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Charlotte RaeAmerican actress and singer.
Date of Birth: 22.04.1926
Country:  USA |
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American Actress and Singer
Charlotte Rae was an American actress and singer. Over her career, which spanned for approximately 60 years, she appeared in 90 films and television series. Her most notable roles include the sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" and its spin-off "The Facts of Life," where she portrayed the character Edna Garrett. For her performance in these shows, she was nominated for an Emmy Award.
Early Life
Charlotte Rae Lubotsky was born on April 22, 1926, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. She came from a Russian-Jewish family, with parents Meyer and Esther Lubotsky (nee Ottenstein; who passed away from pancreatic cancer). She had an older sister, opera singer Beverly Ann Lubotsky (December 21, 1921 – June 2, 1998), and a younger sister who is still alive, musician and composer Miriam Lubotsky.
Personal Life
From 1951 to 1976, Charlotte was married to composer John Strauss (1920-2011). The couple had two sons, Andrew Strauss (who suffered from autism and passed away from a heart attack in his forties) and Larry Strauss. They divorced after Strauss came out as gay and proposed an open marriage. Despite their divorce, Rae remained friends with both Strauss and his partner Lionel Friedman until their deaths from Parkinson's disease in 2003 and 2011, respectively.
Health Challenges
In 1982, Rae had a pacemaker implanted in her heart. In 2010, due to the high incidence of pancreatic cancer in her family, she underwent medical examinations and was diagnosed with early-stage pancreatic cancer. After six months of chemotherapy, she was declared cancer-free. Her mother, uncle, and older sister all succumbed to this disease. In April 2017, Rae was diagnosed with bone cancer.
