On Tuesday, in Saugerties, New York, a talented actress, nominated for an Academy Award, passed away. Her brother, Doug Milford, confirmed her death, but the cause has not been revealed.
The actress was best known for her role as Vi Munson in the landmark drama directed by Hal Ashby, which also starred A-list actors Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, and Bruce Dern.
The film, set in California, tells the story of a Marine officer’s wife who falls in love with a former high school classmate who suffered a paralyzing combat injury in the Vietnam War.
The talented performer, who was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actress category for her work in the 1978 film “Coming Home,” was Penelope Milford. Her character was the sister of Robert Carradine’s character, who returned from Vietnam with severe psychological trauma. Ultimately, the Oscar that year went to Maggie Smith for her role in “California Suite.”
Milford was also a renowned stage actress. In 1974, she originated the role of Jenny Anderson in the Broadway musical “Shenandoah,” for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination in 1975, but lost to her castmate Donna Theodore.
Penelope Milford was born on March 23, 1948, in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in Illinois. Her acting career in New York began in 1971 with an Off-Broadway production alongside Richard Gere.
