‘M*A*S*H’ Legend Loretta Swit Speaks Out: Untold Set Secrets and Her Surprising New Project

Veteran actress and two-time Emmy winner Loretta Swit, beloved worldwide for portraying Maj. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on the groundbreaking television series “M*A*S*H,” has died at the age of 87, her publicist confirmed Friday. Swit passed away peacefully in Los Angeles on Thursday evening, according to the statement, which did not specify a cause of death. News of her passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from former castmates, Hollywood colleagues and generations of fans who credit her nuanced performance with helping transform a one-note comic caricature into one of TV’s earliest complex female military leaders. Born Loretta Jane Swit in Passaic, New Jersey, on November 4, 1937, the actress studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before landing stage work in New York and on tour. Her big break arrived in 1972 when producer Gene Reynolds cast her as Houlihan, the head nurse of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in wartime Korea. Over 11 seasons and the record-shattering 1983 finale, Swit’s character evolved from strict martinet to compassionate professional, mirroring America’s shifting attitudes toward women in uniform. She earned Emmy Awards in 1980 and 1982 for the role. After “M*A*S*H,” Swit headlined TV movies, guest-starred on series such as “Murder, She Wrote,” and toured in theatrical productions including “Shirley Valentine” and “Mame.” Away from the spotlight, she championed animal rights, authored the 2017 book “SwitHeart: The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit,” and hosted countless humane-society fund-raisers. In 2018, she received the Betty White Award for her lifelong advocacy. Former co-stars Alan Alda and Jamie Farr remembered her as “fiercely talented, fiercely kind,” while the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, which houses “M*A*S*H” memorabilia, hailed Swit for helping create “one of television’s most indelible cultural touchstones.” Social-media tributes quickly sent her name trending worldwide as fans shared clips of Houlihan’s famous declaration: “I am a nurse first, last and always.” Swit is survived by her brother, Robert, and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral arrangements are pending, but the family asked that donations be made in her memory to Actors & Others for Animals, the Los Angeles nonprofit she supported for more than four decades. With her passing, viewers who grew up on syndicated reruns and streaming rediscoveries of “M*A*S*H” are once again reminded of Swit’s lasting impact: she turned what could have been a mere nickname—Hot Lips—into a symbol of resilience, wit and heart that still resonates with audiences today.