Loretta Swit, the acclaimed actress who gained fame for her portrayal of Major Margaret Houlihan in the legendary TV series “M-A-S-H,” has died at 87. Swit’s death was confirmed by her publicist, Harlan Boll, who stated that she passed away at her residence in New York City, presumably from natural causes.
Swit, along with her co-star Alan Alda, holds the record for the longest tenure on “M-A-S-H,” a show that was broadcast on CBS from 1972 to 1983. The series, inspired by Robert Altman’s 1970 film and Richard Hooker’s novel, centered on the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. The final episode, which aired on February 28, 1983, drew over 100 million viewers, setting a record for the most-watched episode of any scripted series.
“M-A-S-H” has been hailed as one of the greatest TV shows in history, ranking 25th on Rolling Stone’s list and 34th on Time Out’s list. The series was awarded a Peabody Award in 1975 for its unique combination of humor and profound war commentary. It also received the Impact Award at the 2009 TV Land annual awards.
In the original 1970 film, Houlihan’s character was depicted as a one-dimensional, sex-obsessed woman. However, when Swit assumed the role for the TV series, she transformed Houlihan into a more nuanced and realistic character. This transformation was influenced by the rise of feminism in the 1970s and Swit’s own contributions to the scriptwriters.
Despite a slow beginning, “M-A-S-H” eventually gained popularity and critical acclaim. After its first season, the show received nine Emmy nominations and was moved to a prime time slot. In 1974, it won the Emmy for Best Comedy, with Alda winning as Best Comedy Actor.
Throughout the series, Swit’s character tackled issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, sexism, and racism. Swit herself advocated for better representation of women on the show. The series concluded with Houlihan deciding to return to America and work at a hospital, a decision that Swit personally disagreed with.
Following “M-A-S-H,” Swit became a fervent animal welfare advocate, selling her memoir and a perfume line, SwitHeart, with proceeds benefiting animal-related nonprofit groups. She was married to actor Dennis Holahan from 1983 to 1995. Swit, the daughter of Polish immigrants, was born in Passaic, New Jersey, and began her acting career in touring productions before landing her breakthrough role in “M-A-S-H.”