American actress Penelope Milford has died at the age of 77.
The stage and screen star, best known for her Academy Award-nominated performance in Coming Home, died on October 14 at an assisted living facility in Saugerties, New York.
Her death was confirmed by her brother, Doug Milford, according to multiple US outlets. A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
Milford earned widespread recognition for her portrayal of Vi Munson in Hal Ashby’s Coming Home, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Her film career also included roles in Valentino (1977) and the 1988 cult classic Heathers.
Born in Missouri and raised in Illinois, Milford began her career in theatre.
In 1971, she co-starred opposite Richard Gere in the Off-Broadway musical Long Time Coming and a Long Time Gone, based on the life of musician and novelist Richard Fariña.
The following year, she joined the Broadway cast of Lenny, a play about comedian Lenny Bruce.
She went on to originate the role of Jenny Anderson in the musical Shenandoah, which opened on Broadway in January 1975. Her performance earned her a nomination for the inaugural Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress, and the show later received a Tony nomination for Best Musical.
Over the years, Milford appeared in a number of stage productions including Felix (1974), Fishing (1981), Territorial Rites (1983), and the revue The Second Hottest Show In Town.
Her success extended to television and film. Milford’s first TV appearance came in a 1976 episode of The Blue Knight, followed by numerous roles across the small screen.
In 1980, she starred alongside Henry Fonda and Cloris Leachman in The Oldest Living Graduate. Two years later, she appeared opposite Sondra Locke in Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story, and in 1984 she starred with Farrah Fawcett in The Burning Bed.
Her film credits include The Last Word, Endless Love, Blood Link, The Golden Seal, and Heathers. Her final credited role was as Anna Carroll in the 1997 film Night of the Lawyers, according to IMDb.
In 2003, Milford moved to Saugerties, New York, where she dedicated herself to remodelling a historic home and developed a passion for preservation.
She was predeceased by her brother, actor and singer Richard Kim Milford, who died in 1988 at age 37 from heart failure. Richard was also a theatre performer who originated the role of Rocky in the stage production of The Rocky Horror Show, which later inspired the 1975 cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show starring Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon.
She is survived by her sister, Candace Saint, and her brother, Doug Milford.
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