kids encyclopedia robot

Loretta Swit facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Loretta Swit
Loretta Swit MASH 1972.JPG
Swit on M*A*S*H set in 1972 as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan
Born
Loretta Jane Szwed

(1937-11-04)November 4, 1937
Died May 30, 2025(2025-05-30) (aged 87)
New York City, U.S.
Education
Occupation Actress
Years active 1967–2019
Known for
Spouse(s)
Dennis Holahan
(m. 1983; div. 1995)
Signature
Loretta Swit - signature.svg

Loretta Jane Swit (born Loretta Jane Szwed; November 4, 1937 – May 30, 2025) was an American actress. She was famous for her roles on stage and television. Many people know her best as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the TV show M*A*S*H. She won two Emmy Awards for this role in 1980 and 1982.

Early Life and Education

Loretta Jane Szwed was born on November 4, 1937. Her hometown was Passaic, New Jersey. Her parents, Lester and Nellie Szwed, were from Poland. Loretta had an older brother named Robert.

As a child, Loretta was a Girl Scout. She went to Pope Pius XII High School in Passaic. There, she was a cheerleader and played on the girls' basketball team. She also loved being in school plays.

After high school, she went to Katharine Gibbs School. She graduated in 1957. Loretta then worked in different office jobs. She also trained to be an actress. She studied drama with Gene Frankel in New York City. Loretta also learned to sing at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Theatre Career

Loretta Swit started her acting career in theatre. Her first show was An Enemy of the People in New York. In 1961, she appeared in The Balcony.

In 1967, Loretta toured with a play called Any Wednesday. She also acted in The Odd Couple in Los Angeles.

Later, in 1975, she performed on Broadway in Same Time, Next Year. She also appeared in The Mystery of Edwin Drood in the 1980s. Loretta played Agnes Gooch in the Las Vegas show Mame.

From the 1990s, she often performed in Shirley Valentine. This was a special play where she was the only actor on stage. She continued to perform this play for many years.

Television Roles

Loretta Swit moved to Hollywood in 1969. She quickly started getting guest roles on TV shows. Her first TV appearance was on Hawaii Five-O. She also appeared on Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, and Mannix.

Starring in M*A*S*H

MASH TV cast 1974
The cast of M*A*S*H (1974). From left: Larry Linville, Swit, Wayne Rogers, Gary Burghoff, McLean Stevenson, and Alan Alda.
MASH Cast 1977
The cast of M*A*S*H (1977). Back row, L-R: William Christopher, Gary Burghoff, David Ogden Stiers, and Jamie Farr. Front: Swit, Harry Morgan, Alan Alda, and Mike Farrell.

In 1972, Loretta Swit began her most famous role. She played Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in M*A*S*H. This comedy show was about a U.S. Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War.

At first, her character, Major Houlihan, was very strict and patriotic. She didn't get along with many of the other characters. But over time, her character changed. She became friendlier and more understanding. This change was similar to how the show itself developed.

Loretta Swit was one of only four actors who stayed on M*A*S*H for all 11 seasons. The show ran from 1972 to 1983. She appeared in almost all of the 256 episodes. She won two Emmy Awards for her amazing work on M*A*S*H.

She had a close friendship with Harry Morgan, who played Colonel Sherman T. Potter on the show. They even became neighbors after M*A*S*H ended. Loretta also remained good friends with Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye Pierce.

Other Television Work

In 1981, Loretta Swit played Christine Cagney in the pilot movie for Cagney & Lacey. However, she could not continue the role because of her contract with M*A*S*H.

She also appeared as a guest on many other TV shows. These included The Muppet Show, Bonanza, and The Love Boat. Loretta was also a celebrity guest on popular game shows like Match Game and Pyramid.

In 1988, she hosted a documentary called Korean War—The Untold Story. She traveled to South Korea to film it. This made her the first M*A*S*H cast member to visit the country where the show was set. In 1992, she hosted Those Incredible Animals on the Discovery Channel.

Personal Life and Interests

Loretta Swit 2019
Swit with her book, 2019

Loretta Swit married actor Dennis Holahan in 1983. They later divorced in 1995. Dennis Holahan had a small role on M*A*S*H as a Swedish diplomat.

Loretta was a strong supporter of animal rights. She was a vegetarian for many years. In 1981, she became a vegan. This means she did not eat any animal products.

Loretta Swit also wrote a book about needlepoint. It was called A Needlepoint Scrapbook.

Loretta Swit passed away at her home in New York City on May 30, 2025. She was 87 years old.

