Loretta Swit, a.k.a. ‘Hot Lips’ in ‘M*A*S*H,’ Passes Away — Details

Actress and animal rights advocate Loretta Swit, best remembered for her portrayal of Maj. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, on the CBS sitcom “M*A*S*H,” passed away at 87.

Swit passed away just after midnight on Friday, May 30, 2025, at her home in New York City. A police report indicates that natural causes are the suspected reason for her passing. Her longtime publicist, Harlan Boll, confirmed the news.

Swit’s groundbreaking role as Maj. Houlihan spanned all eleven seasons of “M*A*S*H,” from 1972 to 1983, making her a household name across the United States and beyond. She inherited the role from Sally Kellerman, who played the character in the 1970 feature film.

Known initially as a comic stereotype, “Hot Lips” evolved into one of the show’s most grounded and dimensional characters. This shift was largely credited to Swit’s performance and input on set.

Her portrayal of Houlihan became a defining role in the history of television, earning critical acclaim for challenging gender stereotypes in media during the 1970s and ’80s.

In a tribute posted to X on May 31, Alan Alda remembered Swit as a supremely talented actor who earned her ten Emmy nominations and two wins. He wrote that she didn’t just act the part but created it, working hard to transform the character from a one-note joke into a real person with ambition and depth.

He described how they celebrated the day the script stopped referring to her as “Hot Lips” and instead used her character’s name, Margaret. “Loretta made the most of her time here,” his post concluded.

Fellow co-star Mike Farrell, who portrayed Capt. B. J. Hunnicutt, also paid tribute with a simple Instagram post on May 30. He shared a throwback black-and-white photo of Swit with the caption, “Loretta… 1937–2025.”

In an earlier interview, Swit had described Farrell as a sincere and honest friend, someone she could count on for the fairest advice and whose opinions always came from a place of truth.

She added that he was married to her best friend and remained a constant presence in her life. “Mike is just a very, very special human being,” she said.

Swit also spoke about her close bond with Alda, referring to their shared humor and long friendship. She recalled babysitting his daughters, eating dinner with his family, and described her connection to them as something like family.

She spoke warmly of the joy of spending time with people so deeply in love, noting Alda’s long marriage to his wife, Arlene. “Again, I keep referring to us as a family. We really are,” she stated.

Before “MASH,” Swit trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and worked in repertory theater. Her early stage credits include understudying for “Any Wednesday” in 1965, followed by touring roles as one of the Pigeon sisters in “The Odd Couple” and as Agnes Gooch in “Mame.”

In a 1979 interview, she described those years as formative, remembering how she once stood in an unemployment line and proudly identified herself as an actress. After small but notable roles in series like “Gunsmoke,” “Mission: Impossible,” “Mannix,” and “Hawaii Five-O,” she landed her star-making part as Maj in 1972.

The veteran actress later credited her determination and stamina on set, noting how she would push through long days even when sick, without complaint. Swit received Emmy nominations every year “M*A*S*H” aired, except for its first season.

She won twice: in 1980 and 1982, both times in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series. She continued to appear in television and films after the show ended, including roles in “S.O.B.,” “Beer,” “Whoops Apocalypse,” and “Forest Warrior.”

She also starred in several TV movies, including “The Execution,” “Miracle at Moreaux,” and “Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story.” Her stage work remained steady as well. She made her Broadway debut in 1975 in “Same Time, Next Year,” opposite Ted Bessell.

Later, she replaced Cleo Laine in “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” In Chicago, she starred in over 1,000 performances of “Shirley Valentine,” earning the Sarah Siddons Award. She also toured in productions of “The Vagina Monologues” and played the lead in “Mame” in 2003.

Swit returned to singing occasionally and played the Linda Lavin role in the TV adaptation of “It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman!” She also hosted the wildlife series “Those Incredible Animals” for five seasons, starting in 1992. Her last known film appearance was in “Play the Flute” in 2019.

Swit married actor Dennis Holahan in a small church ceremony in the San Fernando Valley on December 21, 1983. The two had met during his only guest appearance on “M*A*S*H.”

Close friends and family attended the ceremony, and their reception at a Beverly Hills restaurant was joined by co-stars Wayne Rogers, Harry Morgan, and Mike Farrell. The couple later honeymooned in Egypt. They divorced in 1995.

Outside her acting career, Swit was also widely recognized for her dedication to animal advocacy, a cause she remained committed to for decades.

Swit’s passing marks the end of a distinct chapter in television history. As tributes continue to surface, her decades-long contributions to stage, screen, and animal advocacy remain a lasting part of her legacy.