After Teri Garr died on October 29, 2024, David Letterman remembered her as one of his “all-time favorite guests.” He also made a separate, longer statement praising how her many appearances shaped Late Night and describing her as a friend to the show.
What did David Letterman say about Teri Garr?
In a caption accompanying a video of Garr on his show, Letterman wrote, “Remembering one of our all-time favorite guests Teri Garr #RIP,” according to MyNewsLA’s October 29, 2024 report. The caption is the source of the “favorite guest” wording; it is distinct from a longer tribute reported the same day by journalist Bill Carter at LateNighter.
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In that separate statement, Letterman said: “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.”
Why Garr was a memorable Letterman guest
Garr appeared frequently on Letterman’s programs, where her comic timing and quick-witted exchanges helped make her a familiar presence. The available appearance counts use different scopes: a 1997 Deseret News report counted 32 of her appearances on NBC’s Late Night, while Carter’s 2024 LateNighter retrospective counted 39 appearances with Letterman more broadly. Those figures describe different time frames and scopes, rather than a direct contradiction.
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Their on-air banter is also apparent in a transcript of Garr’s 2008 final appearance on Letterman, included in Fresh Air’s retrospective. Letterman repeatedly teased her about whether she had dated Elvis; Garr played along, then named Elvis films in which she appeared.
Garr’s screen career included Young Frankenstein, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Conversation, Tootsie, Mr. Mom, and After Hours. She received an Oscar nomination for Tootsie. Her work on Letterman’s shows was one part of a career that moved between film comedy, drama, and television.
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How colleagues remembered Garr
Letterman was not the only person from the show to pay tribute. In Carter’s LateNighter report, Late Show executive producer Barbara Gaines called Garr “a big movie star and one of the nicest guests we had on the show.” Gaines recalled that Garr attended anniversary parties and was “absolutely part of the Late Night clubhouse, if we had a clubhouse.” Long-time Letterman producer Robert Morton described her as “the sweetheart of late night.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to read Garr’s own account
Garr’s 2005 memoir, Speedbumps: Flooring It Through Hollywood, covers her career and her experience living with multiple sclerosis, according to Fresh Air. It offers a first-person perspective alongside the recollections of her colleagues and the surviving television interviews.
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