Who Was Penelope Milford’s Husband? A Look at Oscar-Nominated Actress as She Passes Away

Penelope Milford, the acclaimed actress known for her Oscar-nominated performance, has passed away at the age of 77. She died on Tuesday, October 14, in an assisted living facility in Saugerties, New York. The cause of her death has not yet been disclosed.

Born on March 23, 1948, in St. Louis, Milford grew up in a musically inclined family. Her father, a high tenor, published a trade magazine titled Tips From Your Printer, while her mother was a soloist in their local Christian Science church choir. Penelope was one of several siblings; she is survived by her brother Douglas Milford and sister Candace Saint. Tragically, her younger brother Richard Kim Milford died of heart failure in 1980 at the age of 37.

Penelope’s education included graduation from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. She embarked on her acting career as an extra in the 1970 film Maidstone. In 1971, she performed off-Broadway in the musical Long Time Coming and a Long Time Gone alongside Richard Gere, followed by joining the Broadway cast of Lenny in 1972. Her talents also earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination for her role in the musical Shenandoah.

Milford’s most renowned role came as Vi Munson in Hal Ashby’s Coming Home, which earned her an Academy Award nomination. Reflecting on her character in a 1978 New York Times interview, she described Vi as an eclectic individual who embraced diverse cultures and attitudes without concern for consistency, someone fiercely independent and unbound by group affiliations.

Before moving to New York in 1967, Milford honed her craft in Chicago’s suburban theater scene and studied acting under Wynn Handman. At the time, she expressed a deep aspiration to portray Irene Castle, the legendary ballroom dancer whose influence on women was profound during the early 20th century—an era untouched by modern mass media and technology.

Throughout her career, Penelope appeared in a variety of films, including Man of a Swing (1974), The Last Word (1979), Take This Job and Shove It (1981), Cold Justice (1993), Normal Life (1996), and Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1996). Her television work included roles in The Blue Knight (1976), Seizure: The Story of Kathy Morris (1980), and The Oldest Living Graduate (1980).

In her personal life, Penelope was married to Michael Lally, a New Jersey-born poet, former actor, activist, and jazz musician, from 1982 to 1984. Lally, who was affiliated with both the Beat poets and the second-generation New York School poets, served in the Air Force before dedicating himself to writing. He has published over 30 books of poetry and prose and has been married three times, with Penelope being his second wife.

Penelope Milford’s legacy endures through her impactful performances and her contributions to stage and screen, marking her as a memorable figure in American acting history.

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