Polly Holliday Cause of Death: Beloved Actress Played Flo on Sitcom ‘Alice’

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We have sad news to report from the world of television today.

Polly Holliday — the actress best known for her work as the sassy waitress Flo on the sitcom Alice — has passed away,

She was 88 years old.

Fans mourn beloved character actress

In addition to her work on Alice, Polly accumulated dozens of credits during her many years in the industry,

She had memorable recurring roles in series like Home Improvement and The Client.

On the big screen, Holliday appeared in All the President’s Men, Gremlins, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Parent Trap, The Heartbreak Kid, Fair Game, and numerous other films.

But it was her work as Flo — with her iconic “kiss my grits” catphrase — that Holliday is most vividly remembered.

For those too young to remember it, it’s hard to convey the cultural impact of Flo.

Linda Lavin, who passed away last year, played the show’s title character.

But it was Flo who delivered the most memorable laughs, setting the stage for future scene-stealing sidekicks like Kramer and Steve Urkel.

The character was so popular that she was revived for an eponymous sitcom after Alice came to an end.

Sadly, that series, which saw Flo returning to her native Texas to open a hair salon, was canceled after just two seasons.

An epic career on stage and screen

Born July 2, 1937 in Jasper, Alabama, Holliday began acting in her in her teens, eventually moving to New York where she found work on Broadway in a play directed by a young Dustin Hoffman.

Hoffman would consult her years later for help developing his character in the 1982 film classic Tootsie.

Holliday continued to work into her seventies, and she long enjoyed a reputation as an “actor’s actor.”

No cause of death has been given at this time, but we’ll provide updates as new information becomes available.

Our thoughts go out to Polly Holliday’s loved ones during this difficult time.

Polly Holliday Cause of Death: Beloved Actress Played Flo on Sitcom ‘Alice’ was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.