Charlotte Rae - wikipedia Charlotte Rae Charlotte Rae Rae in 2012. Charlotte Rae Lubotsky ( 1926 - 04 - 22 ) April 22, 1926 ( age 91 ) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. Nationality American Occupation Actress, singer, dancer, comedian Years active 1954 -- present Known for Edna Garrett -- Diff'rent Strokes The Facts of Life Spouse ( s ) John Strauss ( m. 1951 ; div. 1976 ) Children Charlotte Rae Lubotsky ( known professionally as Charlotte Rae ; born April 22, 1926 ) is an American character actress of stage, comedian, singer and dancer whose career spans six decades. Rae is known for her portrayal of Edna Garrett in the sitcoms Diff'rent Strokes and its spin - off, The Facts of Life ( in which she had the starring role from 1979 -- 1986 ). She received the Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy in 1982. She also appeared in two Facts of Life television movies : The Facts of Life Goes to Paris in 1982 and The Facts of Life Reunion in 2001. She voiced the character of `` Nanny '' in 101 Dalmatians : The Series. She also appeared as Gammy Hart in Girl Meets World. In 2015, she returned to the silver screen in the feature film Ricki and the Flash, with Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, and Rick Springfield. In November 2015, Rae released her new autobiography, The Facts of My Life, which was co-written with her son, Larry Strauss. Contents 1 Early life 2 Stage actress and singer 3 Character actress 4 Television 4.1 Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life 5 Personal life 5.1 Health issues 6 Filmography 6.1 Film 6.2 Television 6.3 Stage 6.4 Video Games 7 Discography 8 Published works 9 Awards and nominations 10 References 11 External links Early Life She was born Charlotte Rae Lubotsky on April 22, 1926, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 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. One of three sisters, her siblings are Miriam and the late Beverly ( 1921 -- 1998 ). For the first ten years or so of her life, Rae 's family lived in Milwaukee, then moved to Shorewood, Wisconsin. She graduated from Shorewood High School in 1944. She did radio work and was with the Wauwatosa Children 's Theatre. In 1942, at aged 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. In a 2016 interview with Milwaukee Talks, she said about her decision in appearing in only dramatic television was, `` When I started out, I wanted to be a serious actor, I never thought I 'd get into comedy. '' When a radio personality told her that her last name would n'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. Stage actress and singer A stage actress since the 1950s, she appeared in Three Wishes for Jamie, The Threepenny Opera, Li'l Abner, and Pickwick. In 1955 she released her first ( and only ) solo album, Songs I Taught My Mother, which featured `` silly, sinful, and satirical '' songs by Sheldon Harnick, Vernon Duke, John La Touche, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, and Marc Blitzstein ( who reportedly wrote the song `` Modest Maid '' especially for Rae ), among others. She appeared in Ben Bagley 's revue The Littlest Revue ( and on its cast album ) in 1956, appearing alongside Joel Grey and Tammy Grimes, among others, and singing songs by Sheldon Harnick ( `` The Shape of Things '' ), Vernon Duke ( `` Summer is a-Comin ' In '' ), and Charles Strouse & Lee Adams ( `` Spring Doth Let Her Colours Fly '' ), a parody of opera singer Helen Traubel 's Las Vegas night club act ), among others. Rae would later record Rodgers & Hart Revisited with Dorothy Loudon, Cy Young, and Arthur Siegel, singing `` Everybody Loves You ( When You 're Asleep ) '' and in several other duets and ensembles for Bagley 's studio. Rae received two Tony Award nominations during her Broadway career. The first was in 1966 for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in Pickwick ; the second came in 1969 for Best Actress in a Play for Morning, Noon and