Polly Holliday , a Tony-nominated stage actor who found her signature role on television when she played the wisecracking waitress Flo on the longrunning CBS sitcom Alice , died Tuesday, September 9, at her home in New York City. She was 88.

Her death was announced to The New York Times by her theatrical agent Dennis Aspland. She was the last surviving member of the comedy’s principal cast.

Holliday’s portrayal of the gum-chewing diner waitress landed many of the show’s laughs. In a Southern drawl loaded with deadpan, Holliday’s Flo made a national catchphrase of “Kiss my grits.” The barbs were frequently aimed at the gruff owner of Mel’s Diner played by the late Vic Tayback.

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