‘Gremlins’ Actress Passes Away at 88, Cause Confirmed

Polly Holliday, the actress who made television history with the catchphrase “Kiss my grits!” on the hit sitcom Alice, has died at the age of 88. Her agent, Dennis Aspland, confirmed that she passed away on Tuesday from an apparent bout of pneumonia at her home in Manhattan.

Holliday became a household name in the late 1970s thanks to her role as Flo, the gum-snapping waitress with a big personality on CBS’s Alice. The show ran from 1976 to 1985, and Holliday’s popularity led to her own spin-off, Flo, which aired for one season in 1980.

For her work, she earned multiple Emmy nominations and won a Golden Globe Award. Looking back on her famous character, Holliday once told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, “She was a Southern woman you see in a lot of places. Not well educated, but very sharp, with a sense of humor and a resolve not to let life get her down.”

While television gave Holliday her most famous role, film fans will also remember her as Mrs. Deagle, the greedy neighbor in Joe Dante’s 1984 classic Gremlins. That performance won her the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.

She also appeared in films such as All the President’s Men, Mrs. Doubtfire, and The Parent Trap, and had memorable TV turns in Golden Girls and Home Improvement.

On stage, Holliday built an impressive résumé that included a Tony Award nomination for her role as Big Mama in the 1990 Broadway revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof alongside Kathleen Turner. She also performed in productions like All Over Town, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Picnic.

Born in Alabama, Holliday spent decades in film, TV, and theater, leaving behind a body of work that showed her sharp humor and strong presence. She never married and had no children.

According to her agent, Holliday died after a bout of pneumonia. She was the last surviving member of the original cast of Alice.

Polly Holliday’s career left a lasting mark, from Flo’s unforgettable one-liners to her chilling role in Gremlins. She showed audiences that she could bring both comedy and toughness to the screen and stage.

Polly Holliday’s passing is a sad loss for television, film, and theater. Her mix of sharp wit and heart made her a standout performer who connected with audiences for decades. What are your favorite memories of her work, was it Flo on Alice, Mrs. Deagle in Gremlins, or one of her many other roles? Share your thoughts in the comments.