Polly Holliday
She turned a sassy supporting role into a cultural catchphrase, blazing a trail for brash, unforgettable women on 1970s television.
1937–2025 (age 88)·American actress·Birthday: July 2·The Silent Generation
Biography
Polly Holliday was a force of nature from Alabama who brought a shot of Southern vinegar to American television. Trained in the theatre, she worked for years in regional stages and Broadway before landing what seemed like a minor part on the sitcom 'Alice' in 1976. As Flo, the wisecracking, man-hungry waitress with a beehive hairdo, Holliday stole every scene. Her defiant catchphrase, 'Kiss my grits!', exploded into the national lexicon, embodying a certain blue-collar wit and resilience. The character became so popular it spawned its own short-lived spin-off. Holliday, however, fiercely guarded her range, moving seamlessly from broad comedy to dramatic stage work and memorable film roles like the villainous Ruby Deagle in 'Gremlins.' She proved that a character actor could become a star by the sheer power of a fully committed, authentically bold performance.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Polly was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Polly Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Polly's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 70
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 80
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2025Died at 88
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
Key Achievements
- Won two Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Flo on the television series 'Alice'.
- Earned a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as the sinister Ruby Deagle in the film 'Gremlins' (1984).
- Starred in her own television spin-off series, 'Flo', which ran for two seasons following her success on 'Alice'.
- Received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in 'All Over Town' on Broadway.
Did You Know?
She was a dedicated stage actress and a founding member of the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Before fame, she worked as a high school English and drama teacher in Alabama.
She turned down an offer to continue the 'Flo' series, choosing to return to New York theater instead.
Her performance as Flo was inspired by a real-life waitress she observed in a small-town Texas diner.
“I'm from the South, and Flo is from the South. But I'm not Flo. I'm an actress.”
