Facts star had long, varied acting career
Co-stars and fans express their love for Emmy-nominated TV, stage actress
LOS ANGELES Charlotte Rae’s death has sparked an outpouring of condolences from co-stars and fans.
The actress, best known as wise and lovable house mother Mrs. Garrett on The Facts of Life, died Sunday at her home in Los Angeles, said her publicist, Harlan Boll. She was 92.
Kim Fields, who portrayed Dorothy (Tootie) Ramsey on the hit sitcom, was one of the first to express her grief, writing on Twitter, “You all already know my heart is heavy yet…. sorry, no words at the moment just love and tears… and yeah, smiles.”
Todd Bridges, who played young Willis Jackson with Rae on Diff ’rent Strokes, paid tribute to all of his late co-stars: “RIP in peace all of my cast mates. I miss you all.”
Mindy Cohn, who played Natalie Green on the sitcom, wrote on Instagram. “It’s with a heavy heart & tears ( but a smile as i think of her) that I now move through the world without this incredible force of a woman being it. she was my champion, a teacher, a proud example of the tenacity and perseverance needed to live as a creative, along with your talent and gifts. i love you char. as I send sympathies to Larry (Strauss) and the rest of the family, I wish you the happiest of homecomings.”
A cause of death was not immediately available, but Rae reportedly was diagnosed last year with bone cancer after having beaten pancreatic cancer.
She originated the character of Mrs. Garrett in 1978 during the first season of NBC’s comedy Diff’rent Strokes, then took Mrs. Garrett with her for the spinoff Facts, which premièred the following season. Initially set at a girls’ boarding school, that NBC series ran for nine seasons. Rae left after its seventh year, however, explaining later, “I needed some time for the rest of my life.”
She earned an Emmy nomination for the part, and was a twotime Tony nominee for her work on Broadway.
Edna Garrett provided kind if sometimes wry counsel to her charges (played by young costars including Kim Fields, Lisa Whelchel, Nancy McKeon and Molly Ringwald) on a series that was praised for dealing with such sensitive issues of teenhood as sex, drug use, eating disorders and peer pressure.
“I wanted to bring in as much humanity as possible, as well as the humour,” Rae said early in the show ’s run. “I don’t want her to be Polly Perfect, because she must have human failings and make mistakes.”
Rae landed the role after years of theatre and TV performances.
Her last feature film credit was Ricki and the Flash with Meryl Streep in 2015. That same year she released her autobiography The Facts of My Life, co-written by her son Larry Strauss.
Born Charlotte Rae Lubotsky in Milwaukee on April 22, 1926, she had studied drama at Northwestern University, then moved to New York where, despite early plans to be a “serious” actress, she quickly found work doing satirical sketches in Greenwich Village clubs.
It was there that Broadway producers, who frequented such bistros, discovered her, leading to her first Broadway musical, called Three Wishes for Jamie, in 1952. A few years later, she originated the role of Mammy Yokum in the Broadway musical Li’l Abner.
Rae made numerous TV appearances in 1950s drama anthologies including The U.S. Steel Hour, Playhouse 90 and Armstrong Circle Theater, sharing the black-andwhite screen with such actors as Zero Mostel and Art Carney.