Charlotte Rae (born Charlotte Rae Lubotsky on April 22, 1926) is an American actress and singer known for her portrayal of Edna Garrett, in the sitcoms Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life, in which she appeared from 1979 until 1986. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the second of three daughters, Rae failed to complete her studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
A stage actress since the 1950s, when she appeared Off-Broadway in The Threepenny Opera, Rae appeared in early seasons of Sesame Street and in a number of films. Her first significant success was in the sitcom Car 54, Where Are You? (1961 - 1963) as "Silvia Schnauser".
She was married to the composer, John Strauss, with whom she had one son, and was divorced in 1976. She has acknowledged that she is a former alcoholic.
