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Charlotte Rae

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1 hour ago, Sir Creep said:

I take it 'Facts of Life' wasn't a thing over there then?  That was really her hayday, along with Diff'rent Strokes.  But she did have a non-sitcom related career prior.  But that would have been before even old Sir Creep's time.

 

It was shown over here, originally by short-lived satellite broadcaster BSB, who didn't have that many viewers. It was later shown by satellite channel Sky One after Sky's merger with BSB, who again didn't have many viewers. I can't recall it being shown free-to-air, but it's possible that an ITV region may have picked it up to show locally.

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2 hours ago, msc said:

I know her best from this forum.

 

I assume she's sort of an American Patricia Routledge? Aged sitcom star recognisable to most folk in her homeland, say... 25 and over?

I can find more yanks who know who Patricia Rutledge is than Brits who would know Charlotte Rae.

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7 minutes ago, Phantom said:

I can find more yanks who know who Patricia Rutledge is than Brits who would know Charlotte Rae.

 

Aye, but America's bigger! :lol:

 

Seriously, a British show on PBS will likely have a much bigger audience than a US show shown on Channel 4, just through probability and number of households that  is.

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Routledge and a fair number of Brit sitcoms/sketch comedy has been televised on PBS here in the States for decades, so that would be our entry point on her (and many others such as 'Are You Being Served' or in my day of the 1970s Monty Python).  I was blessed being from Detroit that Canada was across the river and we just grew up watching CBC like it was one of our channels, so unlike many Yanks I have been exposed to BBC programmes a-plenty.   We have a lot of piss-poor sitcoms and I would understand why hopefully at least 50% didn't ship to the U.K.  Not sure which did or didn't of course.
SC

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12 minutes ago, Sir Creep said:

Routledge and a fair number of Brit sitcoms/sketch comedy has been televised on PBS here in the States for decades, so that would be our entry point on her (and many others such as 'Are You Being Served' or in my day of the 1970s Monty Python).  I was blessed being from Detroit that Canada was across the river and we just grew up watching CBC like it was one of our channels, so unlike many Yanks I have been exposed to BBC programmes a-plenty.   We have a lot of piss-poor sitcoms and I would understand why hopefully at least 50% didn't ship to the U.K.  Not sure which did or didn't of course.
SC

There were plenty of British sit coms that probably didn't make it across to you. If you have ever encountered Come Back, Mrs Noah (featuring Mollie Sugden) then you would understand why.

We got Golden Girls, Cheers, Frasier, Taxi, Soap, Different Strokes, the Cosby Show, Fresh Prince, Benson as well as the early ones like Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Happy Days

 

There were a few others that were used a fillers for Daytime telly I remember one with Eddie Murphy as a genie.

 

I didn't watch all these but I was aware of them.

 

Did you get very local things  like In Loving Memory and Last of the Summer Wine? Not sure how well they would translate.

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Just now, Bibliogryphon said:

There were plenty of British sit coms that probably didn't make it across to you. If you have ever encountered Come Back, Mrs Noah (featuring Mollie Sugden) then you would understand why.

We got Golden Girls, Cheers, Frasier, Taxi, Soap, Different Strokes, the Cosby Show, Fresh Prince, Benson as well as the early ones like Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Happy Days

 

There were a few others that were used a fillers for Daytime telly I remember one with Eddie Murphy as a genie.

 

I didn't watch all these but I was aware of them.

 

Did you get very local things  like In Loving Memory and Last of the Summer Wine? Not sure how well they would translate.

Oh yes.  In fact we have a couple threads on this site about TV shows I have never been exposed to.  Alas.  But some regular fare like Black Adder, AYBS, Python, Goodies, Cell Block H, Corrie, some detective shows, a pile I am forgetting presently and a few I probably didn't pay attention to sadly.   As well as lots of costume/period dramas that I have always enjoyed for some guilty pleasure reason....so if your actors were in those and crossed over to appearances in comedic shows or cinema or American TV, I know them at least by face (which don't help here lol).

 

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1 minute ago, Sir Creep said:

Oh yes.  In fact we have a couple threads on this site about TV shows I have never been exposed to.  Alas.  But some regular fare like Black Adder, AYBS, Python, Goodies, Cell Block H, Corrie, some detective shows, a pile I am forgetting presently and a few I probably didn't pay attention to sadly.   As well as lots of costume/period dramas that I have always enjoyed for some guilty pleasure reason....so if your actors were in those and crossed over to appearances in comedic shows or cinema or American TV, I know them at least by face (which don't help here lol).

