Polly Holiday

Don't worry about Polly, OP, she's rolling in dough.%0D %0D Back in the mid-60s, Polly and her then-husband, Eustace, opened up a chain of "upscale motels." Perhaps you've heard of them?%0D %0D Yep, the middle "l" was dropped from the original (1966-67) spelling, and today, the thriving chain is better known as Holiday Inn.%0D %0D Fun fact!

R1's pants are on fire.

Polly left TV after Flo failed because she had been typecast as the character. She returned to her theater roots and had a triumph in 1990 when she was nominated for a Tony playing Big Mama in a revival of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. She has continued to work in theater and take occasional TV roles. While not rich, she's had many years to adjust her lower income and probably lives a relatively comfortable lifestyle, upper middle class if not rich. And that's good enough for most people.

she had a recurring role every season on Home Improvement which was more than enough to cover her SAG insurance and pension She has shown up on many other tv series as well but for the life of me I do not remember her being nominated for a Tony for Cat on a Hot tin roof

It's true r3.

Polly's IMDb trivia page (which mentions the the Tony nom.)

Polly was offered the chance to come back to "Alice" after "Flo" failed, but she refused. Linda had chased Diane Ladd off the show with her nasty behavior.

What are you imagining OP, Sunset Blvd? She works in theater all the time and people can actually make a living doing stage work. Maybe she lives in a modest home.

The residuals from Gremlins and her appearances on Match Game '77 keep her stocked in scotch and Camel unfiltereds.

Polly who?

have u ppl forgotten that she prob gets 2 pensions

well you are right. She was nominated for a 1990 Tony award for playing Big Mama along with Charles Durning who won the Tony for Playing Big Daddy Kathleen Turner was Maggie(also nominated and speaking of fun facts, Debra Jo Rupp(Friends, That 70's Show) played sister woman.

Polly Who??

Pay absolutely no attention to R1's stupid post. Polly Holliday nor her husband had anything to do with starting the Holiday Inn chain.

Polly Holliday was Madonna's favourite actress and the inspiration for her hit "Holiday."

Kiss my grits!

The crazy Amy Lee was a fan...

Naming the Progressive Insurance Companies and working on the advertising campaign with the character I named Flo inspired by the character Florence Jean “Flo” Castleberry portrayed by Alabama native Polly Holliday on the 1970’s television show Alice.

She made a bundle playing Rose's blind sister who set the house on fire on Golden Girls.

Did you see the sitcom they based around the blind sister from Golden Girls? Each week she goes to a different house and tries to burn the house down. It was great when they did a crossover and Dinah Manoff showed up to try and convince the sister to seek treatment for her pyromania. And then the sister burned Dinah Manoff's car out.

Loved her in Dreamgirls.

r18, you need that level of imagination to enjoy watching ancient GG episodes.

I loved her in "Holiday on Ice".

She's so broke she has to kiss her own grits.

She does a little escorting on the side.

Oh, it's a Polly Holliday with MARY!

Her sister Judy left her a lot of money.

She was nicknamed "Lady Day" by Count Basie.

Tallulah Bankhead was pissed at her for references made to Bankhead in Holiday's memoirs.

I loved the movie they made about her starring Ben Stiller, Jennifer Anniston, Philip Seymour Hoffman and DL Fave Deb Messing

I love all the movies They have made. I'm They's biggest fan.

[quote] she was nominated for a Tony playing Big Mama in a revival of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.

This was in 1990. At the stage door, she refused to sign autographs. Charles Durning couldn't have been nicer, he signed Playbills and posed for photos. Likewise Kevin O'Rourke. Kathleen Turner waved to everyone and apologized that she was late for an engagement (knowing what we now know, it was probably an engagement with her bartender).

But Polly Holliday snapped 'No!', and stormed away when someone asked for her autograph.

I fully understand that actors don't owe anybody anything once the curtain comes down, but if you don't want to sign an autograph, at least be polite about it.

I was thrilled when she lost to Margaret Tyzack (LETTICE & LOVAGE)

Sorry to hear she was such a jerk at the stage door because she gave a great performance in that play. I thought the only thing worthwhile in it.

