Terri Garr Disappeared from Hollywood — For More than 20 Years She Has Struggled with Diagnosis

• Teri Garr, a spirited and versatile actress, became a star in Hollywood in the 1980s.
• The actress, who has been married once, is a mom of one.
• Teri disappeared from Hollywood due to health issues as she is battling a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis.

Teri Garr has had a long career in show business. The actress was born into a family in the entertainment industry. Her father, Eddie Garr, was a Broadway stage and film actor, while her mom, Phyllis Garr, was a dancer.

Teri and her parents moved from Hollywood to New Jersey when she was an infant. Unfortunately, Eddie died when Teri was 11, and she and her mom returned to Hollywood, where Phyllis worked as a wardrobe mistress for movies and television.

The actress's first action could be seen in the dances she performed in Elvis Presley movies. In 1968, Teri landed her first speaking role in motion pictures in "Head." By the 1970s, the actress had built a strong television personality with appearances in 1966's "Star Trek" and 1976's "The Sonny and Cher Show," where she became a semi-regular.

Today, Teri is still one of the most recognized, versatile, and spirited actresses in Hollywood. Her role in 1982's "Tootsie" landed her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She has also starred in "Oh, God," "After Hours," and "Young Frankenstein."

The 80s star's performance in some of the films shot during this period was remarkable, including 1982's "The Escape Artist," 1984's "Firstborn," 1983's "Mr. Mom," 1988's "Full Moon in Blue Water," and 1989's "Let It Ride."

The Ohio native has numerous credits in film and television. Her acting career has spanned decades, but she also has a family life. The mom of one, who rarely speaks about her personal life, has been married once.

Teri and her ex-husband, John O'Neil, were married in 1993. The same year, they adopted their daughter, Molly O'Neil, who was born in November 1993. Unfortunately, the actress and her husband parted ways in 1996.

The movie star has been focused on raising her daughter and has never gotten married again. She has also never spoken out about having another special someone in her life. However, one time, she shared a hilarious story about an ex who cheated on her.

She narrated that she was sleeping when her phone rang at 4:30 in the morning. Upon answering the call, a woman asked if she was speaking to Teri, and she confirmed. This woman then announced, "I've been sleeping with your boyfriend since August."

The woman had decided to open up to Teri because she caught this boyfriend in bed with yet another woman. Teri was mad when she heard this news. She went to the closet and packed all the things her boyfriend had at her place since she was technically living with him.

Teri threw everything in a box, including his baby pictures, and took a hammer with her. She drove to her boyfriend's house in 1990 and smashed all his windows. The actress felt that she did what a scorned woman in her position would do.

Teri's life has had its ups and downs. The actress suffered a brain aneurysm on December 21, 1986. She has also been battling multiple sclerosis (MS), which she experienced symptoms for years before receiving a diagnosis. Teri has spoken out about living with the disease.

Teri's first signs of MS started in 1983 when she was living in New York City. She would go jogging in Central Park and start tripping. She soon noticed that the more she ran, the more her body would get heated up and the weaker she'd get. The signs went away for ten years, but then she started getting stabbing pains when she ran.

An orthopedist even recommended immediate surgery for a pinched nerve diagnosis, but the actress declined. Eventually, after years of symptoms, Teri was officially diagnosed with MS in 1999.

MS, a persistent condition affecting the central nervous system, leads to a spectrum of symptoms such as numbness, impaired coordination, visual impairment, and paralysis. This condition impacts approximately 2.5 million individuals globally, with a majority being women.

In 2002, on "Larry King Live," Teri opened up about living with MS. By this time, some people had begun speculating that she had the disease because of a noticeable limp. Jobs in Hollywood also began drying up, which the actress felt was due to MS as it made her less perfect when the industry is keen on perfection.

Teri also found out that MS needs a person to slow down in life, as stress and anxiety are not good for the disease. The actress had to tone down her compulsive multitasking and prioritize rest and taking care of her body. Her regular Pilates workout helped to strengthen her muscles.

When her daughter was only 11, Teri also prioritized motherhood and chose to reserve her best energy and top-notch time for Molly. Molly grew up with her mom's MS and understood that she has good and bad days. Teri gushed:

"She really appreciates life, and she's really kind to people. She's very compassionate. And she doesn't treat me any differently because of it—she says I'm not just a regular mom, but a Supermom."

Despite receiving this life-altering diagnosis, Teri did not remain disheartened for an extended period. At first, she was in denial but not depressed, and then she decided to see the positive in life. "I don't see any profit in being down, I don't see that it gets you anywhere," she acknowledged. The actress uses humor and positivity to get going in life.

Teri has demonstrated creativity in handling her disability by traveling across the country and speaking about the disease. She serves as a compensated ambassador for MS-Lifelines, a program designed for individuals with MS, partially supported by a pharmaceutical company.

The mom of one also used to view herself as an independent woman but has now learned to ask for help as much as it is hard for her to give up control. The actress takes medication to control her symptoms, including injections of interferons three times a week.

Teri, who has described MS as an "awful" disease, is now in a wheelchair due to this chronic illness. Still, she remains optimistic in life, having learned to live with the disease, and she has taken up the work of raising funds for research and awareness of MS.