Polly Holliday, the actor who turned beloved for her iconic "Kiss my grits!" catchphrase as Flo the waitress on Alice, has died. She was 88.

Holliday died on Tuesday in her Manhattan dwelling, her agent Dennis Aspland told The New York Times.

Holliday was born July 2, 1937, in Jasper, Ala., and moved to New York Metropolis after incomes a level from the Alabama School for Girls.

She acquired her begin onstage in All Over City on Broadway (directed by Dustin Hoffman, which later led to her taking part in a secretary in All of the President’s Males in 1976), however her breakout function got here 4 years in a while the small display when she was forged because the flirty, outspoken waitress Flo on the groundbreaking CBS sitcom Alice (based mostly on Martin Scorsese's movie Alice Doesn't Dwell Right here Anymore). Flo was identified for her brash, fast wit, however she additionally had a coronary heart of gold and spent her time mentoring the titular character (performed by Linda Lavin).

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After starring on Alice for 4 seasons, Holliday finally left the collection and acquired her personal spinoff, Flo, which was canceled after two seasons in 1981.

The spinoff centered on her character shifting again dwelling to "Cowtown" (a.okay.a. Fort Value) and taking up possession of a roadhouse. She received Golden Globes for her function in 1970 and 1980, and was nominated for 4 Emmys (together with two in the identical 12 months, 1980, for Alice and Flo).

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Holliday additionally had a memorable function taking part in the villain in 1984's Gremlins, in addition to appearances in TV and movies together with Personal Benjamin, Mrs. Doubtfire, House Enchancment, Golden Women, Guardian Entice, The Heartbreak Child, Stick It, The Shopper, and The Equalizer.

She later went on to have a profitable stage profession, incomes a Tony nomination in 1990 for taking part in Large Mama in Cat on a Scorching Tin Roof. She additionally starred on Broadway in Arsenic and Previous Lace reverse Jean Stapleton.

Holliday's ultimate onscreen function was in 2010's Truthful Sport with Naomi Watts, based mostly on the true story of CIA operative Valerie Plame.

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