Beloved stage, television, and film actress Polly Holliday passed away on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at her home in Manhattan. She was 88 years old.
Holliday was a versatile and celebrated performer with a career spanning decades. On Broadway, she earned a Tony nomination for her role as Big Mama in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1990) and starred opposite Jean Stapleton in Arsenic and Old Lace. Her filmography includes memorable roles in movies like Mrs. Doubtfire, Gremlins, The Client, and Stick It, as well as television appearances on shows such as The Golden Girls and Home Improvement.
However, for many fans, she will always be best remembered for two iconic roles. She was the gruff and mean-spirited Mrs. Deagle in the classic holiday horror film Gremlins. She also became a household name as the sassy, no-nonsense Southern waitress Flo Castleberry in the TV series Alice and its spin-off, Flo. Her famous catchphrase, “Kiss my grits!”, became a pop culture phenomenon.
Rest in peace, Polly Holliday. Thank you for the memories.
