In her final months, Penelope Milford lived far from the public gaze that once defined her career.
After a serious car accident in mid-summer, the Oscar-nominated actress spent her remaining time in a rehabilitation facility in upstate New York—a quiet, private ending for someone whose work once commanded national attention. The contrast between her earlier visibility and her final seclusion lends a reflective stillness to the closing chapter of her life.
Milford died on October 14 at the age of 77 while residing at a rehab center in Kingston, New York. Her siblings, Candace Saint and Douglas Milford, confirmed that she had been recovering there following injuries sustained in the July accident. News of her passing was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Milford’s path to acting took shape during her years at New Trier High School in Illinois. She later moved to New York City, where she trained at the American Place Theatre and immersed herself in the city’s vibrant stage scene.
Her earliest film work included a small, uncredited appearance in Norman Mailer’s Maidstone in 1970, but theater quickly became her foundation. She earned recognition for her performances in both off-Broadway and Broadway productions, including Lenny and Shenandoah.
Her film career gained momentum throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Milford appeared in a range of projects, from Valentino and Endless Love to the darkly comic cult classic Heathers. Her most celebrated screen performance came in Coming Home, where her understated emotional control earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress—a defining achievement in a career marked by nuance rather than spectacle.
Outside of acting, Milford pursued other creative avenues. In the mid-1980s, she operated an art gallery in Los Angeles and later turned to teaching, sharing her experience with aspiring performers. Eventually, she settled in Saugerties, New York, where she restored a historic home and lived largely outside the industry. She was briefly married to poet Michael Lally and is survived by her brother, sister, and three nieces and nephews.
Conclusion
Penelope Milford never chased celebrity for its own sake, and she walked away from Hollywood long before it walked away from her. What remains is a body of work defined by restraint, intelligence, and emotional honesty. Her performances may have been quiet, but their impact endures—proof that subtlety, when done well, leaves the longest echo.