Polly Holliday dies at 88: tributes and her lasting legacy

TL;DR:

Polly Holliday died on September 9, 2025, in New York City, aged 88.
Her manager confirmed the date, and colleagues shared warm tributes online.
Holliday won two Golden Globes for Flo on Alice and earned four Emmy nods.
Film roles ranged from Gremlins to The Parent Trap and Mrs. Doubtfire.
Her TV catchphrase, “Kiss my grits,” remains part of pop culture.

Polly Holliday, the stage and screen actor best known as Flo on the sitcom Alice, died on September 9, 2025, at her home in Manhattan. She was 88. Her longtime manager confirmed the date to media.

Tributes appeared on September 11 from The Parent Trap director Nancy Meyers and star Lindsay Lohan. They praised Holliday’s kindness and spark on set. Co-star Lisa Ann Walter also shared memories.

Reports tied her death to pneumonia, as relayed to outlets by her representatives and noted in coverage that cited The New York Times.

The tributes

Meyers wrote that Holliday was “so kind and game” in every scene of the 1998 remake. Lohan called her “a beautiful woman inside and out.” Both messages ran on social media on September 11.

Good Morning America featured additional remembrances from castmates, noting industry respect for Holliday’s range across comedy and drama.

Career in brief

Holliday broke through as Florence Jean “Flo” Castleberry on Alice, which aired on CBS starting in 1976. Her character’s catchphrase, “Kiss my grits,” became a 1970s TV landmark.

She won back-to-back Golden Globes for Alice in 1979 and 1980. Across Alice and its spinoff Flo, she received four Emmy nominations, three for supporting actress on Alice and one as lead on Flo.

On film, she played the ruthless Mrs. Deagle in Gremlins (1984), Gloria Chaney in Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), and camp director Marva Kulp Sr. in The Parent Trap (1998). She worked steadily across decades in TV and movies.

Early life and training

Holliday was born on July 2, 1937, in Jasper, Alabama. She studied at Alabama College for Women in Montevallo and later at Florida State University, before building stage credits in regional theater.

She moved to New York in the 1970s and landed Broadway work that led to film and TV roles, including a small part in All the President’s Men (1976).

Beyond Flo

Holliday refused to be boxed in by one icon. She took parts on The Golden Girls, Home Improvement, and The Client, and returned to theater, showing depth that critics often praised. She kept working into the 2000s, with a final film credit in Fair Game (2010).

Why it matters

Holliday helped shape a generation’s idea of a sharp, funny, working-class woman on TV. Her lines were quotable, but her craft made them land. Her work bridged sitcom punchlines and serious roles, which is why actors and directors saluted her this week.

The moments to revisit

If you want a quick tour of her range, try these scenes and roles.

Alice season 2, any diner showdown with Mel. You hear the line that made TV history.
Gremlins opening act with Mrs. Deagle. It is a quick masterclass in villainy.
The Parent Trap camp sequences. Watch the dry comic timing that Lohan and Meyers praised.

Key awards and recognition

Two Golden Globes for Alice in 1979 and 1980.
Four Emmy nominations across Alice and Flo.
Saturn Award for Gremlins supporting performance.

Quick reference table

Project	Role	Year	Where to find
Alice	Flo Castleberry	1976–1980	Clips and DVDs available
Flo	Flo Castleberry	1980–1981	Clips and DVDs available
Gremlins	Mrs. Ruby Deagle	1984	Major digital stores
Mrs. Doubtfire	Gloria Chaney	1993	Major digital stores
The Parent Trap	Marva Kulp Sr.	1998	Disney+, digital stores
Availability can change by region.

What we know, and what is next

Coverage confirms the September 9 date and New York City location. Tributes have come from colleagues and friends on social media. Any memorial details have not been announced in the reports reviewed. We will update if representatives share plans.

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