Polly Holliday facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Polly Holliday
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Polly Dean Holliday
July 2, 1937 Jasper, Alabama, U.S.
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| Died | September 9, 2025 (aged 88) New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Alabama College, State College for Women Florida State University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1963–2010 |
| Awards | Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame |
Polly Dean Holliday (born July 2, 1937 – died September 9, 2025) was a talented American actress. She performed in plays, on television, and in movies. Many people remember her best as the lively waitress Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry. This role was in the popular 1970s TV show Alice. She even starred in her own show called Flo later on. Her famous line, "Kiss my grits!", became a well-known phrase from the Alice series. Polly Holliday also won an award, the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress, in 1984. This was for her role as Mrs. Ruby Deagle in the movie Gremlins.
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Early Life and First Steps in Acting
Polly Dean Holliday was born on July 2, 1937, in Jasper, Alabama. Her father, Ernest Sullivan Holliday, was a truck driver. Her mother was Velma Mabell Holliday. Polly grew up in towns like Childersburg and Sylacauga.
She went to college at the Alabama College for Women in Montevallo. This school is now called the University of Montevallo. There, she was very good in the theater department. She played main characters in plays like "The Lady's Not for Burning" and "Medea". She finished college in 1959 with a degree in piano.
After that, she studied at Florida State University. Polly started her career by acting in serious plays. Before becoming a full-time actress, she taught piano in Alabama and Florida. Her first professional acting job was with the Asolo Theatre Company in Sarasota, Florida. She worked there for ten years, gaining valuable experience.
A Star on Stage and Screen
In 1972, Polly Holliday moved to New York City to pursue her acting dreams. She performed in a play called Wedding Band at the Public Theater. Soon after, she joined the cast of a successful Broadway play, All Over Town. While working on this play, she became friends with the director, Dustin Hoffman. They later worked together on the 1976 movie All the President's Men.
Becoming "Flo" on TV
Polly Holliday got her big break in 1976. She was chosen to play Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry. Flo was a fun and outspoken waitress on the CBS sitcom Alice. Her character became famous for the saying "Kiss my grits!" This phrase became very popular in America.
Polly starred in Alice from 1976 to 1980. Then, her character Flo got her own TV show called Flo. In this show, Flo moved from Arizona back to her home in Texas. The show started well, but its ratings dropped later, and it ended in 1981.
Other TV and Movie Roles
Polly Holliday appeared in many other TV shows. She was on The Golden Girls, where she played Lily, the blind sister of the character Rose. She also played Jill Taylor's mother on Home Improvement. She was a regular character on the show The Client.
She also had memorable roles in movies. These include Mrs. Doubtfire, The Parent Trap (1998), and the popular 1984 movie Gremlins. In Gremlins, she played Mrs. Ruby Deagle and won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Broadway Success
Polly Holliday also had a successful career on the Broadway stage. She acted in famous plays like Arsenic and Old Lace in 1986. In 1990, she was nominated for a Tony Award for her role as Big Mama in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. She also appeared in Picnic in 1994.
In 2000, Polly Holliday was honored for her amazing career. She was inducted into the Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame. Her last movie role was in Fair Game in 2010. She played Diane Plame in that film.
Personal Life
Polly Holliday was a member of the Episcopal Church. She enjoyed singing in church choirs, including the St. Andrews Episcopal Choir in Mobile, Alabama. She even appeared in an advertisement for the Episcopal Church in 2010. In New York City, she sang in the Grace Church Choral Society. She also organized a series of music concerts there called the Willow Ensemble for many years.
Polly Holliday passed away at her home in Manhattan, New York City, on September 9, 2025. She was 88 years old. She was the last living member of the original cast from the TV show Alice.
Notable Works
Polly Holliday had a long career with many memorable roles.
Movies
She appeared in several films, including:
- All the President's Men (1976)
- Gremlins (1984), where she won an award for her role
- Moon over Parador (1988)
- Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- The Parent Trap (1998)
- Fair Game (2010), her final film role
Television Shows
Her most famous television roles include:
- Alice (1976–1980) as Flo Castleberry
- Flo (1980–1981), her own spin-off show
- Private Benjamin (1982–1983)
- The Golden Girls (1986)
- Home Improvement (1993–1999)
- The Client (1995–1996)
See also
In Spanish: Polly Holliday para niños
