Actress and singer Charlotte Rae was born Charlotte Rae Lubotsky in Milwaukee, WI. The two-time EMMY nominated actress would be loved by generations of television fans, but Rae initially found success as a nightclub performer and theatrical actress. Rae fine-tuned her skills at the prestigious Northwestern University before becoming a regular in summer stock productions. She found work on television and radio programs showcasing her voice and comedic chops, until she tackled New York City. She made her Broadway debut in the musical comedy “Three Wishes for Jamie,” then appeared with Bea Arthur and John Astin in a revival of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's “Threepenny Opera.”
She went on to originate the role of Mammy Yokum in the musical “Lil' Abner,” based on the popular comic strip. In addition to recording albums and musical theater, Rae landed many television guest spots on the “United States Steel Hour,” “The Phil Silvers Show,” and “Play of the Week.” In 1961, Rae became a series regular on the police comedy, “Car 54, Where Are You?” Before the show even ended, she was back on Broadway in “The Beauty Part,” with Alice Ghostley and Bert Lahr. Rae earned her first Tony Award nomination for her work on the original musical “Pickwick” and garnered another nomination for her role in “Morning, Noon, and Night.” It was the role of Edna Garrett on “Diff'rent Strokes” and later her own spin off entitled “The Facts of Life,” that made Rae a household name and TV Icon. "I still meet people who just want me to put my arms around them and give them a hug," Rae later told “Entertainment Weekly” with regard to the characters popularity.
Today Rae continues to work on television and in the theater, most recently appearing opposite multiple Oscar winner, Meryl Streep in “Ricki and the Flash.” She has appeared on the sitcom “King of Queens” and the dramatic series “Strong Medicine.” In 2006, Rae appeared in a Los Angeles production of “70, Girls, 70” with Olympia Dukakis.