Eileen Ryan Penn, an American actress best known for appearing in guest appearances on various successful television shows, including Little House on the Prairie, died at the age of 94.
She was the mother of actors Sean Penn, Christopher Penn, and Michael Penn, as well as musician Michael Penn.
According to Deadline, the actress died barely a week before her 95th birthday in her Malibu home.
She was married to Leo Penn, another actor and director, until his death in 1998. Eileen's other acting credits include The Twilight Zone, Bonanza, Grey's Anatomy, and others. WHO PERFORMED ON LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE BY EILEEN RYAN PENN?
Eileen played Mrs. Kennedy on the first season of Little House on the Prairie. She was a Walnut Grove resident and the mother of Christy and Sandy Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy, played by actor Wayne Heffley, was her husband. In Season 2, actress Janice Carroll took over Eileen's position.
Few people are aware that the series also featured her son Sean's debut. Eileen's kid appeared as an uncredited extra in the 11th episode of Season 1 titled The Voice of Tinker Jones, directed by her husband Leo.
Sean was 13 years old at the time.
HER MARRIAGE WAS TO LEO PENN.
Eileen and Leo were married for four decades until his death.
According to Page Six, the two met in 1957 during rehearsals for the play The Iceman Cometh in New York.
Sparks quickly sparked between them, and they married soon after. Michael, Sean, and Christopher were their three children.
"We had a beautiful marriage," the actress once told the New Yorker about her marriage to Leo. We never got tired of one other. We developed together."
Leo died of cancer in 1998, at the age of 77.
THE ACTRESS WAS KNOWN FOR HER GUEST ROLES.
In 1955, Eileen made her debut television appearance on Goodyear Television Playhouse.
She appeared in a number of guest parts on shows such as Twilight Zone, The Detectives, Ben Casey, NYPD Blue, ER, CSI, and Grey's Anatomy. She has appeared in films such as Parenthood, At Close Range, and Eight-Legged Freaks.
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