 

BBC do costume drama really well. Especially Jane Austen, Bronte's etc but also things like The Onedin Line, Duchess of Duke Street, Poldark, Edward and Mrs Simpson.

 

My mum refused to watch soaps but woebetide anyone who disturbed her during Poldark.

 

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Charlotte Rae is certainly a name I recognise from this forum, rather than your Dick van Dyke/Alan Alda/Bob Barker types I recognise from appearing on TV here in some form.

 

The internet is helping become known internationally when perhaps they wouldn't 30-40 years ago. Roger Ebert, for example, was never on TV here, and only mentioned in dispatches ie by Barry Norman as one of the American greats. (Strangely no one ever mentioned Siskel!) Internet in nearly every home, YouTube, access to his archives and wham! Ebert becomes known enough in the UK to get front page BBC obit when he died, and I find people tend to know who you mean nowadays, even if you need to add "the film critic" Just one example.

 

 

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Compare the 'British Character Actors' thread which is full of names that might not be immediately recognised by us Brits.

But a photo will prompt multiple cries of "Oh, him"  (or her),  "He/she was in loads of stuff", etc

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I am 23 British and know her as Mrs Garrett in the facts of life and diff'rent strokes.She is well known in the UK.

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1 hour ago, Sean said:

I am 23 British and know her as Mrs Garrett in the facts of life and diff'rent strokes.She is well known in the UK.

FTFY

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Charlotte Rae well enough to attend 103rd birthday party of friend and actress Patricia Morrison.

 

DYvVhc7VAAAjuFe.jpg

 

 

DYvVhbJVwAMl3xn.jpg

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15 minutes ago, John Robinson said:

First 'Facts of Life' cast member whose name appeared in the opening credits to have died.  The show debuted nearly 39 years ago, so quite a long time as far as those stats go.

 

Conversely, one of the last remaining 'Diff'rent Strokes' cast members who appeared in the opening credits who was still alive.  Only Todd Bridges, Mary Jo Catlett & Danny Cooksey remain.

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34 minutes ago, alt obits guy said:

First 'Facts of Life' cast member whose name appeared in the opening credits to have died.  The show debuted nearly 39 years ago, so quite a long time as far as those stats go.

 

On the flipside, aside from Bruce Kirby she is one of last people who was still alive to have a  notable role on the early 60's sitcom  Car 54,Where Are You?

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27 minutes ago, CaptainChorizo said:

On the flipside, aside from Bruce Kirby she is one of last people who was still alive to have a  notable role on the early 60's sitcom  Car 54,Where Are You?

Will take your word for it, as it was before my time (whereas Diff'rent Strokes & The Facts of Life were definitely in my wheelhouse)

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The world will sure miss Charlotte as she was a great actress and comedian.

R.I.P. my 8th hit.

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6 hours ago, TomTomTelekom said:

The world will sure miss Charlotte as she was a great actress and comedian.

R.I.P. my 8th hit.


I can't tell if you are sincere or sincerely sarcastic.  But I will use it as a launching pad to say in fact I think she will be missed, having played a pair of seminal sitcom roles that will nary be forgotten any time soon.  She was nominated for an Emmy and also nominated for a pair of Tony awards for her work on stage -- so I think her acting can hold it's own.  'Great'--that gets thrown around too often, and I wouldn't use that for Ms. Rae, but a solid actor she was and yes -- she will be missed.
RIP
SC

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24 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

 


Back in its popular times, it was Todd Bridges who was this show's train wreck actor waiting to happen, a poster child for addiction etc.
Thirty years later he's the last one standing.  That's just crazy.  The odds you could have gotten in Vegas...

Speaking of recovery, admitting my faults to God, myself and others (Step 5) is part of my growth so here goes: As a 15 year old I was totally smitten for Dana Plato.  Everyone has their TV girl/guy, and she was mine.  Be gentle, I'm in recovery.  
SC
 

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30 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

 

RIP in peace? Makes me wonder what the IP in RIP is............

 

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1 minute ago, Dead Wait said:

RIP in peace? Makes me wonder what the IP in RIP is............

 

Interred people

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On 23/03/2018 at 12:28, msc said:

Charlotte Rae well enough to attend 103rd birthday party of friend and actress Patricia Morrison.

 

DYvVhc7VAAAjuFe.jpg

 

 

DYvVhbJVwAMl3xn.jpg

So four months from party to death. Though age surely was a factor she was also a very strong lady.

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