Night. Character actress In 1954, Rae made her TV debut on an episode of Look Up and Live. This led to roles on other shows such as The United States Steel Hour, Armstrong Circle Theatre, Kraft Television Theatre, NBC Television Opera Theatre, The Philco Television Playhouse, The Colgate Comedy Hour, The DuPont Show of the Week, The Phil Silvers Show, Car 54, Where Are You ?, Way Out, The Defenders, Temperatures Rising, The Love Boat, The Partridge Family, Love, American Style, McMillan & Wife, Barney Miller, 227, Murder, She Wrote, St. Elsewhere, Diagnosis : Murder, All in the Family and Good Times. In 1993, Rae voiced the character `` Aunt Pristine Figg '' in Tom and Jerry : The Movie. In 1973, Rae played the role of Southern Comfort in Terrence McNally 's spoof Whiskey at Saint Clements ' Theatre off - Broadway. She appeared in The Vagina Monologues off - Broadway. In 2000, she starred as Berthe in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of Pippin. In 2007, she appeared in a cabaret show at the Plush Room in San Francisco for several performances. In the 2008 movie You Do n't Mess with the Zohan, Rae has a role as an older woman who has a fling with Adam Sandler 's character. On February 18, 2009 she appeared in a small role as Mrs. Ford in the Life episode `` I Heart Mom ''. Television Her first significant success was on the sitcom Car 54, Where Are You ? ( 1961 -- 1963 ), in which she played Sylvia Schnauzer, the wife of Officer Leo Schnauzer ( played by Al Lewis ). She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her supporting role in the 1975 drama Queen of the Stardust Ballroom. In January 1975, Rae became a cast member on Norman Lear 's ABC television comedy Hot l Baltimore, wherein she played Mrs. Bellotti, whose dysfunctional adult son Moose, who was never actually seen, lived at the `` hot l '' ( the `` E '' on the hotel 's neon sign was burnt out ). Mrs. Bellotti, who was a bit odd herself, would visit Moose and then laugh about all the odd situations that Moose would get into with the others living at the hotel. Rae also appeared in an early season of Sesame Street as Molly the Mail Lady. Diff'rent Strokes and the Facts of Life In 1978, NBC was losing to both CBS and ABC in sitcom ratings, and Fred Silverman, future producer and former head of CBS, ABC, and NBC, insisted that Norman Lear produce Diff'rent Strokes. Knowing that Rae was one of Lear 's favorite actresses ( in addition to Hot l Baltimore, she also appeared in a 1974 episode of All in the Family ) he hired her immediately for the role of housekeeper Edna Garrett, and she co-starred with Conrad Bain in all 24 episodes of the first season. Her character proved to be so popular that producers decided to do an episode that could lead to a spinoff. That episode ( called `` The Girls School '' ) was about girls attending a fictional school called Eastland. In July 1979, Rae proposed the idea for the spinoff. NBC approved the show, to be called The Facts of Life, which would portray a housemother in a prestigious private school and dealt with such issues facing teenagers as weight issues, depression, drugs, alcohol, and dating. Rae said in a 2015 interview with Entertainment Tonight, about The Facts of Life series that had an off - stage scale to weigh the girls, when the pressure had the opposite effect that producers were hoping for ; `` The more they tried to pressure them and weigh them and threaten them, the more they would eat. It 's not the way you handle adolescence. You do n't do that. '' After working as a character actress / comedian in supporting roles or in guest shots on television series and specials, The Facts Of Life gave Rae not only her best - known role but it finally made her a television star. The role of Edna Garrett was the unifying center of attention of the program as well as a warm, motherly figure for the girls. The Facts of Life had marginal ratings at first but after a major restructuring and time change, the show