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The Facts of Life Star Charlotte Rae Dies at 92
Rae was best known for playing Mrs. Garrett in the NBC sitcom
Charlotte Rae, best known for playing housemother Mrs. Garrett on The Facts of Life, has died at the age of 92, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Rae was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2017, seven years after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Rae first played Edna Garrett in Diff'rent Strokes in 1978 before starring on the spin-off The Facts of Life for seven seasons from 1979 to 1988. In the popular NBC comedy, Rae played a housemother at an all-girls boarding school. (Jessica Biel and Leonardo DiCaprio are currently eyeing a reboot of the series.) Rae earned an Emmy nomination in 1982 for her performance on the series but lost to Carol Kane for Taxi.
Rae's extensive screen credits also include appearances on Bananas, ER, Pretty Little Liars, Boy Meets World and most recently, Ricki and the Flash.
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In addition to acting, Rae was an accomplished singer and dancer. She recorded a solo album, Songs I Taught My Mother, in 1955 and received two Tony nominations in the '60s, including for Best Featured Actress in a Musical and Best Actress in a Play.
She is survived by her sons Larry and Andrew Strauss.