PREVIEW

Lisa Kudrow leads tributes to 'comedic genius' Teri Garr. The Oscar-nominated actress died from complications of multiple sclerosis at her home in Los Angeles on Tuesday. She was 79. Following the sad news, Lisa issued a statement in which she remembered Teri, who played her mother on the hit '90s sitcom Friends, as a "comedic acting genius”. "Teri Garr was a comedic acting genius who was and is a huge influence on me and I know I'm not alone in that. I feel so lucky and grateful I got to work with Teri Garr.” Teri portrayed Phoebe Abbott, the estranged mother of Lisa's Phoebe Buffay, on three episodes of the popular show, starting in the season three finale back in 1997. Raised in North Hollywood, California, Teri began performing as a teenager and made her screen debut in an episode of Star Trek. She went on to appear in films such as 1974's Young Frankenstein and 1985's After Hours. The actress also starred in comedic features like 1983's Mr. Mom and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as an acting student in 1982's Tootsie. Taking to Instagram, Michael Keaton described his Mr. Mom co-star as a "wonderful woman”. "This is a day I feared and knew was coming. Forget about how great she was as an actress and comedienne. She was a wonderful woman. Not just great to work with but great to be around. AND go back and watch her comedic work - man, was she great!! RIP girl.” Elsewhere, Steve Martin simply posted "Loved her so much" alongside a photo of Teri while Paul Feig noted he was "devastated" by the loss of the artist, whom he directed in the 2006 film Unaccompanied Minors. ”Teri was a legend. A true comedy legend. I had the honor of working with her in 2006 and she was everything I dreamed she would be and more. Hilarious, kind, beautiful. This is a huge loss. RIP dear Teri.” In addition, David Letterman recalled how he always had great banter with Teri when she appeared on his late-night talk show. ”Teri Garr's many appearances on Late Night gave it a cachet and importance not possible without her. She was a first-class actor and comedian and a lovely human being. A bright star and a real friend to the show. I was lucky to know her. She elevated all, and I'm sad she is gone.” Teri confirmed she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002 and suffered a brain aneurysm in 2006. She announced her retirement in 2011. Teri is survived by daughter Molly O’Neil.
Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT