Penelope Milford, the actress best known for her Oscar-nominated turn in the 1978 Jane Fonda and Jon Voight movie Coming Home, died on Tuesday. She was 77 years-old.
Milford Passes Away
Milford’s death was confirmed by her sister Candace Saint and her brother Douglas Milford. They told The Hollywood Reporter that the actress died in an assisted living facility in Saugerties, New York. The siblings added that Milford had previously been in a car accident in July.
At the time of this writing, no cause of death for Milford has been revealed to the public.
Born Penelope Dale Milford in St. Louis, Missouri on March 23, 1948, Milford graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. After falling in love with acting at an early age, Milford made her big-screen debut as an extra in Maidstone (1970), written and directed by Norman Mailer. She then appeared with Richard Gere in an off-Broadway production of the musical Long Time Coming and a Long Time Gone.
Milford made her Broadway debut in 1972, when she joined the cast of Lenny. In 1975, she scored a Drama Desk nomination for her performance in the long-running Civil War musical Shenandoah. The New York Times described Milford as “fetching” in this role, adding that she “sang with spirit.”
Milford’s Oscar Nomination
Milford is certainly best known for her Oscar-nominated turn portraying Vi Munson in Hal Ashby’s 1978 Vietnam War drama Coming Home. Indeed, she starred in this movie alongside Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, and Bruce Dern.
“Milford stars alongside Jane Fonda’s Sally Hyde, as her roommate,” People Magazine reported. “Vi is the sister of Bill Munson (Robert Carradine). He comes home after two weeks in Vietnam with severe emotional problems. He resides at the Veterans Administration hospital, where Hyde decides to volunteer.”
Fonda and Voight each won Oscars for Best Actor and Best Actress for their work in the film. Dern was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. However, he lost out to Christopher Walken, who won that Oscar for The Deer Hunter.
Despite not being nominated for a Golden Globe or any other precursor, Milford shocked everyone when she was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Though she ultimately lost that award to Maggie Smith, who took home the Oscar for California Suite, this was still the highlight of Milford’s career.
Other highlights from Milford’s time in Hollywood include her portrayals of silent movie star Lorna Sinclair in Valentino (1977) and the fiancée of Don Murray’s Hugh Butterfield in Endless Love (1981). Aside from Coming Home, Milford will undoubtedly best be remembered for her role as the eccentric hippie high school guidance counselor Pauline Fleming in the cult teen classic Heathers (1988).
Milford’s Personal Life
In her personal life, Milford was briefly married to the poet Michael Lally from 1982 until 1984. She never remarried after their divorce.
Milford an an art gallery in Los Angeles in the 1980s, and she was also passionate about teaching acting. She was additionally active in the Woodstock Christian Science church. Milford later moved to Saugerties in 2003 to remodel a historic home. She lived there for the final 22 years of her life.
Milford was predeceased by her beloved brother Kim Milford. He played Rocky in the original American stage production of The Rocky Horror Show. Sadly, he died of heart failure in 1988 at the age of 37.
Aside from her sister and brother, Milford is survived by three nieces and nephews.
Rest in peace, Penelope Milford.