Charlotte Rae–the actress best known for her roles as Mrs. Garrett on the hit comedy sitcoms “Diff’rent Strokes’ and “Facts of Life” has died at the age of 92.
TMZ reported that Charlotte Rae died on Sunday at her Los Angeles home surrounded by her family. Rae’s death was confirmed by the actress’s son Larry Strauss. No official cause of death has yet to be reported.
In 2017, Rae according to Blasting News reported that the beloved actress announced publicly that she had been diagnosed with bone cancer. Rae spoke with People magazine revealing her sad diagnosis. The actress also opened up publicly that the bone cancer diagnosis was not her first battle with the deadly disease and had previously, and secretly, battled pancreatic cancer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rt-uI-nTzk
“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 even knew.”
Charlotte Rae led a very unique and interesting life during her 9-plus decades of life never taking even one moment for granted. Along with her huge success on “Diff’rent Strokes” and “Facts of Life”
Rae was also credited with 93 starring and supporting roles such as “The Love Boat,” “101 Dalmatians: The Series,” “Sesame Street,” “Car 54, Where Are You?” “The Phil Silvers Show,” “ER,” and “Girl Meets World,”
among others.
Rae stunned fans in 2015 revealing many secrets in her tell-all memoir book “The Facts of My Life.” Rae revealed her long and hard struggle with alcoholism and 44-years of sobriety, the death of her eldest son Andrew and the shocking secret that her husband of more than twenty years, John Strauss had been unfaithful and bisexual throughout their long marriage.
Charlotte opened up in her book to fans that the roles she portrayed as the kind, and kooky grandmotherly figure, and who she really was shockingly different. Despite the many ups and downs throughout her life Charlotte Rae always kept a positive and grateful attitude.