I loathe autograph hunters. Get a life.

Deagle! Deagle! Deagle! Deagle!

You do realize that actors give autographed pictures to each other all the time don't you? That often walls in their homes are covered with signed photos of other luminaries?

What other profession does such a thing? Like maybe only the psychopathic political field.

It might be silly but there are more important things to loathe.

Angela Lansbury never refuses to sign. She will stand there all night and sign anything that is put in front of her, even body parts. She even grabs people from neighboring shows and signs their stuff.

"But Miss Lansbury, I was waiting for Glenn Close."

Linda Lavin and Polly Holliday despised one another

Polly should of sucked it up and came back to Alice ,for at least a one shot encore guest appearance before the series came to a close.

"Linda Lavin and Polly Holliday despised one another"

That's because Polly got all the laughs even though Linda was the star.

More like Holliday in HELL!

[quote] It might be silly but there are more important things to loathe.

Is there a limit on things one can loathe?

[quote] I loathe autograph hunters. Get a life

So sorry to offend you, Miss Desmond

[quote]Linda Lavin and Polly Holliday despised one another

Much as Hitler's refusal to get out of Poland infuriated Stalin, so Holliday's refusal to get out of her co-star's key light angered Lavin.

Now lives at the Motion Picture Retirement Home in Woodland Hills California where she sits on the credenza in the Community Room demanding people feed her saltines.

It's too bad there's no longer a Love Boat to give old-timey actors a paycheck.

I was just thinking that, R44. I'd rather some cheesy ensemble show than Dancing with the "Stars" or whatever reality show falling stars doggedly compete for now.

Didn't she play Opal on All My Children or was that someone who sounded like her?

Do none of the eldergays remember her terrific, funny performance as Philomena Hopkins in All Over Town, opposite Cleavon Little, and directed by Dustin Hoffman on Broadway?

"Oh dio, mio Rodolfo!"

r46 Dorothy Lyman, also on "Mama's Family," and later a director, was Opal on AMC.

I don't remember it. Did she replace Nancy Walker?

At 77 Polly remains a spinster.

Don't forget all the denture money. She helped develop and patent the formula for Poligrip. She just changed the spelling of Polly so her fans wouldn't associate her with being old. I think she still owns 35% of the company.

Don't you just love the name Polly Holiday?

She also gets a few cents every time someone eats polyunsaturates.

I never understood the casting of Polly as Flo. Flo was supposed to be the town pump who all the guys wanted to fuck and here was Flo, a hatchet-faced middle-aged woman whose cunt was probably hanging down to her knees at that point. It made no sense at all that any man would want to hop on and ride her. They should've cast a young, hot actress in the part, but maybe Linda Lavin didn't want that out of jealousy.

Don't forget the royalties every time a parrot or someone on TV or in a movie says "Polly want a cracker?" That's enough to keep anyone in furs. Shit this post is going to cost Datalounge 18 cents. Adds up.

You mustn't know a lot of straight men. Willing is frequently all a woman has to be.

r54 the character of Flo would have appealed to other middle aged, blue collar, working class men who like their women a bit rough, easygoing and ready for a laugh and a beer. You know the types that hang out in diners and bowling alleys and drive trucks?

[quote] I never understood the casting of Polly as Flo. Flo was supposed to be the town pump who all the guys wanted to fuck and here was Flo, a hatchet-faced middle-aged woman whose cunt was probably hanging down to her knees at that point. It made no sense at all that any man would want to hop on and ride her. They should've cast a young, hot actress in the part, but maybe Linda Lavin didn't want that out of jealousy.

I used to think the same thing when I was a kid- why did all these men want to fuck such an old, homely woman? When I got older I kind of figured that, had they gotten a younger, more attractive woman, it would have made less sense. look at the men Flo hooked up with- none of them were handsome or rich or successful. It's doubtful they could have gotten with a younger, prettier woman who had options. Flo was a sure thing and not looking for anything but a good time. She didn't want to trap a man into marriage (she may have had romantic notions, but not about any of the locals) and she was probably a good time gal past her prime who knew how to play to her strengths and not expect too much.

