Remembering Teri Garr's Memorable Arc on “Friends” as Phoebe Buffay's Mom, Following Actress' Death at 79

Garr, who died on Oct. 29 at age 79, previously starred as the long-lost mother to Lisa Kudrow's character Phoebe Buffay. She last appeared on the sitcom 26 years ago

Teri Garr's arc on Friends was brief, but she made a big impression nonetheless.

The late actress, who died on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at age 79, appeared in three episodes of the hit NBC sitcom as the biological mother of Phoebe and Ursula Buffay, both of whom were played by Lisa Kudrow.

On Tuesday, Kudrow remembered her on-screen mom in a statement shared with PEOPLE. "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."

Garr first appeared in Friends in the season 3 finale titled, "The One at the Beach." Phoebe breaks away from the friend's trip to connect with someone who knew her parents. However, Phoebe later discovers that the woman in question, named Phoebe Abbott (Garr), isn't just a friend of her parents, but is her biological mother.

Related: Teri Garr, Tootsie and Young Frankenstein Star, Dies at 79

As Buffay makes the realization, the laughs start, as Abbott shares the same quirky mannerisms as her daughter.

Garr's final two episodes appeared in season 4, with "The One with the Jellyfish" and "The One with Phoebe's Uterus" airing in 1998.

"The One with the Jellyfish" was the season 4 premiere, which picked back up with Buffay in shock after learning the true identity of her mother. The masseuse/singer then told Abbott she never wanted to see her again.

Later, Abbott tracked down her daughter at the "Smelly Cat" singer's favorite N.Y.C. hangout spot, Central Perk where the pair officially reconciled.

In Garr's final Friends episode, "The One with Phoebe's Uterus," her character gave some motherly advice to daughter when Buffay was considering whether or not to be her brother Frank (Giovanni Ribisi) and sister-in-law Alice's (Debra Jo Rupp) surrogate.

Abbott gave Buffay a puppy to take care of for three days as a way to see how she would feel upon having to give it up. The kicker? Buffay wanted to keep the puppy, which ended up being Abbott's pet.

Related: Teri Garr's Life in Photos

Garr was known for her many comedic roles in movies like Tootsie and Young Frankenstein. She also appeared on shows like McCloud, M*A*S*H, The Bob Newhart Show, The Odd Couple, Maude and Barnaby Jones. She hosted Saturday Night Live in 1980, 1983 and 1985.

In 2002, Garr announced that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Her publicist Heidi Schaeffer told PEOPLE on Oct. 29 that the actress publicist died of the disease while "surrounded by family and friends."

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Garr was married to John O'Neil from 1993 to 1996. She is survived by their daughter Molly O’Neil, 30, and grandson Tyryn, 6.

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