Polly Holliday, the actress best known for her portrayal of the sassy waitress Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry on the CBS sitcom Alice, died Sept. 9 at her home in Manhattan. She was 88, her talent manager, Dennis Aspland, told Fox News Digital.
Holliday rose to national prominence after joining Alice in 1976 and became widely associated with the catchphrase "Kiss my grits." She played Flo on the series through 1980 and reprised the character for two seasons on the spin-off Flo. The role earned her three Emmy nominations for Alice and an additional nomination for Flo.
Born July 2, 1937, in Jasper, Alabama, Holliday discovered acting as a young woman. While a student at the University of Montevallo in the late 1950s, she performed in college theater and joined a summer repertory company in North Carolina called Unto These Hills, where she sang in the choir, square danced and understudied a lead role.
She moved to New York in the 1970s. Holliday's first Broadway credit came in the play All Over Town, which was directed by Dustin Hoffman. Her television breakthrough came with Alice, where her portrayal of a sharp-tongued, hard-edged Southern woman resonated with audiences and helped define the show's comic dynamic.
Holliday described Flo as "a Southern woman you see in a lot of places," telling The Sarasota Herald-Tribune that the character was "not well-educated, but very sharp, with a sense of humor and a resolve not to let life get her down." She also spoke about her career trajectory, saying she once thought she preferred drama but had grown to appreciate comedy after repeatedly being cast in comic roles.
Following her time as Flo, Holliday maintained a steady career in television and film. Her credits included guest and recurring roles on series such as Private Benjamin, The Golden Girls and Home Improvement. She appeared in films including The Parent Trap and Mrs. Doubtfire.
Holliday's work on Alice and Flo left a lasting imprint on American television comedy of the 1970s and early 1980s. The catchphrase she helped popularize became part of popular culture, and her performance was recognized by multiple Emmy nominations. Members of the Alice cast, including Linda Lavin and Beth Howland, were widely identified with the show that centered on a group of waitresses working in a small diner.
Aspland confirmed Holliday's death but did not provide further details about survivors or funeral arrangements. Holliday's career spanned stage, television and film, and she remained associated with the character of Flo long after the series ended.
No additional information about the cause of death was released.