became a ratings winner between 1980 and 1986. Midway throughout both the 1984 - 85 and 1985 - 86 seasons, she missed several episodes because she was planning on leaving the show, and the story lines focused more on the other characters. At the beginning of the eighth season, Rae left the show and Cloris Leachman was then brought in as Mrs. Garrett 's sister, Beverly Ann Stickle, for the show 's last two years. The part of Beverly was quite similar to Leachman 's character of Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Phyllis from the 1970s. Unfortunately, the character of Beverly was not as popular with viewers as Mrs. Garrett had been. Nevertheless, Leachman remained with the show until it was canceled in 1988. In 2001, Rae, Lisa Whelchel, Mindy Cohn, and Kim Fields were reunited in a TV movie, The Facts of Life Reunion. In 2007, the entire cast was invited to attend the TV Land Awards where several members of the cast, including Rae, sang the show 's theme song. On April 19, 2011, the entire cast was reunited again to attend the TV Land Awards, where the show was nominated and won the award for Pop Culture Icon. The same day, Nancy McKeon and Kim Fields ( who played Jo & Tootie, respectively ) also gave a speech in honor of her 85th birthday. The cast did likewise on ABC 's Good Morning America, where at the end of the segment, reporter, Cynthia McFadden wished Rae a happy birthday, and the cast sang the show 's theme song. Personal Life She married composer John Strauss on November 4, 1951. In the mid 1970s, he came out as bisexual, and the couple divorced in 1976. Strauss died in 2011 at age 90 following a long battle with Parkinson 's disease. The couple had two sons, Larry and Andrew. Health issues In 1982, Rae had a pacemaker implanted in her chest. In 2009, due to the frequency of pancreatic cancer in her own family, Rae was screened, diagnosed early, and became cancer - free after six months of chemotherapy. Her mother, an uncle, and her elder sister Beverly all reportedly died from pancreatic cancer. However, in 2017, aged 91, Rae was diagnosed with bone cancer. Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1969 Hello Down There Myrtle Ruth 1970 Jenny Bella Star 1971 Bananas Mrs. Mellish 1972 The Hot Rock Ma Murch 1977 Sidewinder 1 Mrs. Holt 1978 Rabbit Test Cousin Claire 1979 Hair Lady in Pink 1986 The Greatest Adventure : Stories from the Bible Noah 's Wife Short film : `` Noah 's Ark '' ; Voice role Tom and Jerry : The Movie Aunt Pristine Figg Voice role Thunder in Paradise Lola Miller Direct to video Nowhere Fortune Teller 2000 The Tangerine Bear : Home in Time for Christmas Mrs. Caruthers Voice role ; Direct to video 2008 You Do n't Mess with the Zohan Mrs. Greenhouse 2008 Christmas Cottage Vesta 2012 Love Sick Love Edna 2015 Ricki and the Flash Oma 2016 Norman Lear : Just Another Version of You Herself Documentary 2018 Broadway : Beyond the Golden Age Herself Documentary Television Year Title Role Notes 1954 The United States Steel Hour Ramona 1954 Armstrong Circle Theatre Mrs. Ogburn / Party Snob 1955 Kraft Television Theatre 1955 NBC Television Opera Theatre Mariella 1955 Appointment with Adventure Beverly 1955 The Philco Television Playhouse 1955 -- 58 The Phil Silvers Show Flossie / Mrs. Whitney 2 episodes 1958 DuPont Show of the Month Myrtle May 1959 The World of Sholom Aleichem Television film 1959 Play of the Week The Angel Rochele 1961 Way Out Hazel Atterbury 1961 From These Roots Hilda Furman Unknown episodes 1961 -- 63 Car 54, Where Are You ? Sylvia Schnauser / Miss Berger 11 episodes Recurring role ( Season 1 -- 2 ) 1963 Look Up and Live 1964 The Defenders Mrs. Abeles 1966 The Journey of the Fifth Horse Terentievna Television film 1966 -- 69 New York Television Theatre Various roles 3 episodes 1968 Pinocchio Rosa Whale Television film 1970 NET Playhouse 1971 -- 72 Sesame Street Molly the Mail Lady Main role ( Season 3 ) 1972 Temperatures Rising Mrs. Moscowitz 1972 The Partridge Family