Steven Spielberg cast her in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) after seeing her work on a coffee commercial.
Attended CSU Northridge along with her Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) co-star, Richard Dreyfuss.
Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 177-178. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387
Continues to work despite the fact that she is battling multiple sclerosis, first diagnosed in 1983.
Daughter of actor Eddie Garr and wardrobe mistress Phyllis Garr.
Daughter, Molly O'Neill, was born in November 1993. Her marriage to John O'Neil Keenan took place on the day their adopted daughter Molly was born.
Friend of Connie Sellecca and Toni Basil.
Has two brothers: Edward Jr. and Phillip.
Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1977" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 29. [1977]
Recovering from a brain aneurysm, suffered on December 21, 2006.
The "Assignment: Earth" episode of "Star Trek" (1966), in which Garr plays a ditsy secretary, was written as the springboard for a spin-off series. The new series was to feature more adventures of Roberta Lincoln (Garr) and Gary Seven (Robert Lansing), but it never came about.
Told a story at The Moth storytelling night, about her experiences with a cheating boyfriend while living in L.A. The story made it to The Moth podcast.
Was a Go-Go dancer in the seminal rock-and-roll movie The T.A.M.I. Show (1964) (V).
Was the winner on a celebrity edition of "Weakest Link" (2001).