Goodbye 'Flo': The Legendary Alice Actress Polly Holliday Passes Away at 88
Polly Holliday: The Sassy Southern Belle Who Lit Up the Small Screen
In a move that has left fans reeling, Polly Holliday, the incomparable actress who brought sass and charm to her iconic role as Flo on the beloved sitcom Alice, has passed away at the ripe age of 88. According to sources close to the family, Holliday's death was confirmed by her theatrical agent and close friend, Dennis Aspland, to The New York Times.
The passing of this Southern sweetheart comes just a year after the demise of her former co-star Linda Lavin, who played the titular character on Alice. This news is sure to send shockwaves through the entertainment industry, as Holliday's larger-than-life personality and talent left an indelible mark on audiences everywhere.
Born in Jasper, Alabama, on July 2, 1937, Holliday rose to fame in the late 1970s as Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry, the wisecracking, gum-snapping waitress with a sharp tongue that could cut down anyone who dared cross her. And, darling, did she ever have some choice words! Her signature line, delivered in her sweetest Southern drawl whenever someone managed to get under her skin? "Kiss my grits!" Oh, how we adored her!
Alice, which debuted on CBS in August 1976 and was loosely adapted from Martin Scorsese's 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, was the perfect vehicle for Holliday's talents. Despite some initial struggles with the ratings, the show eventually found its footing when it was paired with All In The Family on Sunday nights in October 1977. And, sweetie, did it ever find success! It landed among primetime's top 10 series in four of the next five seasons and was even listed as one of the all-time best workplace comedies by Variety magazine.
Holliday's portrayal of Flo earned her back-to-back Golden Globe Awards in 1979 and 1980, as well as multiple Emmy nominations. But that wasn't all - she also had a knack for musical theater, which brought her to the attention of critics and audiences alike. Her standout performance in a Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof earned her a Tony Award nomination in 1990.
When asked about her love affair with the stage in an interview with The Tampa Bay Times two years later, Holliday gushed, "An actor is unfortunate if he doesn't get to spend a lot of time onstage. When you're onstage, you get to practice every night." And practice she did! At Childersburg High School in Alabama, she was voted "most talented" in her senior class - no surprise there, darling.
After earning her undergraduate degree from Alabama College for Women (now the University of Montevallo), Holliday went on to teach music before pursuing graduate studies in music education at Florida State University. Talk about a triple threat! But her true calling was acting, and she eventually made her Broadway debut in 1974 in Dustin Hoffman's production of All Over Town.
Holliday's impact on the small screen wasn't limited to Alice - she also appeared in The Golden Girls, The Equalizer, Homicide: Life on the Streets, and Home Improvement, where she played Tim Allen's witty mother-in-law. And let's not forget her turns in TV movies like Bernice Bobs Her Hair and The Gift of Love: A Christmas Story.
But Holliday wasn't just a one-trick pony - she also had a knack for film, with roles in All the President's Men (1976), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Moon Over Parador (1988), The Parent Trap (1998), and her final film, Fair Game (2010), as the mother of CIA operative Valerie Plame.
In a career that spanned over five decades, Holliday left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. And, sweetie, we're still reeling from the news of her passing. There is no word yet on any survivors, but one thing's for sure - Polly Holliday will be deeply missed by fans and friends alike.
Sources:
- The New York Times
- The Tampa Bay Times
- Variety magazine