Polly Holiday Passes Away at 88

Polly Holiday, widely recognized for her iconic role as Flo in the sitcom “Alice,” has died at the age of 88. Her talent manager, Dennis Aspland, confirmed that she passed away peacefully at her home in Manhattan on September 9th.

Born on July 2, 1937, in Jasper, Alabama, Holiday discovered her love for acting early in life. She attended Montevallo University in the late 1950s, where she participated in plays and landed notable roles in “The Lady’s Not for Burning” and “Medea.”

After moving to New York in the 1970s, she secured her first Broadway role in Dustin Hoffman’s “In Town.” In 1976, Holiday became a household name when she was cast as the spirited waitress Flo Castleberry on the CBS sitcom “Alice,” where she famously coined the phrase “Kiss My Grits.” She appeared on the show from 1976 to 1980, and later starred in a spin-off titled “Flo.”

Reflecting on her beloved character, she mentioned, “She was the Southern woman you see in many places,” describing Flo as sharp-witted and full of determination. Holiday earned three Emmy nominations for her work on “Alice” and “Flo.”

Beyond “Alice,” she made appearances in various TV shows, including “Private Benjamin,” “The Golden Girls,” and “Home Improvement,” and featured in films like “The Parent Trap” and “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Holiday had a transformation in her career, realizing her passion for comedy: “I used to think I liked drama, but then I found I truly enjoyed comedy more.”