Dr. Beecher 1972 McMillan & Wife Mrs. Drake 1972 Love, American Style Edna Albertson Episode : `` Love and the Clinic / Love and the Perfect Wedding / Love and the President / Love and the Return of Raymond '' 1972 The Paul Lynde Show Aunt Charlotte 2 episodes Great Performances Madame Aigreville All in the Family Miss Lillian Henderson 1974 : Good Times Ms. Rogers Queen of the Stardust Ballroom Helen Television film Hot l Baltimore Mrs. Bellotti 13 episodes Main cast ( Season 1 ) Phyllis Shirley 1976 Barney Miller Mrs. Rebecca Sobel 1976 The Rich Little Show Herself 11 episodes 1976 All 's Fair Madge 1977 Our Town Mrs. Soames Television film 1978 Szysznyk Mrs. Dinsmore 1978 Family Nurse Rondo 1978 The Eddie Capra Mysteries Polly 1978 Flying High Woman 1978 -- 84 Diff'rent Strokes Edna Garrett 31 episodes Main cast ( season 1 -- 2 ) Guest star ( Season 6 ) 1979 Beane 's of Boston Mrs. Slocombe 1979 The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal Bessie 1979 Hello, Larry Edna Garrett 3 episodes 1979 -- 86 The Facts of Life Edna Garrett 148 episodes Lead role ( Season 1 -- 7 ) Guest star ( Season 8 ) 1982 -- 85 The Love Boat Ellen van Bowe 4 episodes 1982 The Facts of Life Goes to Paris Mrs. Edna Garrett Television film 1985 WonderWorks : Words by Heart Mary Tom Chism 1986 The Worst Witch Miss Cackle / Agatha Television film St. Elsewhere Proud Mary Murder, She Wrote Nettie Harper Save the Dog Voice role ; Television film 1989 227 Millie McMillan 1991 Baby Talk Aunt Beverly 1994 -- 95 Itsy Bitsy Spider Adrienne Van Leydon 26 episodes Voice role ; Main cast ( Season 1 -- 2 ) Thunder in Paradise Lola 2 episodes 1994 -- 95 Sisters Mrs. Gump 3 episodes 1995 Mickey : Reelin ' Through the Years Television film 1995 Ca n't Hurry Love Helen The Secret World of Alex Mack Dave 's Mother 1997 -- 98 101 Dalmatians : The Series Nanny 43 episodes Voice role ( Season 1 -- 2 ) 1999 Crime in Connecticut : The Story of Alex Kelly Television film 1999 The Brothers Flub Tarara Boomdeyay Voice role 2000 Diagnosis : Murder Estelle 2001 Another Woman 's Husband Stella Television film 2001 The Facts of Life Reunion Mrs. Edna Garrett Television film Strong Medicine Maude 2005 The King of Queens Betty 2008 ER Roxanne Gaines 4 episodes 2009 Life Mary Ford 2011 Pretty Little Liars Bead shop woman Special guest star 2014 Girl Meets World Gammy Hart Stage Year Title Role Location 1952 Three Wishes for Jamie Tirsa Shanahan Plymouth Theatre 1954 Threepenny Opera Mrs. Peachum Theatre de Lys 1954 The Golden Apple Mrs. Juniper Alvin Theatre 1956 The Littlest Revue Various Phoenix Theatre 1956 Li'l Abner Mammy Yokum St. James Theatre 1962 -- 63 The Beauty Part Various Music Box Theatre / Plymouth Theatre 1965 Pickwick Mrs. Bardell 46th Street Theatre 1968 -- 69 Morning, Noon and Night Various Henry Miller 's Theatre 1970 The Chinese and Dr. Fish Charlotte Mendelsohn Ethel Barrymore Theatre 1971 Boom Boom Room Helen Vivian Beaumont Theatre 1989 Into the Woods Jack 's Mother Ahmanson Theatre Video Games Year Title Role Red Dead Redemption The Local Population Discography Studio albums Songs I Taught My Mother ( 1955 ) Published works The Facts of My Life ( 2015 ) This was co-written with her son, Larry Strauss. Awards and nominations Year Award Work Result 1966 Tony Award Best Featured Actress Pickwick Nominated 1969 Tony Award Best Actress Morning, Noon and Night Nominated Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Queen of the Stardust Ballroom Nominated 1982 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series The Facts of Life Nominated 2011 TV Land Awards Pop Culture Award ( shared with cast ) Won 2017 Looking Ahead Awards The Shirley Temple Award Herself Won References ^ Jump up to : `` Charlotte Rae Biography ''. FilmReference.com. Retrieved January 21, 2013. Jump up ^ `` TV icon brings cabaret act to town ''. Jewishsf.com. 2007 - 11 - 21. Retrieved 2015 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ Notice of death of Rae 's