Remembering Loretta Swit: A Farewell to MAS*H’s Beloved “Hot Lips”
Today, we say goodbye to a television legend. Loretta Swit, best known for her iconic role as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on the classic TV series M*A*S*H , has passed away at the age of 87. Her publicist, Harlan Boll, confirmed that she died at her home in New York, likely of natural causes. A coroner’s report is still pending.
For fans of M*A*S*H , Loretta Swit wasn't just another actress—she was a cornerstone of one of television's most beloved and groundbreaking shows. Running from 1974 to 1983, M*A*S*H followed a team of doctors and nurses stationed at a mobile Army surgical hospital during the Korean War. It mixed humor with deep, sometimes heartbreaking themes, touching on issues like PTSD, racism, and sexism—topics that were ahead of their time for mainstream television. Swit’s character, Major Houlihan, was no exception. Strong, intelligent, and complex, she brought heart and humanity to a role that could have easily been one-dimensional. Her nickname, "Hot Lips," may have originated from a brief romantic subplot, but Swit turned the character into much more than that—someone fierce, principled, and resilient.
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Over the course of M*A*S*H 's 11 seasons, Loretta appeared in nearly every episode, including the unforgettable series finale, which drew in over 106 million viewers—still the most-watched episode of scripted television in U.S. history. She won two Emmy Awards for her work on the show and was nominated for many more, cementing her legacy as one of TV’s most respected actresses.
But Swit’s career didn’t stop with M*A*S*H . She took on numerous roles in other television shows, films, game shows, and even graced the Broadway stage in productions like Same Time, Next Year , Mame , and Shirley Valentine . She once described acting as “not hiding, but revealing,” adding, “We give you license to feel. That’s the most important thing in the world, because when you stop feeling, that’s when you’re dead.”
Her words now echo with even more meaning. Loretta Swit’s gift was that she made us feel—laughter, empathy, grief, and joy—all while embodying characters who mirrored the human experience. As we reflect on her incredible life and career, we remember her not only as “Hot Lips,” but as a trailblazing artist who gave so much of herself to the world of entertainment.
Loretta Swit is gone, but her legacy, her performances, and the powerful emotions she stirred in audiences will never be forgotten.
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