Loretta Swit is an American actress, best known for her role as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on the television series MAS*H. Swit began her career in theater and made her Broadway debut in the play “The Odd Couple” in 1965.
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She later appeared in numerous television shows and films before landing the role of Major Houlihan in MAS*H in 1972. She played the role for the show’s entire 11-season run and won two Emmy Awards for her performance.
After MAS*H ended, Swit continued to act in television shows and films, as well as in stage productions. She has also been involved in animal rights activism and has worked with various animal welfare organizations.
Throughout her career, Swit has received numerous awards and accolades for her work, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Loretta Swit Movies and TV Shows
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Stand Up and Be Counted | Hilary McBride | |
| 1973 | Deadhead Miles | Lady With Glass Eye | |
| 1974 | Policewomen | Police Clerk | Uncredited |
| 1974 | Freebie and the Bean | Mildred Meyers, Red’s Wife | |
| 1975 | Race with the Devil | Alice | |
| 1981 | S.O.B. | 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
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| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969–1972 | Hawaii Five-O | Anna Schreuder / Wanda Russell / Betty | 4 episodes |
| 1970 | Mission: Impossible | Midge Larson | Episode: “Homecoming” |
| 1970 | Mannix | Dorothy Harker / Jill Packard | Episodes: “Only One Death to a Customer” (Season 3-Episode 20), “Figures in a Landscape” (Season 4-Episode 04) |
| 1970 | Gunsmoke | Belle Clark / Donna | Episodes: “The Pack Rat”, “Snow Train” (Parts 1 & 2) |
| 1971 | Cade’s County | Ginny Lomax | Episode: “Homecoming” |
| 1971 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Rosalyn | Episode: “The Convicts” |
| 1972 | Fireball Forward | Nurse (uncredited) | TV movie |
| 1972 | Bonanza | Ellen Sue Greely | Episode: “A Visit to Upright” |
| 1972 | Young Dr. Kildare | Alice | Episode: “The Nature of the Beast” |
| 1972–1983 | M*A*S*H | Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan | 251 episodes 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” |
| 1973 | Match Game | Herself | Game Show Participant / Celebrity Guest Star |
| 1973 | Shirts/Skins | Linda Bush | TV movie |
| 1973 | Love, American Style | Mary Beth Scoggins | Segment “Love and the Locksmith” |
| 1973–1979 | Pyramid | Herself | 90 episodes |
| 1973–1979 | Match Game | Herself | 51 episodes |
| 1973–1979 | The Mike Douglas Show | Herself | 6 episodes |
| 1974 | Petrocelli | Ella Knox | Episode: “By Reason of Madness” |
| 1974 | The Merv Griffin Show | Herself | 1 episode |
| 1975 | The Last Day | Daisy | TV movie |
| 1975 | It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman | Sydney | TV movie |
| 1975 | Rickles | Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan | TV special |
| 1975 | The Bobby Vinton Show | Herself | 1 episode |
| 1975 | Celebrity Bowling | Herself | 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” |
| 1979 | Mirror, Mirror | Sandy McLaren | TV movie |
| 1979 | Friendships, Secrets and Lies | B.J. | TV movie |
| 1979 | Valentine | Emily | TV movie |
| 1979–1980 | Password Plus | Herself | Game Show Contestant / Celebrity Guest Star (4 episodes) |
| 1980 | The Love Tapes | Samantha Young | TV movie |
| 1981 | Cagney & Lacey | Detective Christine Cagney | TV movie |
| 1982 | The Kid from Nowhere | Caroline Baker | TV movie |
| 1982 | Games Mother Never Taught You | Laura Bentells | TV movie |
| 1983 | First Affair | Jane Simon | TV movie |
| 1983 | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever | Grace Bradley | TV movie |
| 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 |
| 1985 | Sam | Samantha Flynn | TV pilot episode |
| 1985 | Miracle at Moreaux | Sister Gabrielle | TV movie |
| 1986 | Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story | Deo Fisher | TV movie |
| 1987 | A Christmas Calendar | Herself (Host) | TV special |
| 1988 | 14 Going on 30 | Miss Louisa Horton | TV movie |
| 1988 | 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 | TV movie |
| 1991 | 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” |
| 1992 | A Killer Among Friends | Detective Patricia Staley | TV movie |
| 1992 | 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 |
Loretta Swit Height
Loretta Swit’s height is 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm).
Loretta Swit Weight
Her weight is around 123 pounds (56 kg).
Loretta Swit Family
Nellie Szwed and Lester Swit were Loretta Swit’s parents. Nellie was born in 1914 in Pennsylvania and was of Polish descent.
Nellie and Lester married in 1936, and Loretta was born the following year in Passaic, New Jersey. Her father was a salesman and upholsterer, while Nellie was a homemaker. Loretta was their only child.
Swit’s brother, Robert, was six years and one day her senior. As a child, Swit was a member of a Girl Scout troop sponsored by the Holy Rosary R.C. Church of Passaic known as the Holy Rosary Scouts.
Loretta Swit Education
Loretta Swit attended Pope Pius XII High School in Passaic, New Jersey. She then went on to study at the Katharine Gibbs School in Montclair, New Jersey, where she learned secretarial skills.
Loretta Swit Instagram
Loretta Swit does not have an official Instagram account.
Loretta Swit Health
As of March 2023, there were no reports of any serious health issues regarding Loretta Swit.
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