CNN
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Teri Garr, an Oscar-nominated actress known for her work in films such as “Young Frankenstein,” “Tootsie” and “Mr. Mom,” according to her manager, has died.

She was 79.

Garr died Tuesday in Los Angeles, more than two decades after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, her manger Marc Gurvitz told CNN.

She first shared her diagnosis publicly in a 2002 interview with CNN in an effort to raise awareness for others living with MS.

“I think everyone is scared and scared when they hear something like that,” Garr remembers of first hearing her diagnosis after visiting 11 doctors and experiencing years of symptoms they couldn’t explain. “That’s because there’s so much – you know, there’s not a lot of information about it. And many people don’t know that it’s not all that bad. I mean, I’m going to get on with my life.”

The daughter of a Broadway performer and a Rockette, Garr studied dance growing up and began auditioning shortly after graduating from high school in Los Angeles. Her early credits included dancing and appearing as an extra in films such as Elvis Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’.

“I finally asked myself, why am I not at the front?” Garr thought later. “I didn’t study all those years to be at the back and not get any money.”

The 1970s proved to be a fruitful time for Garr, appearing in several episodes of the sketch comedy series “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour,” “The New Dick Van Dyke Show,” “The Odd Couple” and “The Bob Newhart Show’. ”, among many others.

Her big break came in 1974, when she starred as Inga in the Mel Brooks-directed comedy hit “Young Frankenstein” alongside Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn and Marty Feldman.

Two years later, Garr appeared in one of her most notable roles when she played Ronnie Neary, a woman who tries to understand her husband’s (Richard Dreyfuss) inexplicable obsession resulting from an encounter with aliens, in Steven Spielberg’s science fiction epic ‘ Close’ from 1977. Encounters of the third kind.”

In “Tootsie,” Garr played a troublesome actress dating Dustin Hoffman’s leading man, who in turn rose to fame by posing as a woman on a soap opera. The role earned Garr a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 1983 Academy Awards.

“I was proud,” Garr wrote of the nomination in her 2005 memoir, “Speedbumps.” “The Academy not only knew I existed, they thought I was good!”

Also in 1983 she played advertising executive Caroline Butler in the rousing family comedy ‘Mr. Mom” alongside Michael Keaton.

In a 2012 interview, Garr said she wasn’t surprised that two of her most memorable roles involved breaking stereotypes about gender norms.

“I find it annoying when they write the role of a woman who is just a sexy femme fatale who seduces people to get her way, perpetuating the myth that women have to operate like that, instead of their brains or their minds to use,” Garr reflected.

Her career continued with more film and television work. Throughout the ’90s, Garr appeared in 1991’s ‘Good & Evil’, 1994’s ‘Good Advice’ and 1995’s ‘Women of the House’.

Garr was known for her slightly confused and goofy comedic timing, which of course made her the perfect candidate to play the mother of Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe Buffay in “Friends.” Garr appeared in a total of three episodes during the third and fourth seasons.

Throughout the 2000s, Garr made guest appearances on ‘Felicity’, ‘ER’ and ‘Live with Bonnie’. She also delved into voice acting in her early years, voicing the character Mary McGinnis in the animated TV series “Batman Beyond,” and voicing Sandy Gordon in “What’s New, Scooby Doo?” from 2003. animated series.

Garr’s last credit came in 2011 when she appeared in the TV series “How to Marry a Billionaire.”

This story has been updated with additional information.