Filmography

Film Roles

Loretta Swit film credits
Year Title Role Notes
1972 Stand Up and Be Counted Hilary McBride
1973 Deadhead Miles Lady With Glass Eye
1974 Policewomen Police clerk Uncredited
Freebie and the Bean Mildred Meyers, Red's Wife
1975 Race with the Devil Alice
1981 ... Polly Reed
1985 Beer B.D. Tucker
1986 Whoops Apocalypse President Barbara Adams
1996 Forest Warrior Shirley
1998 Beach Movie Mrs. Jones
2019 Play the Flute Mrs. Kincaid

Television Roles

Loretta Swit television credits
Year Title Role Notes
1970–1972 Hawaii Five-O Anna Schreuder / Wanda Russell / Betty 4 episodes
1970 Mission: Impossible Midge Larson Episode: "Homecoming"
Mannix Dorothy Harker / Jill Packard Episodes: "Only One Death to a Customer" (Season 3-Episode 20), "Figures in a Landscape" (Season 4-Episode 04)
Gunsmoke Belle Clark / Donna Episodes: "The Pack Rat", "Snow Train" (Parts 1 & 2)
1971 Cade's County Ginny Lomax Episode: "Homecoming"
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Rosalyn Episode: "The Convicts"
1972 Fireball Forward Nurse (uncredited) TV movie
Bonanza Ellen Sue Greely Episode: "A Visit to Upright"
Young Dr. Kildare Alice Episode: "The Nature of the Beast"
1972–1983 M*A*S*H Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan Main cast
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1980, 1982)
People's Choice Award for Favorite Female TV Performer (1983)
Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1974–79, 1981, 1983)
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1980, 1982)
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1974, 1983)
1972 Love, American Style Doris Segment "Love and the Pick-Up Fantasy"
1973 Ironside Sally Pearson Episode: "Ollinger's Last Case"
Match Game Herself Game Show Participant / Celebrity Guest Star
Shirts/Skins Linda Bush TV movie
Love, American Style Mary Beth Scoggins Segment "Love and the Locksmith"
1973–1979 Pyramid Herself 90 episodes
Match Game 51 episodes
The Mike Douglas Show 6 episodes
1974 Petrocelli Ella Knox Episode: "By Reason of Madness"
The Merv Griffin Show Herself 1 episode
1975 The Last Day Daisy TV movie
It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman Sydney
Rickles Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan TV special
The Bobby Vinton Show Herself 1 episode
Celebrity Bowling 2 episodes
1976 Good Heavens Maxine Episode: "Good Neighbor Maxine"
1977 The Hostage Heart Chris LeBlanc TV movie
1977–1978 The Love Boat Terry Larsen / Anoushka Mishancov 2 episodes
1979 Supertrain Alice Phillips Episode: "Hail to the Chief"
Mirror, Mirror Sandy McLaren TV movie
Friendships, Secrets and Lies B.J.
Valentine Emily
1979–1980 Password Plus Herself Game Show Contestant / Celebrity Guest Star (4 episodes)
1980 The Muppet Show 1 episode
The Love Tapes Samantha Young TV movie
1981 Cagney & Lacey Detective Christine Cagney
1982 The Kid from Nowhere Caroline Baker
Games Mother Never Taught You Laura Bentells
1983 First Affair Jane Simon
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Grace Bradley
1984 The Love Boat Kathy Ross Episode: "My Mother, My Chaperone/The Present/The Death and Life of Sir Albert Demerest/Welcome Aboard"
1985 The Execution Marysia Walenka TV movie
Sam Samantha Flynn TV pilot episode
Miracle at Moreaux Sister Gabrielle TV movie
1986 Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story Deo Fisher
1987 A Christmas Calendar Herself (Host) TV special
1988 14 Going on 30 Miss Louisa Horton TV movie
Dolly LuWanda Novack Episode: "#1.19"
1989 ABC Afterschool Special Wanda Karpinsky Episode: "My Dad Can't Be Crazy... Can He?"
1990 A Matter of Principle Jane Short TV movie
1991 Hell Hath No Fury Connie Stewart
Memories of M*A*S*H Herself / Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan TV special
1992 Batman: The Animated Series Marcia Cates (voice) Episode: "Mad as a Hatter"
A Killer Among Friends Detective Patricia Staley TV movie
The Big Battalions Cora Lynne TV miniseries
1994 Murder, She Wrote Kim Mitchell Episode: "Portrait of Death"
1995 Burke's Law Evelyn Turner Episode: "Who Killed the Sweet Smell of Success?"
1997 Cow and Chicken Judge (voice) Episode: "Space Cow/The Legend of Sailcat"
1998 Diagnosis: Murder Maggie Dennings Episode: "Drill for Death"
1999–2004 Hollywood Squares Herself 6 episodes
2002 M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion Herself / Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan TV special

Awards and Recognition

  • In 1991, Loretta Swit won the Sarah Siddons Award. This award recognized her great work in Chicago theatre.
  • She received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989. This is a special honor for entertainers.

Published Works

Loretta Swit wrote a book about needlepoint. It was called A Needlepoint Scrapbook.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Loretta Swit para niños

kids search engine
Loretta Swit Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.