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Charlotte Rae
Charlotte Rae at the 1988 Emmy Awards cropped.jpg
Rae at the 1988 Emmy Awards
Born
Charlotte Rae Lubotsky

(1926-04-22)April 22, 1926
Died August 5, 2018(2018-08-05) (aged 92)
Education
Occupation
  • Actress
  • singer
  • comedienne
Years active 1952–2018
Known for Edna Garrett – Diff'rent Strokes
The Facts of Life
Spouse(s)
John Strauss
(m. 1951; div. 1976)
Children 2

Charlotte Rae Lubotsky (April 22, 1926 – August 5, 2018) was an American actress and singer. Her career in entertainment lasted for over sixty years.

Rae was best known for playing Edna Garrett in the TV shows Diff'rent Strokes and its spin-off, The Facts of Life. She was the main star of The Facts of Life from 1979 to 1986. In 1982, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actress in a Comedy. She also appeared in two Facts of Life TV movies. These were The Facts of Life Goes to Paris (1982) and The Facts of Life Reunion (2001). Rae also lent her voice to characters like "Nanny" in 101 Dalmatians: The Series and Aunt Pristine Figg in Tom and Jerry: The Movie. She played Gammy Hart in Girl Meets World too.

In 2015, she acted in the movie Ricki and the Flash. She starred alongside Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, and Rick Springfield. In November 2015, Rae released her autobiography, The Facts of My Life. She wrote it with her son, Larry Strauss.

Early Life and Education

Charlotte Rae Lubotsky was born on April 22, 1926, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her parents, Esther and Meyer Lubotsky, were Jewish immigrants from Russia. Her father owned a tire business. Charlotte's mother, Esther, was childhood friends with Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. Charlotte was the middle of three sisters.

For her first ten years, Charlotte's family lived in an apartment above her father's tire store. In 1936, her parents bought a house in nearby Shorewood, Wisconsin. She finished school at Shorewood High School in 1944.

Rae went to Northwestern University but did not finish her studies there. At Northwestern, she met her friend Cloris Leachman. Years later, Leachman took over Rae's role on The Facts of Life for its last two seasons. She also met other future stars like Charlton Heston and Paul Lynde. Charlotte once said she wanted to be a serious actor. She never thought she would get into comedy. She dropped her last name, Lubotsky, because a radio person told her it wouldn't work.

Charlotte Rae's Acting Career

Early TV Roles

In 1954, Rae started her TV career on shows like Look Up and Live. She then appeared on many other variety shows. These included Armstrong Circle Theatre and The Colgate Comedy Hour.

Her first big success was on the sitcom Car 54, Where Are You? (1961–1963). She played Sylvia Schnauzer, the wife of Officer Leo Schnauzer. After this, she had roles in many other popular TV shows. Some of these were The Love Boat, The Partridge Family, and Murder, She Wrote. In 1975, she was nominated for an Emmy Award. This was for her role in the drama Queen of the Stardust Ballroom.

In 1975, Rae joined the cast of Hot l Baltimore. She played Mrs. Bellotti, a quirky character. Mrs. Bellotti would visit her unseen son Moose at the hotel. Rae also played Molly the Mail Lady on Sesame Street.

Starring in Diff'rent Strokes

In 1978, TV producer Norman Lear created the show Diff'rent Strokes. He hired Charlotte Rae for the role of the kind housekeeper, Edna Garrett. She co-starred with Conrad Bain in the first season. In one episode, Mrs. Garrett helped out at a private school for girls. This school was called East Lake, later known as Eastland. This episode became the idea for a new show.

Leading The Facts of Life

In July 1979, Rae suggested a spin-off show based on the "Girls' School" episode. NBC liked the idea, and The Facts of Life was created. The show was about Mrs. Garrett becoming a housemother for girls at a boarding school. It explored issues that teenagers face, like friendships and growing up. This show made Charlotte Rae a TV star.

The Facts of Life was not very popular at first. But after some changes to the cast and schedule, it became a big hit. The show was very successful from 1980 to 1986. In 1982, Rae was nominated for an Emmy Award for her role as Edna Garrett.

As the show continued, Rae felt the girls' characters were growing up. They didn't need Mrs. Garrett's advice as much. So, her appearances on the show were reduced. She decided to leave the series at the end of the 1985–86 season. She wanted to do more theater and travel.

Cloris Leachman, a good friend of Rae's, took over her role. Rae made her last appearance in the eighth season premiere. In that episode, Mrs. Garrett got married and moved to Africa. Leachman was introduced as Mrs. Garrett's sister, Beverly Ann Stickle. Beverly Ann then became the new mother figure for the girls. The show continued to be popular until it ended in 1988.

