5/14/97

Contact: Barbara Redmond, Ohio University, 614/593-4807

ATHENS, Ohio -- Stage, film and television actress Polly Holliday will present a reading of the Flannery O'Connor short story "Revelation" at noon Friday (May 16) in Kantner Hall's Baker Theater as part of the Ohio University School of Theater's free, public Lunchbag Theater Seminar.

Holliday also will work with graduate acting students during her visit to the Athens campus as a guest artist in the School of Theater.

Holliday's many roles include playing the part of Flo for four years on the situation comedy "Alice." She began her acting career as a member of the resident company of Asolo State Theatre, a classical repertory theater in Sarasota, Fla. More recently, Holliday was nominated for a Tony award for her starring role on Broadway as Big Mama in "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" in 1990. She co-starred in a revival of William Inge's "Picnic" on Broadway in 1994 and most recently starred in the Horton Foote play "Death of Papa" with Ellen Burstyn and Mathew Broderick in Chapel Hill, N.C. Other Broadway credits include "All Over Town" by Murray Schisgal in 1975 and a revival of "Arsenic and Old Lace" in 1986.

"She started in the theater, and that background informs her work," said Barbara Redmond, associate professor of theater and head of the MFA Professional Actor Training Program.

Holliday has appeared in the films "All the President's Men," "Gremlins," "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Mr. Wrong." She also has appeared on numerous television shows and recently co-starred on the series "The Client" with JoBeth Williams, John Heard and Ossie Davis. She has a recurring role on "Home Improvement" and has guest starred on "Homicide."

Holliday twice received the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series and has been nominated five times for an Emmy Award.