Polly Dean Holliday (born July , ) is a retired American actress who
has appeared on stage, television and in film. She is best known for
her portrayal of sassy waitress Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry on the
s sitcom Alice, which she reprised in its short-lived spin-off, Flo.
Her character's catchphrase of "Kiss my grits!" remains perhaps the
most memorable line associated with the series Alice.Holliday was born
in Jasper, Alabama, the daughter of Ernest Sullivan Holliday, a truck
driver, and Velma Mabell Holliday (née Cain). She grew up in
Childersburg and Sylacauga, where her brother Doyle's boyhood friend
Jim Nabors lived. Before acting, Holliday worked as a piano teacher in
her native Alabama, and then in Florida. She began her acting career
as a member of the Asolo Theatre Company in Sarasota, Florida, where
she stayed for years. Holliday is an Episcopalian who sang in the St.
Andrews Episcopal Choir in Mobile, Alabama and in January she
appeared as herself in an official advertisement campaign for the
Episcopal Church. In New York City, she sang in the Grace Church
(Episcopalian) Choral Society in Greenwich Village and ran a chamber
music series there called the Willow Ensemble (-). She is also a
registered Democrat..In , Holliday moved to New York City and appeared
in Alice Childress's play Wedding Band at the Public Theater. More
than a year later, she was cast in the Broadway hit All Over Town.
While working on All Over Town, she befriended the play's director,
Dustin Hoffman, who later worked with her on the movie All the
President's Men.In Holliday was cast â€" in what would be her major
break â€" as sassy, man-hungry waitress Flo Castleberry on the
American sitcom Alice. Her character coined the popular catchphrase
"Kiss my grits!" The phrase became part of the American vocabulary.
Holliday starred in Alice from to , and then moved to her own
short-lived spin-off show, titled Flo, in which Flo left her residence
in Arizona and moved back home. The show was successful during its
abbreviated first season, but ratings declined during the following
season due to a time change, and it was canceled in .
has appeared on stage, television and in film. She is best known for
her portrayal of sassy waitress Florence Jean "Flo" Castleberry on the
s sitcom Alice, which she reprised in its short-lived spin-off, Flo.
Her character's catchphrase of "Kiss my grits!" remains perhaps the
most memorable line associated with the series Alice.Holliday was born
in Jasper, Alabama, the daughter of Ernest Sullivan Holliday, a truck
driver, and Velma Mabell Holliday (née Cain). She grew up in
Childersburg and Sylacauga, where her brother Doyle's boyhood friend
Jim Nabors lived. Before acting, Holliday worked as a piano teacher in
her native Alabama, and then in Florida. She began her acting career
as a member of the Asolo Theatre Company in Sarasota, Florida, where
she stayed for years. Holliday is an Episcopalian who sang in the St.
Andrews Episcopal Choir in Mobile, Alabama and in January she
appeared as herself in an official advertisement campaign for the
Episcopal Church. In New York City, she sang in the Grace Church
(Episcopalian) Choral Society in Greenwich Village and ran a chamber
music series there called the Willow Ensemble (-). She is also a
registered Democrat..In , Holliday moved to New York City and appeared
in Alice Childress's play Wedding Band at the Public Theater. More
than a year later, she was cast in the Broadway hit All Over Town.
While working on All Over Town, she befriended the play's director,
Dustin Hoffman, who later worked with her on the movie All the
President's Men.In Holliday was cast â€" in what would be her major
break â€" as sassy, man-hungry waitress Flo Castleberry on the
American sitcom Alice. Her character coined the popular catchphrase
"Kiss my grits!" The phrase became part of the American vocabulary.
Holliday starred in Alice from to , and then moved to her own
short-lived spin-off show, titled Flo, in which Flo left her residence
in Arizona and moved back home. The show was successful during its
abbreviated first season, but ratings declined during the following
season due to a time change, and it was canceled in .
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