After The Facts of Life, Rae continued acting. In 1993, she voiced Aunt Pristine Figg in Tom and Jerry: The Movie. In 2001, Rae, Lisa Whelchel, Mindy Cohn, and Kim Fields reunited for The Facts of Life Reunion TV movie. In 2007, the cast sang the show's theme song at the TV Land Awards.

In 2008, Rae had a role in the movie You Don't Mess with the Zohan. In 2011, the entire cast of The Facts of Life reunited again. They won the Pop Culture Icon award at the TV Land Awards.

Singing and Theater Work

Singing Career

In 1955, Charlotte Rae released her only solo album, Songs I Taught My Mother. It featured funny and satirical songs. She also appeared in a musical show called The Littlest Revue in 1956.

Rae was nominated for two Tony Awards during her Broadway career. The first was in 1966 for her role in Pickwick. The second was in 1969 for Morning, Noon and Night.

Stage Performances

Charlotte Rae was a stage actress since the 1950s. She performed on Broadway in several plays. These included Three Wishes for Jamie (1952) and Li'l Abner (1956). In 1989, she played Miss Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy in Chicago.

Personal Life

Charlotte Rae 2012
Rae in 2012

Charlotte Rae married composer John Strauss in 1951. They later divorced in 1976. Strauss passed away in 2011. Rae had two sons with Strauss: Lawrence and Andrew. Andrew (1955–1999) had autism and epilepsy.

Health and Later Years

In 1982, Rae had a pacemaker put in to help her heart. This pacemaker worked for over 30 years. She later had another surgery to replace a heart valve.

In 2009, Rae was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. This type of cancer had affected her family before. She received treatment and became cancer-free after six months. However, in 2017, at age 91, she was diagnosed with bone cancer.

Charlotte Rae passed away at her home in Los Angeles, California, on August 5, 2018. She was 92 years old.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1969 Hello Down There Myrtle Ruth
1970 Jenny Bella Star
1971 Bananas Mrs. Mellish
1972 The Hot Rock Ma Murch
1977 Sidewinder 1 Mrs. Holt
1978 Rabbit Test Cousin Claire
1979 Hair Edin the Lady in Pink
1986 The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible Noah's Wife Christine Short film: "Noah's Ark"; voice
1992 Tom and Jerry: The Movie Aunt Pristine Figg Voice
1993 Thunder in Paradise Lola Miller Direct to video
1997 Nowhere Madame Maude Rae
2000 The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas Mrs. Edna Caruthers Voice; direct to video
2008 You Don't Mess with the Zohan Mrs. Ruthie Greenhouse
2008 Christmas Cottage Vesta
2012 Love Sick Love Edna
2015 Ricki and the Flash Oma
2016 Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You Herself Documentary
2018 Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age Herself Documentary

