Eileen Ryan, actress and mother of Sean Penn, died at the age of 94
Steph Deschamps / October 12, 2022
American actress Eileen Ryan Penn, who was best known for her roles in several successful television series has sadly passed away at the age of 94.
She was the mother of actors Sean Penn and Christopher Penn and musician Michael Penn.
According to Deadline, the actress took her last breath at her home in Malibu, just one week before her 95th birthday. She was married to fellow actor and director Leo Penn until his death in 1998. Eileen appeared in numerous series including Twilight Zone, Bonanza, Grey's Anatomy, and Little House on the Prairie. Eileen appeared as Mrs. Kennedy on the first season of Little House on the Prairie. She was a resident of Walnut Grove and the mother of Christy and Sandy Kennedy.
The role of Eileen was replaced by actress Janice Carroll in season 2. Few people know that the series also featured the debut of her son Sean. In the 11th episode of season 1 entitled The Voice of Tinker Jones, directed by her husband Leo, Eileen's son had a minor role as an uncredited extra.
Sean Penn was 13 years old at the time.
Eileen was married to Leo Penn for four decades until his death in 1998. According to Page Six, both of Sean Penn's parents met at rehearsals for the play The Iceman Cometh in New York in 1957. Love at first sight was immediate and they ended up getting married soon after. They had three children together: Michael, Sean and Christopher.
Talking about her marriage to Leo, Eileen revealed to the New Yorker that her husband has always been her true love: "We had a great marriage. We never missed each other. We grew up together ».