Charlotte Rae - # 187

Charlotte Rae -- Mrs. Garrett from TV's 'The Facts of Life,' 'Diff'rent Strokes' -- dies at 92

She was number 187 on the list.

Charlotte Rae, a gregarious actress with a prodigious career on stage, screen and TV, died Sunday at the age of 92, her son Larry Strauss said.

She is best known for her role as housekeeper Edna Garrett, first on the sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" and then the spinoff "The Facts of Life," with both shows launching in the 1970s and running several years into the '80s.

Rae passed away peacefully at her home in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon, Strauss said, and was surrounded by her family. A cause of death was not provided.

From 'Bananas' to 'Queen of the Stardust Ballroom'

Born Charlotte Rae Lubotsky in Milwaukee in 1926, she aspired to be a dramatic actress. Rae became a comedian and segued into acting, according to Internet Movie Database, or IMDb.

She starred in the TV comedy "Car 54, Where Are You?" in the early '60s.

Rae won an Emmy nomination for her performance in the 1975 TV drama "Queen of the Stardust Ballroom," according to IMDb.

She played the mother of Woody Allen's character in the movie "Bananas." She appeared in "The Vagina Monologues" in New York and was the voice of a character in "Tom and Jerry: The Movie" in 1992.

Co-stars mourn loss

    Different Strokes would not have been the same without you #CharlotteRae. You were loved by everyone on our show and you were loved by everyone on the facts of life will miss you "My heart is full of Pain" Rest in peace my friend pic.twitter.com/8FbterNz3S

    — Todd Bridges (@ToddBridges) August 6, 2018

Actor Todd Bridges said on Twitter: "Different Strokes would not have been the same without you #CharlotteRae. You were loved by everyone on our show and you were loved by everyone on the facts of life will miss you 'My heart is full of Pain' Rest in peace my friend."

Actress Kim Fields, who worked with Rae on "The Facts of Life," said on Twitter that "you all already know my heart is heavy yet.... sorry, no words at the moment just love and tears... and yeah, smiles.... #charlotterae #ripcharlotterae."

Fields later put out a statement, which said in part: "More than Mrs. G., Charlotte Rae was an indelible force of spirit and that is what she brought to to every character she portrayed. Part of that came from her extensive theater training, most came from her passion for what she loved to do and the greatest part was just simply her light."

Comedian Larry Wilmore said," My first tv gig a millennium of moons ago was on The Facts of Life. She was just the best and nicest lady. ... RIP Ms. Rae."

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
1992     Tom and Jerry: The Movie     Aunt Pristine Figg     Voice
1993     Thunder in Paradise     Lola Miller     Direct to video
1997     Nowhere     Fortune Teller    
2000     The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas     Mrs. Caruthers     Voice; Direct to video
2008     You Don'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    
1954–55     Armstrong Circle Theatre     Mrs. Ogburn / Party Snob     2 episodes
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         Episode: "Foul!"
1970–72     Sesame Street     Molly the Mail Lady     Main role (Season 3)
1972     Temperatures Rising     Mrs. Moscowitz    
1972     The Partridge Family     Dr. Beecher     Episode: "You're Only Young Twice"
1972     McMillan & Wife     Mrs. Drake    
1972     Love, American Style     Edna Albertson     Segment: "Love and the Clinic"
1972     The Paul Lynde Show     Aunt Charlotte     2 episodes
1974     Great Performances     Madame Aigreville    
1974     All in the Family     Miss Lillian Henderson     Episode: "Where's Archie?"
1974     Good Times     Ms. Rogers     Episode: "Florida's Big Gig"
1975     Queen of the Stardust Ballroom     Helen     Television film
1975     Hot l Baltimore     Mrs. Bellotti     13 episodes
Main cast (Season 1)
1975     Phyllis     Shirley     Episode: "So Lonely I Could Cry"
1976     Barney Miller     Mrs. Rebecca Sobel     Episode: "The Sniper" [25]
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     Episode: "Magic"
1978     The Eddie Capra Mysteries     Polly    
1978     Flying High     Woman     Episode: "Fun Flight"
1978–84     Diff'rent Strokes     Edna Garrett     37 episodes
Main cast (season 1–2) Guest star (Season 6)
1979     Beane's of Boston     Mrs. Slocombe     Episode: "Pilot"
1979     The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal     Bessie     Television film
1979     Hello, Larry     Edna Garrett     3 episodes
1979–86     The Facts of Life     155 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
1987     St. Elsewhere     Proud Mary     Episode: "You Again?"
1987     Murder, She Wrote     Nettie Harper     Episode: "Doom with a View"
1988     Save the Dog         Voice role; Television film
1989     227     Millie McMillan     Episode: "Reunion Blues"
1991     Baby Talk     Aunt Beverly     Episode: "Once in Love with Cecil"
1994–95     Itsy Bitsy Spider     Adrienne Van Leydon     26 episodes
Voice role; Main cast (Season 1–2)
1994     Thunder in Paradise     Lola     2 episodes
1994–95     Sisters     Mrs. Gump     3 episodes
1995     Mickey: Reelin' Through the Years         Television film
1995     Can't Hurry Love     Helen     Episode: "Burning Bed"
1996     The Secret World of Alex Mack     Dave's Mother    
1997–98     101 Dalmatians: The Series     Nanny     43 episodes
Voice role (Season 1–2)
1999     The Brothers Flub     Tarara Boomdeyay     Voice role
4 episodes
2000     Diagnosis: Murder     Estelle    
2001     Another Woman's Husband     Stella     Television film
2001     The Facts of Life Reunion     Mrs. Edna Garrett     Television film
2004     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     Episode: "Girl Meets World of Terror"