Loretta Swit, the Emmy-winning actress best known for her role as Major Margaret Houlihan in the iconic television series “M-A-S-H,” has passed away at the age of 87. Swit’s publicist, Harlan Boll, confirmed her death, which occurred at her New York City home, likely due to natural causes.
Swit and co-star Alan Alda were the longest-serving cast members on “M-A-S-H,” a series that aired on CBS from 1972 to 1983. The show, based on Robert Altman’s 1970 film and Richard Hooker’s novel, revolved around the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. The series finale, which aired on February 28, 1983, attracted over 100 million viewers, setting a record for the most-watched episode of any scripted series.
“M-A-S-H” has been recognized as one of the greatest TV shows of all time, ranking 25th on Rolling Stone’s list and 34th on Time Out’s list. The series won a Peabody Award in 1975 for its unique blend of humor and profound commentary on war. It also received the Impact Award at the 2009 TV Land annual awards.
In the original 1970 film, the character of Houlihan was portrayed as a one-dimensional, sex-crazed woman. However, when Swit took over the role for the television series, she transformed Houlihan into a more complex and realistic character. This evolution was influenced by the rise of feminism in the 1970s and Swit’s own input to the scriptwriters.
Despite a slow start, “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 explored issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, sexism, and racism. Swit herself was an advocate 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.
After “M-A-S-H,” Swit became an active 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.”