Charlotte Rae

Charlotte Rae - Actress (stage, television), singer, dancer, comedian; born Charlotte Rae Lubotsky on April 22, 1926 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Rae is known for her portrayal of Mrs. 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).

Rae's parents were Russian Jewish immigrants and her mom, Esther (née Ottenstein), was a childhood friend of the future Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir who also lived in Milwaukee.

For the first ten years or so of her life, Rae's family lived in Milwaukee, then moved to Shorewood, Wisconsin. In 1942, at age 16, before graduating from high school, Rae was an apprentice with the Port Players, a professional theater company that came to Milwaukee for the summer. She graduated from Shorewood High School in 1944 and and went on to do radio work as well as work for the Wauwatosa Children's Theatre.

Rae's career in theater and television spanned six decades.

• 1966 Tony Award Nomination, Best Featured Actress, Pickwick
• 1969 Tony Award Nomination, Best Actress, "Morning, Noon and Night"
• 1975 Primetime Emmy Award Nomination, Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama, "Queen of the Stardust Ballroom"
• 1982 Primetime Emmy Award Nomination, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, "The Facts of Life"

For more information on Charlotte Rae, visit Wikipedia.

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