Remembering Charlotte Rae: Her Voice Quavered, Her Comic Timing Didn't
Charlotte Rae snagged the role of Mrs. Garrett in 1978, a time when sitcoms were driven by catchphrases. But it was her delivery that turned a stock matronly character into a starring role.
Charlotte Rae, who died Sunday at 92, was a seasoned performer by the time she landed the role of matronly housekeeper Mrs. Garrett on the NBC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes in 1978. She'd done musical theater, including Li'l Abner in 1956 and Pickwick in 1965. She'd released an album of satirical songs in 1955, and played Sylvia, the wife of Al Lewis' character, on Car 54, Where Are You? from 1961-63.
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