Talking Young Frankenstein With Teri Garr

Mel Brooks's Young Frankenstein, No. 13 on the American Film Institute's "100 Funniest Films of All Time," will be out on DVD on Oct. 7. The Broadway version is still running, but it’s pretty hard to top the film for big laughs, outright sass and comic greats -- like Gene Wilder (in the title role), Marty Feldman (as his hunch-backed assistant), Madeline Kahn (as Wilder’s girlfriend/financier), Cloris Leachman (as the castle’s maid), Peter Boyle (as the monster), and of course, the darling, and also naturally funny, Teri Garr (as Wilder’s unsure but willing and sexy assistant). I spoke with Garr, one of Hollywood’s most talented, down-to-earth, and beloved stars, by phone.

So how did you get the part in Young Frankenstein? I read that all the agents in town sent their people to the auditions, and that there were more than 500 girls that tried out for the roles.
I just went to the audition with all those other girls. I did OK and I got called back. But it was for the Madeline Kahn part, Gene’s financier/girlfriend. But then he (Mel) called me back and he said that he wanted Madeline to do it, but she didn’t want to do it. And I said, “She must be nuts.” Mel said, “Well, come back anyway. Madeline says she’s not going to do it, but she’s going to do it. You can try out for the part of Inga, the assistant. Come in tomorrow, but you have to speak with a German accent.”

So you had to go in the next day with a German accent?
Yes. Luckily I was doing The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour Show at the same time, and I went to rehearsal and Cher’s wigmaker was a German woman. I spent three or four hours talking with her, and the next day I had it.

What was it like on the set, filming the movie?
It was so much fun. I was so excited. I got my own trailer for the first time.

Were there any funny incidents on the set?
We were always laughing. Mel was funny all the time. There was a guy on the set, Pineapple, he was from Hawaii, and he traveled with the coffee. So we were getting ready to shoot a scene, and Mel says, “Pineapple, get off the set now, we’re going to shoot.” But Pineapple didn’t hear him, and Mel said, “Pineapple,” and Pineapple said, “What?” and Mel said, “Just stand there, and when I say ‘Rolling,’ you look at the camera and say, ‘Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him well.” So that’s what we did.

Inga was a big breakthrough role for you in terms of your career.
Yes. I would always hear about stuff, and I would call my agent and say, “I want to go up for that role,” and he wouldn’t be able to get me an audition. But after the movie, I could get in for all the parts I didn’t get called for before.

Well, thanks for talking to me, Teri.
I just got up. I haven’t even had my coffee or done the crossword. Call me back when I wake up.

That’s OK, you were fine!