The entertainment world has lost a thoughtful performer whose work captured some of the most challenging moments in American history.
Penelope Milford, the accomplished actress best known for her Oscar-nominated performance in the 1978 Vietnam War drama Coming Home, passed away on 14 October at an assisted living facility in Saugerties, New York. She was 77.
Milford died Tuesday in an assisted living facility in Saugerties, New York, her sister, Candace Saint, told The Hollywood Reporter. The cause of death was not revealed.
While many actors chase fame, Milford built her career on substance, choosing roles that explored the human cost of conflict and social change.
Her portrayal of Vi Munson in Coming Home earned her a place among Hollywood's most respected character actresses and showcased her ability to bring authenticity to complex emotional territory.
From St. Louis to the Broadway stage
Born in St. Louis on March 23, 1948, Penelope Dale Milford graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.
Theatre ran in the family blood—her brother Richard Kim Milford would later appear in multiple Broadway productions, including playing Rocky in the original production of The Rocky Horror Show that inspired the ultimate cult classic movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Her stage career began impressively in the early 1970s. She made her big-screen debut as an extra in Maidstone (1970), written and directed by Norman Mailer, then appeared with Richard Gere in an off-Broadway production of the musical Long Time Coming and a Long Time Gone.
In 1972, Milford joined the Broadway cast of Lenny, starring Sandy Baron as comedian Lenny Bruce, and three years later landed a Drama Desk nomination for her performance in the long-running Civil War musical Shenandoah.
The New York Times reviewer praised her as 'fetching' and noted that she 'sang with spirit.'
'Despite an over-explicit soundtrack and some moments when the story in fact became a sermon, the movie effectively translated a changed national consciousness into credible and touching personal terms.'
The role that defined a career
Coming Home arrived at a pivotal moment in American cinema. Coming Home was theatrically released on February 15, 1978, to critical and commercial success.
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 83 per cent based on 29 reviews, with a rating average of 7.4/10.
In the film, Milford played Vi Munson, a bohemian military wife whose traumatised brother Bill returns from Vietnam after just two weeks with severe psychological wounds.
As soon as he leaves, Sally is forced to find housing off the base and moves into a new apartment by the beach with another Marine wife—the bohemian Vi Munson (Penelope Milford), whose traumatized brother Bill (Robert Carradine) is a patient at the local Veteran's Hospital. Physically, Bill is fine, but 'they sent him back without an ignition,' Vi says.
Her character serves as the catalyst for the film's central relationship, inspiring Jane Fonda's Sally to volunteer at the Veterans Administration hospital where she reconnects with Luke Martin, played by Jon Voight.
Penelope Milford's cynical working-girl is also wonderfully realized, noted one critic, highlighting how she brought depth to what could have been a simple supporting role.
Cinema's Vietnam moment
Coming Home was one of two major Vietnam War films released in 1978, competing directly with The Deer Hunter for audiences and awards attention.
Coming Home is a very powerful and meaningful film, but it was released the same year as The Deer Hunter and that absolutely annihilated it when it came Oscar season.
Despite the competition, it received Academy Award nominations in eight categories, winning three— an Oscar for its screenplay, as well as Oscars for Fonda and Voight.
Milford's nomination for Best Supporting Actress recognised her nuanced portrayal of a woman grappling with the war's impact on her family.
Coming Home by the numbers
Reviewers praised its direction, screenplay and performances, while the film grossed $36 million worldwide against its $3 million budget, becoming the 15th highest-grossing film of 1978. The film also competed for the Palme d'Or at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival.
From serious drama to cult classic
Milford's versatility became apparent in her later film choices. She appeared in Ken Russell's flamboyant biopic Valentino (1977) and Franco Zeffirelli's Endless Love (1981).
But perhaps her most beloved later role was as the hippie guidance counselor Pauline Fleming in Heathers (1988) and the fiancée of Don Murray's character in Franco Zeffirelli's Endless Love (1981).
Her television work proved equally impressive. Milford also appeared in a number of TV movies, most notably The Burning Bed, the 1984 thriller starring Farrah Fawcett that landed eight Emmy nominations.
She also starred as the ailing title character in 1980's Seizure: The Story of Kathy Morris opposite Leonard Nimoy and had roles in 1982's Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story starring Sondra Locke and 1980's The Oldest Living Graduate opposite Henry Fonda and Cloris Leachman.
A quieter second act
By the late 1980s, Milford had grown restless with Hollywood. After leaving Hollywood, Milford taught at film schools in Chicago and Minneapolis. This transition reflected her deeper interest in nurturing new talent rather than chasing fame.
