Actress Charlotte Rae, best known for her role as Edna Garrett from the Facts of Life, has died, she was ninety-two.
Deadline — The Wisconsin born actress first appeared as the wife of Officer Leo Schnauser, on Car 54 Where are You? Which lead to a stint on Broadway, before she landed her iconic role of Mrs. Garrett, in 1978, playing the housekeeper on Diff’rent Strokes.
Todd Bridges who played Willis Jackson posted a message 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 pic.twitter.com/8FbterNz3S
— Todd Bridges (@ToddBridges) August 6, 2018
It wasn’t long before Rae’s quirky character led the actress to propose the idea of a spin-off. The spin-off became The Facts of Life the first show aired in August of 1979.
The first season focused on life at a girls boarding school featuring several cast members, in season two the focused narrowed to four girls, Blair, (Lisa Whelchel), Jo (Nancy McKeon), Tootie (Kim Fields) and Natalie (Mindy Cohn)
Kim Fields posted to Twitter
You all already know my heart is heavy yet…. sorry, no words at the moment just love and tears… and yeah, smiles…. #charlotterae #ripcharlotterae
— Kim Fields (@KimVFields) August 6, 2018
Mindy Cohn posted a message on Instagram
Rae left the show in 1986 turning the reins over to actress Cloris Leachman, the show ended in 1988.
EW — In April of 2017, the ninety-one year old actress revealed she’d been diagnosed with bone cancer and that she had previously battled pancreatic cancer, “About seven years ago, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer — which is a miracle that they found it because usually, it’s too late. My mother, sister, and my uncle died of pancreatic cancer. After six months of chemotherapy, I was cancer-free. I lost my hair, but I had beautiful wigs. Nobody ever knew.” She went on to explain that after the latest diagnoses that she needed to decide whether she wanted to go through treatment again or opt for life, “I love life. I’ve had a wonderful one already … I’ve had a great life, but I have so many wonderful things happening. I’d like to choose life. I’m grateful for the life I’ve already had.”
Rae was married to composer John Strauss, but the couple divorced in the seventies, he passed away in 2011, the couple share two children, Larry and Andy Strauss. Andy her oldest son was autistic and mentally disabled, he passed away in 1999. She is survived by her son Larry, her sister Miriam Guten, and three grandchildren.
