Early in her career she was credited as Terri Garr, Terry Garr, Teri Hope, or Terry Carr. Her movie debut was as an extra in "A Swingin' Affair" (1963). During her senior year she auditioned for the cast of the Los Angeles road company production of "West Side Story", where she met one of the most important people in her early career, David Winters, who became her friend, dance teacher, and mentor. Winters cast her in many of his early movies and projects.