In 2003, she made another significant life change, moving to the Hudson Valley village of Saugerties, New York, where she became involved in historical preservation.
Even there, she couldn't completely leave performance behind—she sang with the Bard Symphonic Chorus and remained active in the local theatre community.
Penelope Milford's lasting contributions
- Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Coming Home (1978)
- Drama Desk nomination for Broadway's Shenandoah (1975)
- Memorable roles spanning serious drama to cult classics
- Second career as educator and preservationist
- Part of a theatrical family legacy including brother's work in A
Her career choices reflected an artist more interested in truth than glamour. From the anti-war message of 'Coming Home' to the dark comedy of 'Heathers,' she consistently chose projects that had something meaningful to say about the human condition.
Survivors include her brother Doug Milford and sister Candace Saint. But her true legacy lives on in the performances that captured pivotal moments in American culture, particularly her work in Coming Home, which The New York Times placed the film on its Best 1000 Movies Ever list. The February 2020 issue of New York Magazine lists Coming Home as among 'The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars.'
Do you have memories of watching Penelope Milford in 'Coming Home,' 'Heathers,' or any of her other performances? Her work touched on some of the most significant cultural moments of the past half-century—we'd love to hear how her performances resonated with you during those times.
Primary Source
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowb...tml?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
Penelope Milford, Oscar-Nominated Actress in ‘Coming Home,’ Dies at 77
Cited text: Milford died Tuesday in an assisted living facility in Saugerties, New York, her sister, Candace Saint, told The Hollywood Reporter. The cause of deat...
Excerpt: Milford died Tuesday in an assisted living facility in Saugerties, New York, her sister, Candace Saint, told The Hollywood Reporter.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...ad-coming-home-heathers-valentino-1236402263/
Penelope Milford, Oscar-Nominated Actress in ‘Coming Home,’ Dies at 77
Cited text: Born in St. Louis on March 23, 1948, Penelope Dale Milford graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.
Excerpt: Louis on March 23, 1948, Penelope Dale Milford graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...ad-coming-home-heathers-valentino-1236402263/
Penelope Milford Dead: 'Coming Home' Oscar Nominee & 'Heathers' Counselor Was 77
Cited text: Her brother Richard Kim Milford also appeared in multiple Broadway shows, including playing Rocky in the original production of The Rocky Horror Show ...
Excerpt: including playing Rocky in the original production of The Rocky Horror Show that inspired the ultimate cult classic movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
https://deadline.com/2025/10/penelope-milford-dead-coming-home-heathers-1236587400/
Penelope Milford, Oscar-Nominated Actress in ‘Coming Home,’ Dies at 77
Cited text: She made her big-screen debut as an extra in Maidstone (1970), written and directed by Norman Mailer, then appeared with Richard Gere in an off-Broadw...
Excerpt: She made her big-screen debut as an extra in Maidstone (1970), written and directed by Norman Mailer, then appeared with Richard Gere in an off-Broadway production of the musical Long Time Coming and a Long Time Gone.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...ad-coming-home-heathers-valentino-1236402263/
Penelope Milford, Oscar-Nominated Actress in ‘Coming Home,’ Dies at 77
Cited text: In 1972, Milford joined the Broadway cast of Lenny, starring Sandy Baron as comedian Lenny Bruce, and three years later landed a Drama Desk nomination...
Excerpt: In 1972, Milford joined the Broadway cast of Lenny, starring Sandy Baron as comedian Lenny Bruce, and three years later landed a Drama Desk nomination for her performance in the long-running Civil War musical Shenandoah.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...ad-coming-home-heathers-valentino-1236402263/
Penelope Milford, Oscar-Nominated Actress in ‘Coming Home,’ Dies at 77
Cited text: In his review of the latter, Clive Barnes in The New York Times called her “fetching” and noted that she “sang with spirit.” ·
Excerpt: 'sang with spirit.'
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...ad-coming-home-heathers-valentino-1236402263/
Coming Home (1978 film) - Wikipedia
Cited text: Coming Home was theatrically released on February 15, 1978, to critical and commercial success.
Excerpt: Coming Home was theatrically released on February 15, 1978, to critical and commercial success.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_Home_(1978_film)
Coming Home (1978 film) - Wikipedia
Cited text: On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 83 per cent based on 29 reviews, with a rating average of 7.4/10.
Excerpt: On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 83 per cent based on 29 reviews, with a rating average of 7.4/10.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_Home_(1978_film)
Coming Home (1978)
7.3 | Drama, Romance, War
Cited text: Hyde is looking forward to his tour of duty in Vietnam... As a dedicated military officer, he sees it primarily as an opportunity for progress As soon...