brother - in - law, Dr. Jules Levin, the widower of her elder sister, Beverly Archived December 15, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Auer, James. `` Actress returning here for class reunion '', Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, September 21, 1994 ; accessed September 17, 2007. Jump up ^ TV.com. `` Charlotte Rae curriculum vitae ''. Tv.com. Retrieved 2015 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ `` Charlotte Rae Talks ''. Milwaukee Talks. March 9, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Tom and Jerry : The Movie ( 1993 ) Cast and Crew ''. AllMovie. RhythmOne, LLC. Retrieved 20 May 2017. Jump up ^ `` Charlotte Rae Opens Up About Body Shaming on ' Facts of Life ' Set, Ex-Husband's Bisexuality ''. ETOnline.com. 2015 - 10 - 14. Retrieved November 10, 2015. Jump up ^ `` ' The Facts of Life ' Cast Reunites on ' GMA ' ''. April 12, 2011. Jump up ^ Ravitz, Justin ( 2013 - 01 - 21 ). `` Charlotte Rae, Facts of Life Star : My Husband Was Gay, Cheated on Me ''. Usmagazine.com. Retrieved 2015 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ Propst, Andy ( February 17, 2011 ). `` Composer and Sound Editor John Strauss Dies at 90 ''. Retrieved January 21, 2013. Jump up ^ Buck, Jerry ( April 12, 1982 ). `` Paul Lynde Helped Charlotte Rae ''. Associated Press via The Free Lance - Star. Retrieved January 21, 2013. Miss Rae, the divorced mother of two grown sons... Jump up ^ Fox, Margalit ( 2011 - 02 - 17 ). `` John Strauss, Composer of ' Car 54 ' Theme, Dies at 90 ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 2011 - 02 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Charlotte Rae : Biography ''. TVGuide.com. Retrieved January 21, 2013. Jump up ^ Dugan, Christina ( 2017 - 04 - 27 ). `` The Facts of Life 's Charlotte Rae Has Been Diagnosed with Bone Cancer at 91 ''. People.com. Retrieved 2017 - 04 - 27. Jump up ^ Zolotow, Sam ( May 31, 1966 ). `` NOMINEES LISTED FOR TONY AWARDS ''. The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2011. Jump up ^ Zolotow, Sam ( March 18, 1969 ). `` 2 Musicals Get 8 Nominations For Tony Prizes ''. The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2011. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Charlotte Rae. Charlotte Rae at the Internet Broadway Database Charlotte Rae at the Internet Off - Broadway Database Charlotte Rae on IMDb Charlotte Rae at the TCM Movie Database Charlotte Rae interview video at the Archive of American Television Charlotte Rae 's album at PS Classics Charlotte Rae recording as Berthe in Pippin VIAF : 38447754 LCCN : n87922149 ISNI : 0000 0000 7880 1941 GND : 134786181 IATH : w6fn181j Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charlotte_Rae&oldid=819182222 '' Categories : 1926 births Living people American female dancers Dancers from Wisconsin American film actresses American musical theatre actresses American stage actresses American television actresses American voice actresses Actresses from Milwaukee American women comedians American female singers American people of Russian - Jewish descent Pancreatic cancer survivors Jewish American actresses 20th - century American actresses 21st - century American actresses Northwestern University School of Communication alumni Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2017 Articles with unsourced statements from July 2012 Articles with unsourced statements from February 2012 Articles with IBDb links Turner Classic Movies person ID same as Wikidata Articles using Template : EmmyTVLegends name Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC - ID identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu تۆرکجه Deutsch Español فارسی Français 한국어 Italiano Nederlands Polski Português Русский Simple English Suomi Tagalog اردو Edit links This page was last edited on 7 January 2018, at 22 : 54. 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Question: who played mrs. garrett on the facts of life
Answer: Charlotte Rae Lubotsky