Charlotte Rae
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
The King of Queens
Betty
1998
Series
Murder, She Wrote
Nettie Harper
1984
Series
ER
Roxanne Gaines
1994
Series
The Love Boat
1977
Series
The Love Boat
Ellen van Bowe
1977
Series
Pretty Little Liars
Bead Boutique Owner
2010
Series
Diagnosis: Murder
Estelle
1993
Series
Great Performances
Madame Aigreville
1971
Series
Love, American Style
1969
Series
Strong Medicine
Maude
2000
Series
The Facts of Life
Edna Garrett
1979
Series
St. Elsewhere
Proud Mary
1982
Series
Barney Miller
Mrs. Rebecca Sobel
1975
Series
All in the Family
Lillian Henderson
1971
Series
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948
Series
Intimate Portrait
Self
1993
Series
Girl Meets World
Gammy Hart
2014
Series
The Partridge Family
Dr. Beecher
1970
Series
The Defenders
Mrs. Abeles
1961
Series
101 Dalmatians Series
1997
Series
101 Dalmatians Series
Nanny (voice)
1997
Series
Life
Mary Ford
2007
Series
The Bob Hope Show
Self
1950
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Self
1957
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
1997
Series
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
Series
227
1985
Series
Good Times
1974
Series
Family
1976
Series
McMillan & Wife
1971
Series
The United States Steel Hour
1953
Film
You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Mrs. Greenhouse
2008
Series
The Secret World of Alex Mack
1994
Series
NET Playhouse
Terentievna
1966
Series
Play of the Week
1959
Series
Temperatures Rising
Mrs. Moscowitz
1972
Film
Tom and Jerry: The Movie
Aunt Figg (voice)
1992
Series
Hello, Larry
Edna Garrett
1979
Series
The Paul Lynde Show
Charlotte
1972
Film
Hair
Lady in Pink
1979
Series
Can't Hurry Love
Helen
1995
Series
Flying High
1978
Series
The Brothers Flub
Tarara Boomdeeyay (voice)
1999
Film
Nowhere
Fortune Teller
1997
The Great Debate
2009
Series
All's Fair
1976
Series
Thunder in Paradise
1994
Appointment with Adventure
1955
WonderWorks
Mary Tom Chism
1984
Film
Ricki and the Flash
Oma
2015
Film
The Hot Rock
Ma Murch
1972
Film
Christmas Cottage
Vesta
2008
Film
Bananas
Mrs. Ruth Mellish
1971
Series
Way Out
1961
Series
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
Series
Hot l Baltimore
1975
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Series
The DuPont Show of the Week
Mona Brinkman
1961
Series
Diff'rent Strokes
Edna Garrett
1978
Film
Pinocchio
Rosa Whale
1968
Series
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Adrienne
1994
Film
In Fashion
Madame Aigreville
1974
Film
The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas!
Mrs. Caruthers (voice)
2000
Film
Night of 100 Stars II
Self
1985
Film
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1985
Film
The Worst Witch
Miss Cackle / Agatha
1986
Film
Night of 100 Stars
Self
1982
Szysznyk
1977
The Rich Little Show
1976
Film
Sidewinder 1
Mrs. Holt
1977
Film
Rabbit Test
Cousin Claire
1978
Film
The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal
Bessie
1979
Film
Noah's Ark
Noah's Wife / Additional Voices (voice)
1986
Film
Thunder in Paradise
Lola Miller
1993
Film
Hello Down There
Myrtle Ruth
1969
Beane's of Boston
Mae Slocombe
1979
Film
101 Dalmatians Christmas
Nanny
1998
Film
A Different Approach
1978
Film
The Love Song of Barney Kempinski
Woman in Window
1968
Film
She's The Best Thing in It
Self
2015
Film
The Facts of Life Goes to Paris
Edna Garrett
1982
Film
The Facts of Life Reunion
Mrs. Edna Garrett
2001
Film
The World of Sholom Aleichem
The Angel Rochele
1959
Film
Queen of the Stardust Ballroom
Helen
1975
Film
Jenny
Bella Star
1970
Film
Words by Heart
Mary Tom Chism
1985
Film
Another Woman's Husband
Stella
2000
Film
Al Lewis: Forever Grandpa
Self
2000
Film
Save the Dog!
1988
Film
The Huffless, Puffless, Dragon
1964
Film
The Journey of the Fifth Horse
Terentievna
1966
Film
Our Town
Mrs. Soames
1977
Film
"Waiting for Godot" Intercut with “Krazy Kat”
Krazy Kat
1958
Film
Beane's of Boston
Mae Slocombe
1979
Series
Sisters
1991
Series
Baby Talk
1991
Film
Love Sick Love
Edna
2012