(L to R) Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers and Loretta Swit in ‘M*A*S*H’. Photo: 20th Century-Fox Television.
Preview:
- Loretta Swit has died aged 87.
- She became most known for her role of Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on TV’s ‘M*A*S*H*.
- The actor also had roles in ‘Race With the Devil’ and ‘The Love Boat.’
Loretta Swit, the Emmy Award-winning actress renowned for her portrayal of Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on the iconic television series ‘M*A*S*H*,’ has passed away at the age of 87 in her New York City home.
“Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen.”
79
11 SeasonsSeptember 17th, 1972
The cause of death is believed to be natural, though an official determination is pending.
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Loretta Swit: Early Life and career
Loretta Swit in ‘Hell Hath No Fury’. Photo: NBC.
Born Loretta Jane Szwed on November 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey, Swit was a member of a Girl Scout troop sponsored by the Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church of Passaic, known as the Holy Rosary Scouts.
She graduated from Pope Pius XII High School in Passaic in 1955, where she had been a cheerleader, taken part in theatrical productions, and served as co-captain of the women’s basketball team.
She graduated from Katharine Gibbs School in Montclair, New Jersey, in June 1957, then was employed at a variety of clerical jobs, including as a stenographer in Bloomfield, New Jersey, secretary to the ambassador from Ghana to the United Nations, and at the American Rocket Society in New York City while being trained to dance by a classmate, Elizabeth Parent-Barber, a Rockette and student at the New York School of Ballet.
Swit was also a singer, having trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
During this time, she began developing her acting career, including studying drama with Gene Frankel in Manhattan in New York City, whom she considered her acting coach. She regularly returned to his studio to speak with aspiring actors throughout her career.
Her earlier acting roles were on stage, including an Off-Broadway production of ‘An Enemy of The People,’ touring with the national company of ‘Any Wednesday’ and as one of the Pigeon sisters opposite Don Rickles and Ernest Borgnine in a Los Angeles run of ‘The Odd Couple.’
As with many performers launching their career, she started finding work in TV guest roles, on shows such as ‘Hawaii Five-O’ (her small screen debut), ‘Gunsmoke,’‘Mission: Impossible,’ and ‘Mannix.’ Swit played a variety of characters across several episodes of ‘The Love Boat.’
Loretta Swit: TV icon
The cast of ‘M*A*S*H’. Photo: 20th Century-Fox Television.
After lobbying for the role, Swit joined the cast of the TV take on ‘M*A*S*H* in 1972, portraying“Hot Lips” Houlihan, the strong-willed head nurse at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War.
Her performance earned her two Emmy Awards and ten nominations over the show’s 11-year run. Swit’s nuanced portrayal and the show’s own growth from farcical sitcom to more meditative series transformed Major Houlihan from a one-dimensional villain character into a multifaceted figure, reflecting the evolving social dynamics of the era.
Loretta Swit: Other TV and Movie Work
(L to R) Warren Oates, Loretta Swit, Lara Parker and Peter Fonda in ‘Race with the Devil’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Swit struggled somewhat to distance herself from the Houlihan role in made for television movies like ‘Games Mother Never Taught You’ and ‘Hell Hath no Fury’ and found a seeming new direction after landing the role of Chris Cagney on the pilot episode of cop series ‘Cagney & Lacey,’ only to be unable to play the part when ‘M*A*S*H’ producers refused to let her out of her contract.
She did at least manage a decent side career appearing on a number of game shows including ‘Win, Lose or Draw,’‘Pyramid’ and ‘Hollywood Squares’ and later served as the host of ‘Those Incredible Animals.’
On the big screen, Swit showed up in titles including ‘Stand Up and Be Counted,’ ‘Policewoman,’ ‘Freebie and the Bean,’‘Race With the Devil’ and ‘Whoops Apocalypse.’
Though her career became much quieter in later years, her most recent cinematic credit was in 2019’s ‘Play the Flute.’
Loretta Swit: Beyond Her Career
Beyond her television success, Swit was a passionate advocate for animal rights. In 2017, she founded the SwitHeart Animal Alliance, a charity dedicated to ending animal cruelty and providing medical care to animals in need. She also published ‘SwitHeart: The Watercolor Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit,’ a book featuring her watercolor paintings and stories supporting animal welfare.
Swit was married to actor Dennis Holahan from 1983 to 1988.
She is survived by her brother, Robert Szwed, and a legacy of artistic and philanthropic contributions.
The cast of ‘M*A*S*H’. Photo: 20th Century-Fox Television.
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