Loretta Swit

Loretta Swit, the actress who won hearts – and two Emmy Awards – for her portrayal of Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the TV classic "M*A*S*H," died May 30, 2025, at her home in New York City at the age of 87.

When she was cast in "M*A*S*H" in 1972, it was more than Swit's big break; the role made her a household name and defined her career. Playing Major Margaret Houlihan, the head nurse of a surgical unit in the Korean War, she offered an early example of a strong and highly capable female character on TV. Initially strait-laced, her character softened over the seasons, fitting in better with the jokesters of the 4077. Swit was one of only four lead actors to remain with "M*A*S*H" for all 11 of its seasons, and only she and Alan Alda appeared in both the pilot and the record-setting series finale.

In a post on the social media platform X, Alda spoke of his admiration for his former co-star: "Loretta was a supremely talented actor. She deserved all her 10 EMMY nominations and her 2 wins. But more than acting her part, she created it. She worked hard In showing the writing staff how they could turn the character from a one joke sexist stereotype into a real person -- with real feelings and ambitions. We celebrated the day the script came out listing her character not as Hot Lips, but as Margaret. Loretta made the most of her time here."

Swit always knew she wanted to act, having been raised with a deep love for movies. She acted in high school productions while growing up in Passaic, New Jersey, then studied acting while working in clerical jobs, including as secretary to the gossip columnist Elsa Maxwell. She began finding stage roles, with an early Off-Broadway role in a 1961 production of "An Enemy of the People." Her TV debut came with a 1969 guest role on Hawaii Five-O;" she also made early appearances on such shows as "Mission: Impossible," "Gunsmoke," and "Young Doctor Kildare."

While she was still working on "M*A*S*H," Swit also starred in the 1981 pilot of "Cagney & Lacey," playing Detective Christine Cagney, but her contractual obligations to "M*A*S*H" prevented her from continuing with the series. She never took another starring TV role, but she made many guest appearances, including on "The Love Boat," "The Muppet Show," "Murder, She Wrote," and "Diagnosis: Murder." She also appeared in such movies as "Freebie and the Bean" and "S.O.B.," and she continued acting on stage.

Swit was a noted advocate for animal welfare. A longtime vegetarian, she became vegan while she starred on "M*A*S*H." She founded the non-profit SwitHeart Animal Alliance, where she fundraised on behalf of animals.

Though her career had many facets, Swit was well aware of the impact of her most famous role. "I still get letters from women all over the world who became nurses because of Margaret Houlihan," she told Ethan Alter in a 2023 interview for Yahoo! Entertainment. "To have contributed to someone's life like that is remarkable."

In addition to her two Emmy Award wins, Swit also received eight nominations – only in her first season on "M*A*S*H" did she miss receiving a nomination. In 1989, she was honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Swit's co-star and longtime friend, Jamie Farr, also paid tribute to her in a statement to USA Today: " I dearly loved Loretta! As close as family can get. From the first time I met her, on what was supposed to be a one-day appearance on "M*A*S*H," we embraced each other. That became a lifetime friendship. I can't begin to express how much she will be missed."

(Image: CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)