Loretta Swit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Loretta Swit
|
|
---|---|
Swit on M*A*S*H set in 1972 as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan
|
|
Born |
Loretta Jane Szwed
November 4, 1937 Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.
|
Died | May 30, 2025 New York City, U.S.
|
(aged 87)
Education |
|
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1967–2019 |
Known for |
|
Spouse(s) |
Dennis Holahan
(m. 1983; div. 1995) |
Signature | |
![]() |
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.
Contents
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
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 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
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
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
In Spanish: Loretta Swit para niños