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Golden Globe winner and Alice star Polly Holliday passes away at 88

The actress was well-known for her role in CBS' Alice
posted by Sourodeep Dey
Thursday 9/11/2025 at 4:41AM EDT
  • Polly Holiday during Ellen Burstyn in the One Woman Show Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All - Arrivals and After Party at The Longacre Theatre and Supper Club in New York City, New York, United States (Image via Getty)
    Polly Holiday during Ellen Burstyn in the One Woman Show Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All - Arrivals and After Party at The Longacre Theatre and Supper Club in New York City, New York, United States (Image via Getty)

    On September 9, actress Polly Holliday passed away at the age of 88. Holliday breathed her last at her home in New York City. As per The New York Times, Holliday’s agent Denise Aspland informed the publication that the actress had been suffering from a range of health issues for the past few years.

    According to a report by The New York Post, Holliday who was already dealing with a range of health complications, succumbed to a pneumonia infection.

    Holliday was the last surviving star from the original cast of the CBS television show Alice, as per The New York Times.

    Holliday had never married, and the actress never had any children, according to The New York Post.

    Holliday, who dedicated her life to her passion for acting, last appeared in the film Fair Game in 2010, as per IMDb.

     

     

    Polly Holliday’s career, explored

    Polly Holliday, who won several accolades over her long acting career including two Golden Globe awards, had around a decade long experience in stage acting before starting her screen acting journey.

    Holliday honed her nuanced acting skills while working for the illustrious Florida repertory, the Asolo Theatre Company, in the 1960s.

    During her acting stint for the Florida based repertory, Holliday got the opportunity to work in both classic and contemporary productions.

    As per The New York Times, Holliday acted in a number of  contemporary renditions of notable classical theatre pieces like, The Tale of Two Cities, an experience that greatly contributed to the versatility that Holliday would bring to screen acting.

    Polly Holliday at the opening night of "Dance Of Death" on Broadway at The Broadhurst Theatre in New york City. 10/11/2001 (Image via Getty)

     

     

    In fact, Holliday’s screen acting career was intricately related to her experience on stage.

    After spending a decade in Florida, where she initially moved to pursue a degree in music, Holliday was offered an opportunity to work in the vibrant theatre culture of New York, as per The New York Times.

    Holliday’s decision to take up acting opportunities in New York would prove instrumental to her career. Within a couple of years of moving to New York, Holliday made her debut on Broadway, in 1974.

    In the same year, Wedding Band, a play in which Holliday acted was adapted for a television movie by ABC, as per The New York Times.

    A couple of years later, in 1976, Holliday would play Flo in the ABC sitcom Alice, a character portrayal that would etch Holliday as one of the most memorable television actors of her generation.

    Holliday appeared in five seasons of the popular sitcom, winning consecutive Golden Globe awards for the best actress in a supporting role in 1979 and 1980.

    As per The New York Times, despite her success in television and films, Holliday did not give up her passion for theatre, and appeared on Broadway multiple times during the 1980s and 1990s.

    By this time, Holliday was already household name across the US.

    TOPICS: Polly Holliday, death