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1954 The United States Steel Hour Ramona
1954–55 Armstrong Circle Theatre Mrs. Ogburn / Party Snob 2 episodes
1955 Kraft Television Theatre
1955 NBC Television Opera Theatre Mariella
1955 Appointment with Adventure Beverly
1955 The Philco Television Playhouse
1955–58 The Phil Silvers Show Flossie / Mrs. Whitney 2 episodes
1958 DuPont Show of the Month Myrtle May
1959 The World of Sholom Aleichem Television film
1959 Play of the Week The Angel Rochele
1961 Way Out Hazel Atterbury
1961 From These Roots Hilda Furman Unknown episodes
1961–63 Car 54, Where Are You? Sylvia Schnauser / Miss Berger 11 episodes
Recurring role (Season 1–2)
1963 Look Up and Live
1964 The Defenders Mrs. Abeles
1966 The Journey of the Fifth Horse Terentievna Television film
1966–69 New York Television Theatre Various roles 3 episodes
1968 Pinocchio Rosa Whale Television film
1970 NET Playhouse Episode: "Foul!"
1971–72 Sesame Street Molly the Mail Lady Main role (Season 3)
1972 Temperatures Rising Mrs. Moscowitz
1972 The Partridge Family Dr. Beecher Episode: "You're Only Young Twice"
1972 McMillan & Wife Mrs. Drake
1972 Love, American Style Edna Albertson Segment: "Love and the Clinic"
1972 The Paul Lynde Show Aunt Charlotte 2 episodes
1974 Great Performances Madame Aigreville
1974 All in the Family Miss Lillian Henderson Episode: "Where's Archie?"
1974 Good Times Ms. Rogers Episode: "Florida's Big Gig"
1975 Queen of the Stardust Ballroom Helen Television film
1975 Hot l Baltimore Mrs. Bellotti 13 episodes
Main cast (Season 1)
1975 Phyllis Shirley Episode: "So Lonely I Could Cry"
1976 Barney Miller Mrs. Rebecca Sobel Episode: "The Sniper"
1976 The Rich Little Show Herself 11 episodes
1976 All's Fair Madge
1977 Our Town Mrs. Soames Television film
1978 Szysznyk Mrs. Dinsmore
1978 Family Nurse Rondo Episode: "Magic"
1978 The Eddie Capra Mysteries Polly
1978 Flying High Woman Episode: "Fun Flight"
1978–84 Diff'rent Strokes Edna Garrett 37 episodes
Main cast (season 1–2); guest star (Season 6)
1979 Beane's of Boston Mrs. Slocombe Episode: "Pilot"
1979 The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal Bessie Television film
1979 Hello, Larry Edna Garrett 3 episodes
1979–86 The Facts of Life 155 episodes
Lead role (Season 1–7); guest star (Season 8)
1982–85 The Love Boat Ellen van Bowe 4 episodes
1982 The Facts of Life Goes to Paris Mrs. Edna Garrett Television film
1983 Rosie Aunt Gillian Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"
1985 WonderWorks: Words by Heart Mary Tom Chism
1986 The Worst Witch Miss Cackle/Agatha Television film
1987 St. Elsewhere Proud Mary Episode: "You Again?"
1987 Murder, She Wrote Nettie Harper Episode: "Doom with a View"
1988 Save the Dog Voice role; Television film
1989 227 Millie McMillan Episode: "Reunion Blues"
1991 Baby Talk Aunt Beverly Episode: "Once in Love with Cecil"
1994–95 Itsy Bitsy Spider Adrienne Van Leydon 26 episodes
Voice role; main cast (Season 1–2)
1994 Thunder in Paradise Lola 2 episodes
1994–95 Sisters Mrs. Gump 3 episodes
1995 Mickey: Reelin' Through the Years Television film
1995 Can't Hurry Love Helen Episode: "Burning Bed"
1996 The Secret World of Alex Mack Dave's Mother
1997–98 101 Dalmatians: The Series Nanny 43 episodes
Voice role (Season 1–2)
1999 The Brothers Flub Tarara Boomdeyay Voice role
4 episodes
2000 Diagnosis: Murder Estelle Episode: "A Resting Place"
2001 Another Woman's Husband Stella Television film
2001 The Facts of Life Reunion Mrs. Edna Garrett Television film
2004 Strong Medicine Maude
2005 The King of Queens Betty
2008 ER Roxanne Gaines 4 episodes
2009 Life Mary Ford
2011 Pretty Little Liars Bead shop woman Special guest star
2014 Girl Meets World Gammy Hart Episode: "Girl Meets World of Terror"

Stage

Year Title Role Location
1952 Three Wishes for Jamie Tirsa Shanahan Plymouth Theatre
1954 Threepenny Opera Mrs. Peachum Theatre de Lys
1954 The Golden Apple Mrs. Juniper Alvin Theatre
1956 The Littlest Revue Various Phoenix Theatre
1956 Li'l Abner Mammy Yokum St. James Theatre
1962–63 The Beauty Part Various Music Box Theatre / Plymouth Theatre
1965 Pickwick Mrs. Bardell 46th Street Theatre
1968–69 Morning, Noon and Night Various Henry Miller's Theatre
1970 The Chinese and Dr. Fish Charlotte Mendelsohn Ethel Barrymore Theatre
1971 Boom Boom Room Helen Vivian Beaumont Theatre
1989 Driving Miss Daisy Miss Daisy Chicago
1989 Into the Woods Jack's Mother Ahmanson Theatre
1990 Happy Days Winnie Mark Taper Forum
2000 Pippin Berthe Paper Mill Playhouse

Video games

Year Title Role
2010 Red Dead Redemption The Local Population

Discography

Published Works

  • The Facts of My Life (2015), co-written with her son, Larry Strauss

Awards and Nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
1966 Tony Award Best Featured Actress Pickwick Nominated
1969 Tony Award Best Actress Morning, Noon and Night Nominated
1975 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Queen of the Stardust Ballroom Nominated
1982 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series The Facts of Life Nominated
2011 TV Land Awards Pop Culture Award (shared with cast) Won
2017 Looking Ahead Awards The Shirley Temple Award Herself Won

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Charlotte Rae para niños

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