where she once again can be seen playing Kudrow's mother.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

celebBirthdays

Actor Ralph Waite ("The Waltons") is 80. Singer-actor Kris Kristofferson is 72. Actress Michael Learned is 67. Journalist Brit Hume is 65. Singer Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon and actor Klaus Maria Brandauer are 64. Singer Howard "Eddie" Kaylan of The Turtles and actor David L. Lander (Squiggy on "Laverne and Shirley") are 61. Singer Todd Rundgren is 60. Singer Alan Osmond of The Osmonds and actresses Meryl Streep and Lindsay Wagner are 59. Actress Murphy Cross is 58. Actor Graham Greene ("Dances With Wolves") is 56. Singer Cyndi Lauper is 55. Actor Chris Lemmon is 54. Bassist Derek Forbes of Simple Minds is 52. Bassist Garry Beers of INXS is 51. Bassist Alan Anton of the Cowboy Junkies is 49. Actress Tracy Pollan is 48. Actress Amy Brenneman ("Judging Amy") is 44. Singer Mike Edwards of Jesus Jones is 44. Singer Steven Page

of Barenaked Ladies is 38. Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner and actress Mary Lynn Rajskub ("24") are 37. Talk show host Carson Daly and guitarist Chris Traynor of Helmet are 35. Actor Donald Faison ("Scrubs") and actress Lecy Goranson ("Roseanne") are 34. TV personality Jai Rodriguez ("Queer Eye For The Straight Guy") is 29. Actress Lindsay Ridgeway ("Boy Meets World") is 23.

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Suz wrote on Jun 23, 2008 9:40 PM:

" Thank God someone has the guts to speak for all of us.... MS'ers around the world literally e.g. I am in Melbourne Australia.

Good Luck Terri --- you go girl !!
Suz "

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