Oscar-Nominated Actress Dead at 77: Brother Confirms Death of Penelope Milford

Actress Penelope Milford has died. She was 77.

The Academy Award-nominated actress died recently in Saugerties, New York, according to a statement by her brother Doug Milford. Her cause of death was not announced.

Milford was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1948 before setting out for New York City to become an actor. She got her start on Broadway, most famously in the 1974 Tony-nominated musical Shenandoah as Jenny Anderson, for which she was nominated for the inaugural Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress.

After Broadway, she appeared in various movies on TV shows. Her first film appearance was in Norman Mailer’s 1970 drama Maidstone starring Rip Torn, before appearing in Ken Russell’s BAFTA-nominated biopic Valentino.

That role led to Milford’s biggest and best-known appearance, where she starred as Vi Munson in Hal Ashby’s war drama Coming Home. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film at that year’s Oscar ceremony.

Afterwards, she starred in several Emmy-winning television movies alongside various comedies and romance films. Notably, she starred in Endless Love (1981), a romance film that sports the first film appearance of Tom Cruise. Milford disappeared from the screen for some time before playing a memorable part in the 1988 Heathers, a cult classic dramedy starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater.

Milford is survived by her sister, Candace, and her brother, Doug.