Acting · Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA · Born April 22, 1926
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.
MovieRicki and the Flash
2015
as Oma
MovieShe's The Best Thing in It
2015
as Self
TVGirl Meets World
2014
as Gammy Hart
MovieLove Sick Love
2012
as Edna
TVPretty Little Liars
2010
as Bead Boutique Owner
The Great Debate
2009
MovieChristmas Cottage
2008
as Vesta
MovieYou Don't Mess with the Zohan
2008
as Mrs. Greenhouse
TVLife
2007
as Mary Ford
MovieThe Facts of Life Reunion
2001
as Mrs. Edna Garrett
MovieAl Lewis: Forever Grandpa
2000
as Self
MovieThe Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas!
2000
as Mrs. Caruthers (voice)
TVStrong Medicine
2000
as Maude
MovieAnother Woman's Husband
2000
as Stella
TVThe Brothers Flub
1999
as Tarara Boomdeeyay (voice)
Movie101 Dalmatians Christmas
1998
as Nanny
TVThe King of Queens
1998
as Betty
TVThe Wonderful World of Disney
1997
TV101 Dalmatians Series
1997
MovieNowhere
1997
as Fortune Teller
TVE! True Hollywood Story
1996
TVCan't Hurry Love
1995
as Helen
TVThe Itsy Bitsy Spider
1994
as Adrienne
TVThe Secret World of Alex Mack
1994
TVER
1994
as Roxanne Gaines
TVThunder in Paradise
1994
TVIntimate Portrait
1993
as Self
TVDiagnosis: Murder
1993
as Estelle
MovieThunder in Paradise
1993
as Lola Miller
MovieTom and Jerry: The Movie
1992
as Aunt Figg (voice)
TVSisters
1991
TVBaby Talk
1991
MovieSave the Dog!
1988
MovieThe Worst Witch
1986
as Miss Cackle / Agatha
MovieNoah's Ark
1986
as Noah's Wife / Additional Voices (voice)
MovieThe NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
1985
TV227
1985
MovieNight of 100 Stars II
1985
as Self
MovieWords by Heart
1985
as Mary Tom Chism
WonderWorks
1984
as Mary Tom Chism
TVMurder, She Wrote
1984
as Nettie Harper
TVSt. Elsewhere
1982
as Proud Mary
MovieThe Facts of Life Goes to Paris
1982
as Edna Garrett
MovieNight of 100 Stars
1982
as Self
TVThe Facts of Life
1979
as Edna Garrett
MovieBeane's of Boston
1979
as Mae Slocombe
Beane's of Boston
1979
as Mae Slocombe
MovieHair
1979
as Lady in Pink
MovieThe Triangle Factory Fire Scandal
1979
as Bessie
TVHello, Larry
1979
as Edna Garrett
TVDiff'rent Strokes
1978
as Edna Garrett
TVFlying High
1978
MovieRabbit Test
1978
as Cousin Claire
MovieA Different Approach
1978
TVThe Love Boat
1977
MovieSidewinder 1
1977
as Mrs. Holt
Szysznyk
1977
MovieOur Town
1977
as Mrs. Soames
TVAll's Fair
1976
TVFamily
1976
The Rich Little Show
1976
MovieQueen of the Stardust Ballroom
1975
as Helen
TVHot l Baltimore
1975
TVBarney Miller
1975
as Mrs. Rebecca Sobel
MovieIn Fashion
1974
as Madame Aigreville
TVGood Times
1974
TVThe Paul Lynde Show
1972
as Charlotte
TVTemperatures Rising
1972
as Mrs. Moscowitz
MovieThe Hot Rock
1972
as Ma Murch
TVMcMillan & Wife
1971
MovieBananas
1971
as Mrs. Ruth Mellish
TVGreat Performances
1971
as Madame Aigreville
TVAll in the Family
1971
as Lillian Henderson
TVThe Partridge Family
1970
as Dr. Beecher
MovieJenny
1970
as Bella Star
TVLove, American Style
1969
MovieHello Down There
1969
as Myrtle Ruth
MoviePinocchio
1968
as Rosa Whale
MovieThe Love Song of Barney Kempinski
1968
as Woman in Window
MovieThe Journey of the Fifth Horse
1966
as Terentievna
TVNET Playhouse
1966
as Terentievna
MovieThe Huffless, Puffless, Dragon
1964
TVThe DuPont Show of the Week
1961
as Mona Brinkman
TVThe Defenders
1961
as Mrs. Abeles
TVWay Out
1961
MovieThe World of Sholom Aleichem
1959
as The Angel Rochele
TVPlay of the Week
1959
Movie"Waiting for Godot" Intercut with “Krazy Kat”
1958
as Krazy Kat
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
1957
as Self
Appointment with Adventure
1955
TVThe United States Steel Hour
1953
TVHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
TVThe Bob Hope Show
1950
as Self
TVThe Philco Television Playhouse
1948
TVThe Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
