TV and Movies

[lmt]

Charlotte Rae, who had a six decade career as an actress and was best known as the wise housemother on “The Facts of Life,” died Sunday in Los Angeles. She was 92.

The Tony and Emmy nominated actress appeared on the popular 1980s sitcom “The Facts of Life” for nearly 10 years, sharing her personal struggles with the writers for the show to keep things realistic.

In the early 1960s, she created the role of Sylvia Schnauzer on TV series “Car 54 Where Are You?” She also worked extensively on Broadway, in Shakespeare in the Park and in summer stock.

Rae’s other television work included a year on “Sesame Street,” and a recurring role on “Hot L Baltimore,” then a season on “Diff’rent Strokes,” where her character Mrs. Garrett was born before spinning off on “The Facts of Life,” for which she earned an Emmy nomination.

Born Charlotte Rae Lubotsky in Milwaukee, she began her career on the radio and at the Wauwatosa Children’s Theatre before attending Northwestern University. She roomed with Cloris Leachman and also befriended Paul Lynde, then she began doing standup comedy in the New York cabaret scene in the early 1950s.

She was married to composer John Strauss, with whom she had two sons. Andy Strauss died in 1999, and she wrote her memoir “The Facts of My Life,” with Larry Strauss.

She is survived by a sister, her son Larry, three grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

[lmt]

Rest in Peace, Mrs G...... 

Reunited! In 2014, the cast including (L-R) Mindy Cohn, Geri Jewell, Chalotte Rae, Lisa Whelchel and Nancy McKeon all got back together for a 35-year reunion

[Lisa Y]

I grew up with The Facts of Life and thought Mrs. Garrett was very wise. I love the fact that a mature woman was leading a sitcom back then in the eighties.

RIP Charlotte Rae.

[Grade1Teach]

I just saw that this morning -  Very sad!

I started watching the Facts of Life as a child in the 80s.  I always loved that show!  The reruns have been playing (it's on now!) and I watch them when I have a chance.

I will forever remember Charlotte Rae as Mrs. Garrett (on Diff'rent Strokes too).  It's funny how these tv shows have a way of making you think that these people will live forever.  They are sort of frozen in time.  News like this makes you realize that they are indeed only human. 

[Ladylaughsalot]

RIP. I love the pic that someone posted above. 

[meallen616]

Charlotte Rae,

[Irish1210]

Bless her heart ~ I always loved her, she made me laugh

[threecees]

@lmt

Just yesterday on the Facts of Life reboot thread here I posted that

Charlotte Rae was alive and 92 years old. I turned on GMA this morning

and saw that she passed away.

Loved her in Diff"rent Strokes and Facts of Life.

[ValuSkr]

How sad.  Ms. Rae died just as they were discussing a reboot of her hit series.  Maybe she wasn't in favor.

[violann]

If you loved and adored Charlotte Rae’s work, as I did, her FUNNIEST work by far, was in Car 54. She had a repertoire of facial expressions that could stop a clock, and her timing was meticulous. 

She was also AMAZING in Hot L Baltimore, a sitcom that didn’t last NEARLY as long as it should have.

She always struck me as misplaced in Diff’rent Strokes and the facts of life, probably because she was so WILDLY funny as Sylvia Schnauzer, and in comparison, although she was an excellent foil for all the child actors, most of her scenes, although sprinkled with witticisms, came across as being kind of gooey sweet.

Fine, fine comedian.