Charlotte Rae
Charlotte Rae Lubotsky (April 22, 1926 – August 5, 2018) was an American actress and singer. On screen, Rae was best known for her portrayal of Edna Garrett in the sitcoms Diff'rent Strokes and its spin-off, The Facts of Life.
She was born to Russian Jewish immigrants Esther (née Ottenstein), who was a childhood friend of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, and Meyer Lubotsky, a retail tire business owner. She was one of three sisters, along with Miriam and the late Beverly (December 21, 1921 – June 2, 1998).
She graduated from Shorewood High School in 1944. For the first ten years or so of her life, Rae's family lived in Milwaukee, then moved to Shorewood, Wisconsin. She did radio work and was with the Wauwatosa Children's Theatre. At 16, she was an apprentice with the Port Players, a professional theater company that came for the summer to Milwaukee, with several established actors such as Morton DaCosta, who would eventually direct The Music Man on Broadway.
Rae attended Northwestern University, although she did not complete her studies, where she met Cloris Leachman, who many years later succeeded Rae on The Facts of Life for the show's last two seasons. At Northwestern she met several unknown stars and producers, including Agnes Nixon, Charlton Heston, Paul Lynde, Gerald Freedman, Claude Akins and songwriter Sheldon Harnick. When a radio personality told her that her last name wouldn't do, she dropped it, to her father's chagrin. She moved to New York City in 1948, where she performed in the theater and nightclubs. During her early years in New York, she worked at the Village Vanguard (alongside up-and-coming talents such as singer Richard Dyer-Bennet) and at the posh Blue Angel, home to budding talents Barbra Streisand, Mike Nichols and Elaine May. She moved to Los Angeles in 1974.
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Movies (40)
Ricki and the Flash: Entre la fama y la familia
2015 · Oma
She's The Best Thing in It
2015 · Self
Love Sick Love
2012 · Edna
Christmas Cottage
2008 · Vesta
No te metas con Zohan
2008 · Mrs. Greenhouse
The Facts of Life Reunion
2001 · Mrs. Edna Garrett
Al Lewis: Forever Grandpa
2000 · Self
The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas!
2000 · Mrs. Caruthers (voice)
Another Woman's Husband
2000 · Stella
101 Dalmatians Christmas
1998 · Nanny
Nowhere
1997 · Fortune Teller
Thunder in Paradise
1993 · Lola Miller
Tom and Jerry: The Movie
1992 · Aunt Figg (voice)
Save the Dog!
1988
The Worst Witch
1986 · Miss Cackle / Agatha
Noah's Ark
1986 · Noah's Wife / Additional Voices (voice)
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1985
Night of 100 Stars II
1985 · Self
Words by Heart
1985 · Mary Tom Chism
The Facts of Life Goes to Paris
1982 · Edna Garrett
Night of 100 Stars
1982 · Self
Beane's of Boston
1979 · Mae Slocombe
Hair
1979 · Lady in Pink
The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal
1979 · Bessie
Rabbit Test
1978 · Cousin Claire
A Different Approach
1978
Sidewinder 1
1977 · Mrs. Holt
Our Town
1977 · Mrs. Soames
Queen of the Stardust Ballroom
1975 · Helen
In Fashion
1974 · Madame Aigreville
The Hot Rock
1972 · Ma Murch
Bananas
1971 · Mrs. Ruth Mellish
Jenny
1970 · Bella Star
Hello Down There
1969 · Myrtle Ruth
Pinocchio
1968 · Rosa Whale
The Love Song of Barney Kempinski
1968 · Woman in Window
The Journey of the Fifth Horse
1966 · Terentievna
The Huffless, Puffless, Dragon
1964
The World of Sholom Aleichem
1959 · The Angel Rochele
"Waiting for Godot" Intercut with “Krazy Kat”
1958 · Krazy Kat
TV shows (55)
El mundo de Riley
2014 · Gammy Hart
Lindas Mentirosas
2010 · Bead Boutique Owner
The Great Debate
2009
Life
2007 · Mary Ford
Strong Medicine
2000 · Maude
The Brothers Flub
1999 · Tarara Boomdeeyay (voice)
The King of Queens
1998 · Betty
The Wonderful World of Disney
1997
101 Dalmatians: The Series
1997 · Nanny (voice)
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
Can't Hurry Love
1995 · Helen
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
1994 · Adrienne
The Secret World of Alex Mack
1994
ER
1994 · Roxanne Gaines
Thunder in Paradise
1994
Intimate Portrait
1993 · Self
Diagnosis: Murder
1993 · Estelle
Sisters
1991
Baby Talk
1991
227
1985
WonderWorks
1984 · Mary Tom Chism
Murder, She Wrote
1984 · Nettie Harper
St. Elsewhere
1982 · Proud Mary
The Facts of Life
1979 · Edna Garrett
Beane's of Boston
1979 · Mae Slocombe
Hello, Larry
1979 · Edna Garrett
Diff'rent Strokes
1978 · Edna Garrett
Flying High
1978
The Love Boat
1977 · Ellen van Bowe
Szysznyk
1977
All's Fair
1976
Family
1976
The Rich Little Show
1976
Hot l Baltimore
1975
Barney Miller
1975 · Mrs. Rebecca Sobel
Good Times
1974
The Paul Lynde Show
1972 · Charlotte
Temperatures Rising
1972 · Mrs. Moscowitz
McMillan & Wife
1971
Great Performances
1971 · Madame Aigreville
All in the Family
1971 · Lillian Henderson
The Partridge Family
1970 · Dr. Beecher
Love, American Style
1969
NET Playhouse
1966 · Terentievna
The DuPont Show of the Week
1961 · Mona Brinkman
The Defenders
1961 · Mrs. Abeles
Way Out
1961
Play of the Week
1959
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
1957 · Self
Appointment with Adventure
1955
The United States Steel Hour
1953
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
The Bob Hope Show
1950 · Self
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948 · Self