Tributes have flooded in for late M*A*S*H star Loretta Swit after her death on May 30, but the most poignant message of love has come from her dear friend and co-star, Alan Alda.
News of Loretta’s death, aged 87, was shared by her publicist, Harlan Boll. The Emmy-winning star passed away at her home in New York City, reportedly due to natural causes.
Loretta remained a beloved showbiz figure thanks to her iconic role as Major Margaret ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan on M*A*S*H, the long-running war comedy drama that aired from 1972 to 1983.
She was one of only four cast members to stay for the show’s 11 seasons, alongside Alan (Benjamin Franklin ‘Hawkeye’ Pierce), Jamie Farr (Maxwell Q. Klinger), and William Christopher (Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy).
After Loretta’s death was made public, Alan shared a beautiful tribute on social media. Their characters Hawkeye and Hot Lips had a ‘will they, won’t they’ storyline throughout M*A*S*H‘s run, but in the end, their relationship remained platonic.
“Loretta was a supremely talented actor,” Alan, 89, posted on X, formerly Twitter, in the hours after her death. “She deserved all her 10 EMMY nominations and her 2 wins. But more than acting her part, she created it. “
Alan’s post continued: “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.”
Was Loretta Swit sick before her death?
Loretta Swit’s death came as a shock to many M*A*S*H fans, especially as she was still posting on her professional Instagram account just four days before her death was announced.
On the recent US Memorial Day, Loretta shared a photo of herself on M*A*S*H in honour of soldiers and veterans. She captioned her post: “With loving gratitude, they served and protected and gave their lives. Rest In Peace. God is Nigh.”
Two days before that, she’d shared a birthday post to her former M*A*S*H co-star Gary Burghoff, who played Radar.
“Happy happy birthday, Gary! Luvya tonss!!” she wrote alongside a carousel of M*A*S*H photos.
Right up until her death, Loretta and the other surviving cast members of M*A*S*H continued to be part of each other’s lives.
“We see each other quite frequently,” the actress said back in 2022, on M*A*S*H‘s 50th anniversary. “These aren’t casual acquaintances from years ago. This is my family.”
She also recalled the first day the ensemble all met, saying, “Everyone’s attitude was so fresh, positive, and energetic about the project.”
Indeed, this past February, on the 42nd anniversary of M*A*S*H ending, Loretta wrote on Instagram saying it was “hard to believe” that so much time had passed.
“Where does the time go? Here’s to you, the Global M*A*S*H family. A happy anniversary with gratitude and appreciation. Thank you from the bottom of my SwitHeart.”
Why was her M*A*S*H character called ‘Hot Lips’
Loretta’s character might have been officially named Major Margaret Houlihan, but she was more popularly known as ‘Hot Lips’.
As the only main female character in the show, she was given the nickname after her intimate moments were broadcast on a microphone for the whole camp to hear. According to lore, Loretta hated the nickname and tried to get the writers to drop it, as she felt it was an insult to the character.
While Loretta is intrinsically linked with the top-ranking nurse, she wasn’t actually the first actress to play ‘Hot Lips’.
In the 1970 feature film, which the hit series was later based on, Sally Kellerman starred as Hot Lips. She was often tormented by her male colleagues.
It was Loretta who was responsible for creating a deeper character, as feminism rose in the ’70s. But the moniker of Hot Lips would stay with her forever.
Rest in peace, Loretta.
