Charlotte Rae
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.
Known for
Acting95
tvGirl Meets World
2014
Gammy Hart
tvPretty Little Liars
2010
Bead Boutique Owner
movieYou Don't Mess with the Zohan
2008
Mrs. Greenhouse
tvLife
2007
Mary Ford
movieThe Facts of Life Reunion
2001
Mrs. Edna Garrett
movieThe Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas!
2000
Mrs. Caruthers (voice)
tvThe Brothers Flub
1999
Tarara Boomdeeyay (voice)
tv101 Dalmatians Series
1997
Nanny (voice)
movieNowhere
1997
Fortune Teller
tvThe Itsy Bitsy Spider
1994
Adrienne
tvER
1994
Roxanne Gaines
tvDiagnosis: Murder
1993
Estelle
movieThunder in Paradise
1993
Lola Miller
movieTom and Jerry: The Movie
1992
Aunt Figg (voice)
movieThe Worst Witch
1986
Miss Cackle / Agatha
movieNoah's Ark
1986
Noah's Wife / Additional Voices (voice)
movieWords by Heart
1985
Mary Tom Chism
WonderWorks
1984
Mary Tom Chism
tvMurder, She Wrote
1984
Nettie Harper
tvSt. Elsewhere
1982
Proud Mary
movieThe Facts of Life Goes to Paris
1982
Edna Garrett
tvThe Facts of Life
1979
Edna Garrett
movieBeane's of Boston
1979
Mae Slocombe
Beane's of Boston
1979
Mae Slocombe
movieHair
1979
Lady in Pink
tvHello, Larry
1979
Edna Garrett
tvDiff'rent Strokes
1978
Edna Garrett
movieRabbit Test
1978
Cousin Claire
tvThe Love Boat
1977
Ellen van Bowe
movieSidewinder 1
1977
Mrs. Holt
movieOur Town
1977
Mrs. Soames
tvBarney Miller
1975
Mrs. Rebecca Sobel
movieIn Fashion
1974
Madame Aigreville
tvThe Paul Lynde Show
1972
Charlotte
tvTemperatures Rising
1972
Mrs. Moscowitz
movieThe Hot Rock
1972
Ma Murch
movieBananas
1971
Mrs. Ruth Mellish
tvGreat Performances
1971
Madame Aigreville
tvAll in the Family
1971
Lillian Henderson
tvThe Partridge Family
1970
Dr. Beecher
movieJenny
1970
Bella Star
movieHello Down There
1969
Myrtle Ruth
moviePinocchio
1968
Rosa Whale
movieThe Love Song of Barney Kempinski
1968
Woman in Window
movieThe Journey of the Fifth Horse
1966
Terentievna
tvNET Playhouse
1966
Terentievna
tvThe DuPont Show of the Week
1961
Mona Brinkman
tvThe Defenders
1961
Mrs. Abeles
movieThe World of Sholom Aleichem
1959
The Angel Rochele
