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Charlotte Rae
Actor

Charlotte Rae

22 Apr 1926Born
5 Aug 2018Died
92Age at death
86Credits

Biography

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.

Read the full biography

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.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 86 credits.

  1. 2015Ricki and the FlashFilm: Oma
  2. 2014Girl Meets WorldSeries: Gammy Hart (1 episode)
  3. 2012Love Sick LoveFilm: Edna
  4. 2010Pretty Little LiarsSeries: Bead Boutique Owner (1 episode)
  5. 2008Christmas CottageFilm: Vesta
  6. 2008You Don't Mess with the ZohanFilm: Mrs. Greenhouse
  7. 2007LifeSeries: Mary Ford (1 episode)
  8. 2001The Facts of Life ReunionFilm: Mrs. Edna Garrett
  9. 2000The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas!Film: Mrs. Caruthers (voice)
  10. 2000Strong MedicineSeries: Maude (1 episode)
  11. 2000Another Woman's HusbandFilm: Stella
  12. 1999The Brothers FlubSeries: Tarara Boomdeeyay (voice) (52 episodes)
  13. 1998101 Dalmatians ChristmasFilm: Nanny
  14. 1998The King of QueensSeries: Betty (1 episode)
  15. 1997The Wonderful World of DisneySeries (1 episode)
  16. 1997101 Dalmatians: The SeriesSeries: Nanny (voice) (105 episodes)
  17. 1997NowhereFilm: Fortune Teller
  18. 1996E! True Hollywood StorySeries (2 episodes)
  19. 1995Can't Hurry LoveSeries: Helen (1 episode)
  20. 1994The Itsy Bitsy SpiderSeries: Adrienne (13 episodes)
  21. 1994The Secret World of Alex MackSeries (1 episode)
  22. 1994ERSeries: Roxanne Gaines (4 episodes)
  23. 1994Thunder in ParadiseSeries (1 episode)
  24. 1993Diagnosis: MurderSeries: Estelle (1 episode)
  25. 1993Thunder in ParadiseFilm: Lola Miller
  26. 1992Tom and Jerry: The MovieFilm: Aunt Figg (voice)
  27. 1991SistersSeries (3 episodes)
  28. 1991Baby TalkSeries (1 episode)
  29. 1988Save the Dog!Film
  30. 1986The Worst WitchFilm: Miss Cackle / Agatha
  31. 1986Noah's ArkFilm: Noah's Wife / Additional Voices (voice)
  32. 1985The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be ThereFilm
  33. 1985227Series (1 episode)
  34. 1985Words by HeartFilm: Mary Tom Chism
  35. 1984WonderWorksSeries: Mary Tom Chism (2 episodes)
  36. 1984Murder, She WroteSeries: Nettie Harper (1 episode)
  37. 1982St. ElsewhereSeries: Proud Mary (1 episode)
  38. 1982The Facts of Life Goes to ParisFilm: Edna Garrett
  39. 1979The Facts of LifeSeries: Edna Garrett (153 episodes)
  40. 1979Beane's of BostonFilm: Mae Slocombe
  41. 1979Beane's of BostonSeries: Mae Slocombe (1 episode)
  42. 1979HairFilm: Lady in Pink
  43. 1979The Triangle Factory Fire ScandalFilm: Bessie
  44. 1979Hello, LarrySeries: Edna Garrett (3 episodes)
  45. 1978Diff'rent StrokesSeries: Edna Garrett (51 episodes)
  46. 1978Flying HighSeries (1 episode)
  47. 1978Rabbit TestFilm: Cousin Claire
  48. 1978A Different ApproachFilm
  49. 1977The Love BoatSeries: Ellen van Bowe (1 episode)
  50. 1977Sidewinder 1Film: Mrs. Holt
  51. 1977SzysznykSeries (1 episode)
  52. 1977Our TownFilm: Mrs. Soames
  53. 1976All's FairSeries (1 episode)
  54. 1976FamilySeries (1 episode)
  55. 1976The Rich Little ShowSeries (15 episodes)
  56. 1975Queen of the Stardust BallroomFilm: Helen
  57. 1975Hot l BaltimoreSeries (13 episodes)
  58. 1975Barney MillerSeries: Mrs. Rebecca Sobel (1 episode)
  59. 1974In FashionFilm: Madame Aigreville
  60. 1974Good TimesSeries (1 episode)
  61. 1972The Paul Lynde ShowSeries: Charlotte (2 episodes)
  62. 1972Temperatures RisingSeries: Mrs. Moscowitz (1 episode)
  63. 1972The Hot RockFilm: Ma Murch
  64. 1971McMillan & WifeSeries (1 episode)
  65. 1971BananasFilm: Mrs. Ruth Mellish
  66. 1971Great PerformancesSeries: Madame Aigreville (1 episode)
  67. 1971All in the FamilySeries: Lillian Henderson (1 episode)
  68. 1970The Partridge FamilySeries: Dr. Beecher (1 episode)
  69. 1970JennyFilm: Bella Star
  70. 1969Love, American StyleSeries (1 episode)
  71. 1969Hello Down ThereFilm: Myrtle Ruth
  72. 1968PinocchioFilm: Rosa Whale
  73. 1968The Love Song of Barney KempinskiFilm: Woman in Window
  74. 1966The Journey of the Fifth HorseFilm: Terentievna
  75. 1966NET PlayhouseSeries: Terentievna (1 episode)
  76. 1964The Huffless, Puffless, DragonFilm
  77. 1961The DuPont Show of the WeekSeries: Mona Brinkman (1 episode)
  78. 1961The DefendersSeries: Mrs. Abeles (1 episode)
  79. 1961Way OutSeries (1 episode)
  80. 1959The World of Sholom AleichemFilm: The Angel Rochele

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.