OurPath (formerly SSN) Open Forum / Charlotte Rae

**Posted by Daryl** August 6, 2018 11:01 am

You may have heard about the passing of actress Charlotte Rae at 92 but did you know she was also a Straight Spouse?

"In 1951, Rae married film composer and music editor John Strauss. The couple had two sons, Larry and Andrew. Rae and Strauss stayed together for more than 25 years until he revealed that he was bisexual and wanted an open marriage. They divorced in 1976."

Two years later (at the age of 52) she achieved her most lasting success as "Edna Garrett" on the shows "Diff'rent Strokes" and "The Facts of Life".

Rest in Peace, Charlotte.

**Posted by Lake Breeze** August 6, 2018 5:36 pm

I'll bet there have been a lot of those marriages with celebrities and other public figures that were just kept quiet. I would imagine some of the divorces and/or "staying togethers" involved hush money in some cases. What a phenomenon it is with these gay/straight marriages! When I was young it never occurred to me that a gay person would have the faintest interest in seriously getting together with a straight person. I wouldn't have thought they'd even ask a straight person out on a date. Little did I know, and this has obviously been going on - probably all throughout history in some way.

**Posted by Dog lover** August 11, 2018 12:26 pm

This is interesting. I didn't know this. Yes, I agree with you, Lake Breeze. I'm in no doubt that this has happened throughout history. I know there have been many historical dramas where there was a couple marrying and the man was gay. Back then, this were usually arranged marriages and the women had no options.