Loretta Swit, the Emmy-winning actress best known for portraying Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on the acclaimed television series “M*A*S*H,” died Friday at her home in New York City. She was 87.
Swit’s publicist Harlan Boll confirmed she died of suspected natural causes just after midnight Friday, according to a police report. A coroner’s report remains pending.
The actress appeared in 240 of the series’ 251 episodes during “M*A*S*H’s” 11-season run from September 1972 to February 1983. She and Alan Alda were the only two actors to appear in both the pilot and series finale, which attracted a record 106 million viewers on February 28, 1983.
Swit earned 10 consecutive Emmy nominations for her role as the Army nurse, winning twice in 1980 and 1982. She also received four Golden Globe nominations for the character. Alda praised his co-star on social media, noting that “she worked hard in showing the writing staff how they could turn the character from a one-joke sexist stereotype into a real person.”
Born Loretta Jane Szwed on November 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey, to Polish immigrant parents, Swit trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She studied acting with Gene Frankel in Manhattan and performed onstage for the first time at age seven.
Before landing her breakthrough role, Swit worked as a secretary for various professionals including gossip columnist Elsa Maxwell and the ambassador from Ghana. She made her television debut in 1969 with guest appearances on shows including “Hawaii Five-O,” “Mission: Impossible,” “Mannix,” and “Gunsmoke.”
Her guest-starring role on Glenn Ford’s “Cade’s County” in 1971 led to her casting in “M*A*S*H.” Swit later explained that network executives at CBS and Fox remembered her performance when the role of Major Houlihan became available.
Throughout the series’ evolution from broad comedy to dramatic storytelling, Swit advocated for her character’s development beyond the initial “Hot Lips” nickname, which originated from Margaret’s affair with Major Frank Burns. She successfully convinced writers to refer to the character as Margaret rather than the derogatory moniker.
Key episodes showcasing the character’s growth included “The Nurses” in season five, where Margaret delivered an emotional speech about her loneliness as a commanding officer. Producer Gene Reynolds later told Swit that the cast and crew were moved to tears watching the scene’s dailies.
Beyond “M*A*S*H,” Swit appeared in more than 25 television movies and numerous guest roles on series including “The Love Boat,” “Murder, She Wrote,” and “The Muppet Show.” Her film credits included “Freebie and the Bean” with James Caan and Alan Arkin, “Race With the Devil” with Peter Fonda, and “S.O.B.” with Julie Andrews.
Swit made her Broadway debut in 1975’s “Same Time, Next Year” opposite Ted Bessell and later appeared in “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” She starred in more than 1,200 performances of “Shirley Valentine,” earning the Sarah Siddons Award, Chicago’s most prestigious theater honor.
She was originally cast alongside Tyne Daly in the 1981 “Cagney & Lacey” pilot but could not continue with the series due to her “M*A*S*H” contractual obligations when CBS picked up the show a year later.
Swit was a dedicated animal rights activist who founded the SwitHeart Animal Alliance to prevent cruelty and end animal suffering. She created an art book featuring 65 paintings and drawings, with proceeds benefiting animal causes. PETA vice president Lisa Lange praised Swit as “a major champion for all animals.”
Jamie Farr, who played Corporal Klinger on “M*A*S*H,” called Swit his “adopted sister” and described their friendship as beginning from his first day on set. Mike Farrell, who joined the cast in season four, posted a tribute photograph on social media.
Swit married actor Dennis Holahan in 1983 after meeting him when he guest-starred on “M*A*S*H.” They divorced in 1995, and she never had children. In a 1979 interview, she expressed contentment with her career and friendships, stating she could not imagine having a happier life.
The actress received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989 and continued acting until 2019, with her final credit in the movie “Play the Flute.” She had been expected to appear in an upcoming project titled “Second Chances,” which remains in pre-production.