Excerpt: As soon as he leaves, Sally is forced to find housing off the base and moves into a new apartment by the beach with another Marine wife—the bohemian Vi Munson (Penelope Milford), whose traumatized brother Bill (Robert Carradine) is a…
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077362/
Coming Home (1978) - User reviews—IMDb
Cited text: Penelope Milford's cynical working-girl is also wonderfully realized, but too-intense Bruce Dern is one
Excerpt: Penelope Milford's cynical working-girl is also wonderfully realized
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077362/reviews/
Coming Home (1978) - User reviews—IMDb
Cited text: The best movie about the aftermath of the Vietnam war, and Jon Voight definitely earned his best actor Oscar for this film ... 'Coming Home' is a very...
Excerpt: 'Coming Home' is a very powerful and meaningful film, but it was released the same year as 'The Deer Hunter' and that absolutely annihilated it when it came Oscar season…
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077362/reviews/
Essential: COMING HOME (1978)—Of or Involving Motion Pictures
Cited text: Just as importantly, it received Academy Award nominations in eight categories, winning three— an Oscar for its screenplay, as well as Oscars for Fond...
Excerpt: it received Academy Award nominations in eight categories, winning three— an Oscar for its screenplay, as well as Oscars for Fonda and Voight.
https://oforinvolvingmotionpictures.wordpress.com/2023/05/19/essential-coming-home-1978/
Coming Home (1978 film) | Thomas Bonilla's Retro Media Library Wiki | Fandom
Cited text: Reviewers praised its direction, screenplay and performances, while the film grossed $36 million worldwide against its $3 million budget, becoming the...
Excerpt: Reviewers praised its direction, screenplay and performances, while the film grossed $36 million worldwide against its $3 million budget, becoming the 15th highest-grossing film of 1978.
https://thomas-bonillas-retro-media-library.fandom.com/wiki/Coming_Home_(1978_film)
Penelope Milford, Oscar-Nominated Actress in ‘Coming Home,’ Dies at 77
Cited text: Milford, who appeared twice on Broadway early in her career, also played the fiancée of Don Murray’s character in Franco Zeffirelli’s Endless Love (19...
Excerpt: the fiancée of Don Murray's character in Franco Zeffirelli's Endless Love (1981) and was the hippie Westerburg High School guidance counselor Pauline Fleming in Michael Lehmann's Heathers (1988).
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...ad-coming-home-heathers-valentino-1236402263/
Penelope Milford Dead: 'Coming Home' Oscar Nominee & 'Heathers' Counselor Was 77
Cited text: Milford also appeared in a number of TV movies, most notably The Burning Bed, the 1984 thriller starring Farrah Fawcett that landed eight Emmy nominat...
Excerpt: Milford also appeared in a number of TV movies, most notably The Burning Bed, the 1984 thriller starring Farrah Fawcett that landed eight Emmy nominations.
https://deadline.com/2025/10/penelope-milford-dead-coming-home-heathers-1236587400/
Penelope Milford Dead: 'Coming Home' Oscar Nominee & 'Heathers' Counselor Was 77
Cited text: After leaving Hollywood, Milford taught at film schools in Chicago and Minneapolis.
Excerpt: After leaving Hollywood, Milford taught at film schools in Chicago and Minneapolis.
https://deadline.com/2025/10/penelope-milford-dead-coming-home-heathers-1236587400/
1978—Coming Home—Academy Award Best Picture Winners
Cited text: But nobody who goes to war comes home the same as when they left. And I think that was the point of the movie, in a nutshell.
Excerpt: But nobody who goes to war comes home the same as when they left. And I think that was the point of the movie, in a nutshell.
https://www.oscarchamps.com/2016/03/26/1978-coming-home/
Penelope Milford Dead: 'Coming Home' Oscar Nominee & 'Heathers' Counselor Was 77
Cited text: Survivors include her brother Doug Milford and sister Candace Saint.
Excerpt: Survivors include her brother Doug Milford and sister Candace Saint.
https://deadline.com/2025/10/penelope-milford-dead-coming-home-heathers-1236587400/
Coming Home (1978 film) - Wikipedia
Cited text: The New York Times placed the film on its Best 1000 Movies Ever list. The February 2020 issue of New York Magazine lists Coming Home as among 'The Bes...
Excerpt: The New York Times placed the film on its Best 1000 Movies Ever list. The February 2020 issue of New York Magazine lists Coming Home as among 'The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars.'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_Home_(1978_film)
Seniors Discount Club
Latest Articles
-
-
Councils are cracking down on artificial lawns—and the hidden cost isn’t what you’d expect
- Started by Maan
- Replies: 0
-
.png){kind=icon}
. Condolences to her loved ones 