I'm sorry to hear about her behavior at the stage door of "Cat." I met her about two years before that, when I was in grammar school and she came to my city's Equity theater to perform. She couldn't have been more gracious to me, gave me an autograph and a big smile, and spoke to me for several minutes. That's the Polly Holiday I remember.....

Like I loathe the bus, R40.

[quote]I never understood the casting of Polly as Flo. Flo was supposed to be the town pump who all the guys wanted to fuck and here was Flo, a hatchet-faced middle-aged woman

Glad to see others understand reality. Beautiful young women do not have to be the town pump. Sadly they often go dateless cause men are scared to death of them or they get snatched up quickly by non-truck drivers.

She was going to take the stage name Polly Gamous but Lucy talked her out of it.

"It made no sense at all that any man would want to hop on and ride her."

Yes it did. The men who hung out at Mel's Diner were truck drivers and road crew. They were redneck men. They were already over the hill themselves, balding, with a paunch and not wanting to go to too much effort to get a woman. Flo was a guaranteed good time girl.

But Vera was tighter.

One thing about Alice - it was a collection of some of the homeliest actors around. Linda herself was passable, but Polly, the McKeon kid, Beth Howland and Vic Tayback were really unattractive people. Even the semi-regulars were ugly.

At least they were realistic looking back then R65.

This is the actress who played Mrs. Deagle in one of my favorite movies Gremlins

I knew the name sounded familiar

But why do people on here always bring up Broadway and shit

No one really cares about that stuff

Sorry

Is Polly Holliday where Hyacinth's son went to school vacation?

Those FLO DVDs are flying off the shelves! She's doing fine on those royalties alone!

OMG -- Joyce DeWitt was in "FLO" Do you think they played Password backstage?

[quote]Dorothy Lyman, also on "Mama's Family," and later a director, was Opal on AMC.

Only for a couple of years. Then Lyman left, and Jill Larsen took over the role and played it till the series ended.

I remember Diane Ladd saying she really wanted the part of Flo for the series but lost out to Holiday in the end. Usually they only recast the major characters in the tv version if they aren't available due to being film stars, etc.

Diane finally got another shot 5 years later when they created a whole new character for her after Polly left for her own series as theTitle character that Ladd created on screen. Must of been tough to replace an actress when you originated the role that made the 2nd actress famous!

Polly Holiday --

isn't that the song in Mary Poppins where Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke dance with the cartoon penguins?

R73 see R24.

Here's someone else with a lovely Polly story.

And who knew about this site? I'm sure Polly would be thrilled.

I stage doored Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at its pre-Broadway engagement in Boston. Polly ran out with a scarf over her head and sun glasses and was gone before we realized it was her.

Daniel Hugh Kelly who played Brick stood around and chatted and signed autographs. Someone gave him a book version of CONHTR to sign, and Elizabeth Ashley was on the cover. He said "This ain't the version we're doin'!"

We waited for Kathleen Turner. I don't know how she got out but this fat woman came to the stage door and bellowed "LOOOONG GONNNNNE!" and slammed it shut.

R54 R58 The whole point of Flo wasn't that she was supposed to be hot, at least in the conventional sense. It was that she was an older woman who didn't let the years slow her down.

I think Flo had a lot of middle-aged homos' dream life. She was lived hard and didn't give a shit what anyone thought. She fucked truckers by the dozen.

I'm middle aged now, and I could get used to that life.

I also think Mel was hot as fuck with his hairy Syrian arms and sailor hat.

Pattin each other's butts....

When Ellen Burstyn was offered Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, she was given the option of an upfront salary or a reduced salary but a piece of the back end which included TV rights. She was going through a messy divorce and needed the money, so she took the salary. She said it was one of the biggest mistakes of her life.

82 posts, and 82 years young. Happy Holiday, Poliday!

Were we to believe that Flo was some great piece of ass? She'd get all gussied up and go down to the "Shea-Chug-A-Lug" to meet Whizzer for some drinks and then she'd slobber on his trouser trout in the sleeper compartment of his 18 wheeler. UGGGHHH!!! As for very, she was the essence of skank. Remember when Tommy was in love with her? What a looker that offspring would have been if those two adonis's consummated their union of love!

