Polly Holliday, Actress of Gremlins and Alice, Dies at 88
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Polly Holliday, the American film, television, and theater actress best known for her role as Flo in the CBS sitcom Alice, has died at the age of 88. Her passing was confirmed by Dennis Aspland, her friend and manager.
In Alice, Holliday played a widowed waitress at Mel’s Diner opposite Linda Lavin, but it was her portrayal of Florence Jean “Flo” Castleberry that created some of the funniest and most memorable moments of the show. She appeared in the first four seasons, earning one Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series. CBS later produced a two-season spinoff, Flo, centered on her character.
Having begun her career on stage, Holliday was nominated for a Tony Award in 1990 for her performance in Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof alongside Charles Durning. On the big screen, she left one of the most unforgettable death scenes of the 1980s as the villainous Mrs. Deagle in Gremlins.
Her other film credits include All the President’s Men, Mrs. Doubtfire, and The Parent Trap, while her television work spanned Home Improvement, Homicide: Life on the Streets, The Golden Girls, and Amazing Stories. Her final film was Fair Game, directed by Doug Liman.
