Loretta Swit, the Emmy-winning actress best known for her portrayal of 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.
Her representative Harlan Boll confirmed that Swit died of suspected natural causes just after midnight Friday, according to a police report. A coroner’s report is still pending to determine the official cause of death.
Swit appeared in 240 of the series’ 251 episodes during its 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 the finale of the Korean War-set comedy-drama. The series finale, which aired February 28, 1983, attracted a record 106 million viewers and remains the most-watched scripted television episode in history.
Born Loretta Jane Szwed on November 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey, to Polish immigrant parents, Swit studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She initially worked as a secretary for gossip columnist Elsa Maxwell, the ambassador from Ghana, and the American Rocket Society before pursuing acting.
Swit moved to Los Angeles in 1970 and landed guest appearances on television shows including Hawaii Five-O, Mission: Impossible, Gunsmoke, and Mannix. Her role on the short-lived CBS series Cade’s County in 1971 led to her casting in M*A*S*H the following year, as network executives and Fox remembered her performance.
Her portrayal of the tough, by-the-book Army nurse earned her 10 consecutive Emmy nominations from 1974 to 1983, winning twice in 1980 and 1982. She also received four Golden Globe nominations and won the People’s Choice Award for her work on the series.
Alda paid tribute to his co-star on social media, writing that Swit was a supremely talented actor who deserved all her Emmy nominations and wins. He praised her for working with the writing staff to transform the character from what he described as a one-joke sexist stereotype into a real person with feelings and ambitions. Alda noted, “We celebrated the day the script came out listing her character not as Hot Lips, but as Margaret.”
Jamie Farr, who played Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger on the series, called Swit his adopted sister and described their relationship as close as family. He indicated that from their first meeting on what was supposed to be a one-day appearance, they embraced each other and formed a lifetime friendship.
Swit’s character evolved significantly throughout the series’ run. Initially portrayed as an antagonist allied with Major Frank Burns, Margaret Houlihan developed into a more complex, sympathetic character. Key episodes like “The Nurses” in season five showcased her vulnerability and loneliness as the head nurse who felt isolated from her subordinates.
Beyond M*A*S*H, Swit appeared in more than 25 television movies and had roles in films including Freebie and the Bean with James Caan and Alan Arkin, Race With the Devil with Peter Fonda, and S.O.B. with Julie Andrews. She also starred alongside Tyne Daly in the 1981 pilot for Cagney & Lacey but could not continue with the series due to her M*A*S*H commitments.
Swit maintained an active theater career, making her Broadway debut in Same Time, Next Year in 1975 opposite Ted Bessell. She appeared in more than 1,200 performances of Shirley Valentine, earning the Sarah Siddons Award, Chicago’s most prestigious theater prize, in 1991. She also starred in The Mystery of Edwin Drood and played the title role in Mame.
An avid animal rights activist, Swit founded the SwitHeart Animal Alliance to prevent cruelty and end animal suffering. She created an art book featuring 65 full-color paintings and drawings, with proceeds benefiting animal causes. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals praised her as a major champion for all animals and described her legacy as one of compassion.
Swit was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989. She married actor Dennis Holahan, whom she met when he guest-starred on M*A*S*H, in 1983. They divorced in 1995, and she never had children. Her final acting credit came in 2019 in a movie titled Play the Flute.