[quote]She'd get all gussied up and go down to the "Shea-Chug-A-Lug"

Spoken like a true Mick.

Flo's original catchphrase was supposed to be "kiss my cunt!" until Linda Lavin ordered it changed to "kiss my grits."

r81, that's a tough decision. I wouldn't have taken the tv deal either because it's difficult to see how that movie could be turned into a sitcom. And there isn't a huge success rate in movie to tv transfers.

Polly Holiday got by like everybody else. Early to rise, early to bed. And in between she cooked and cleaned and went out of her head.

Flo didn't let her son go on a fishing trip with a gay man.

R88 it wasn't Flo it was Alice. And Alice did let him go after some soul searching.

Polly was in a production as a Nun. She visited the Catholic school in Manhattan connected with my parish. She stopped by after borrowing a habit from the Convent. Polly was friendly to all the kids. The Sisters and Pastor liked her.

R83 Tommy wasn't in love with Flo it was Vera one episode.

As a little kid, when I first watched "Alice" I thought that Holiday's wig was her real hair.

"it wasn't Flo it was Alice. And Alice did let him go after some soul searching"

Yes, I know. I was being ironic.

I can't believe Holiday was only in her 30s when Alice started. She looked 50.

"I can't believe Holiday was only in her 30s when Alice started. She looked 50."

Working with Linda Lavin can do that to a person.

Beth Howland had to have been one of the most annoying actresses ever.

No need to worry about her. Mel Sharples left her a tidy sum in his will.

[quote]Is there a limit on things one can loathe?

Not on Datalounge.

Unless someone has successfully shaved years off the public info about themselves, Linda and Polly are the same age - born about 3-4 months apart.

i heard she was lez for the girl who played veronica.

Beth Howland face creeped me out. Her long, "bony" face, obvious nose job, big teeth and big eyes.

I used to think Beth Howland was also on ANOTHER WORLD as Rachel.

Beth Howland was on MTM and played a girl who Mary stole her husband from.

i loved Beth Howland as Vera Louise Gorman. I also loved Celia Weston as Jolene Hunnicutt.

Beth Howland was the original "Not Getting Married Today" girl in Company and appears as "Just A Housewife" in the Working video. Beth had more of a musical theater background than Lavin did, but who ended up doing all the singing on the show?

I'm sure between her Social Security, Equity pension, SAG pension, and maybe a small AFTRA pension, Holliday scrapes by on 8-10 thousand bucks a month. It's not exactly nothing, even if she never saved anything.

And the royalties she gets when they play the song she wrote, "Holiday for Strings." It was in the Christmas music rotation at a store I shopped in yesterday.

She is pretty much a whore, she was Strom Thurmonds mistress from the early 90's until the day he died.

And then there was her evil twin, Holly Poliday . . .

I liked her as Rose's sister on Golden Girls.

I remember Polly H in that miniseries about the gay Atlanta serial killer who killed the poor black boys

Beth Howland age 74 is another one who hasn't seen the light of day recently. She's married to Charles Kimbrough, who is 79, you'd think they'd at least be out and about in NYC as a couple.

R112 She looked like had a lot of face work done the last time I seen a photo of her.

BH pic from 5 or so years ago.

Word is that Beth carries a box of straws with her in her purse at all times in case a fan requests she do her 'bit'.

[quote]Oh dio mio Rudolfo! (in a heavy southern accent).

Can any Broadway theater queen identify the Polly Holliday connection?

You're wrong, ALL of you!

Mizz Holliday, along with her partners, established the Polycom telecommunications company. She dropped an "L" from the company's name out of modesty and not wishing to be associated with Ernestine Tomlin. Mme. Holliday does not consume Camel cigarettes, instead, she VoIPs.

[quote]she was nominated for a Tony

That's nice, I guess, but then again, if you can't win, why bother, right?

She was absolutely brilliant in CATS

Maybe her good friend Dustin Hoffman takes care of her financially in her old age.

I love hearing that Charles Durning couldn't have been nicer. Usually I don't care but that's one of the few actors it's just heartening to read that they're really as nice and warm as they seem.

At least the day r30 met him....