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Teri Garr

© Stephanie Faris

Sarah Jessica Parker wasn't always David Letterman's favorite gal guest. There was a time in the early 90s when the nighttime talk show host couldn't seem to get enough of a certain blonde actress. But somewhere along the way the funnyman lost interest and the woman that was once among the top leading ladies in Hollywood seemed to fade from the public's conscious.

Teri Garr seemed destined for stardom. Born December 11, 1949 to actor Eddie Garr and wardrobe mistress Phyllis Garr, it was clear from the beginning where this little girl was headed. After studying dance at California State University and acting at the Actors' Studio in New York, Teri headed off to Hollywood, landing roles as a dancer in a string of Elvis Presley films that included Fun in Alcapulco, and Viva Las Vegas. Meanwhile she was honing her acting talents in TV guest appearances on TV shows such as Dr. Kildare and Batman. Eventually she was able to demonstrate that talent on the big screen, putting in impressive performances in Francis Ford Coppola's The Conversation and Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein.

Teri first came to the general public consciousness in the 1977 sci-fi blockbuster Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The Steven Spielberg film grossed more than $128 million at the box office and remains a 1970s classic to this day. Film offers seemed to roll in after that and soon Teri was starring with John Denver and George Burns in Oh God! and with Dustin Hoffman in the 1982 blockbuster Tootsie.

During this time, Teri became known more as a public figure than an actress. She showed up frequently on late night talk shows and in guest appearances on TV shows such as Maude and Faerie Tale Theater. Her quick wit and dazzling personality made her the perfect guest on interview-type shows and Teri seemed to make the best of every opportunity offered her.

By the mid-80s, Teri's bad choices seemed to be catching up with her. Soon she was relegated to "Mom" roles in feature films and, eventually, TV movies. The 90s were even less lucrative and Teri finally turned to a regular TV series.

Good Advice debuted in 1993. Starring Shelley Long and Treat Williams, less than two seasons of the show aired before it was canceled. Another TV series, Women of the House, followed, but this one would be canceled in its first season.

It was back to the big screen for Teri, who had a small role in the hugely successful Dumb and Dumber in 1994. Failures like 1994's Prêt-à-Porter (Ready to Wear) and 1995's Perfect Alibi were luckily overshadowed by hits like the 1996 film Michael, in which Teri played a judge.