Charlotte Rae facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charlotte Rae
Rae at the 1988 Emmy Awards
Born	Charlotte Rae Lubotsky (1926-04-22)April 22, 1926 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	August 5, 2018(2018-08-05) (aged 92) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	Northwestern University University of Southern California
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

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

Television

Stage

Video games

Discography

Published Works

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

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Charlotte Rae para niños