An alumnus of the Chicago/New York theatrical scene, American actress
Penelope Milford struck paydirt with her first film,
"Coming Home" (1978). Playing Viola Munson, the best friend of Sally Hyde (
Jane Fonda), Penelope was nominated for an Academy Award. She didn't win, but on the strength of
"Coming Home", Ms. Milford was cast in a major TV biopic,
"Seizure: The Story of Kathy Morris" (1979), the tale of a real-life singer's recovery from a brain-surgery-induced coma. The highlight of this production was the final scene, wherein the real Kathy Morris replaced Milford in the final concert scene, proof of her total recovery; Milford's performance had been so authentic that the switch was all but imperceptible. Few of Penelope Milford's subsequent films did her talent justice: the outgoing blonde actress was seen in pedestrian roles in such pedestrian pictures as
"Take This Job and Shove It" (1981),
"Endless Love" (1981) and
"The Golden Seal" (1984). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
