Loretta swit, who played Major Margaret “Hot Lips” houlihan on seminal tv comedy “mash,” died friday at her home in new York City. She was 87.
Her rep harlan boll said she died of natural causes.
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For her work on “mash” swit was emmy nominated for outstanding performance by a suppue actress in a comedy year 19 1974-83, winning the emmy in 1980 and 1982.
Her “Mash” co-star alan alda remembered her on x, Writing “loretta was a supremel talented actor. She deserted all 10 emmy nominations and her 2 wins. But more than acting her part, she created it. JOKE SEXISTEPE INTO A Real Person – With Real Feelings and Ambitions.
As “mash” Evolved over its 11-Yaar Run from a broadly farcical satire into a more contemplat series that embraced drama as much as comedy, the character of margaret houlih and the way swit performed it Changed markedly as well. She was, at first, a crudely drawn villain allied with the weasel frank burns who exisisted to be objection to the derivation and of practical jokes by hawkeye and trapper John.
The first step in her evolution came with the season four episode “Mail Call Again,” in Which Margaret Realies What Frank Is, at Least Up to A Point, after Frank’s Wife About Margaret and He Lies About It.
With the season five episodes “bug out,” in which most of the personnel evacuate, leaving only hawkeye, Margaret and radar to take a patient that can’t be moved, viewers began to professionally and a human side came through.
The best moment in Swit’s long tenure as houlihan, howver, came a few episodes late with the One Called “The Nurses.” In this episode the nurses under Major HouliHan kep a second from her – they can allow one nursse and her new husband to spend the night together – in the end margaret finds out, culminating in a speech in whic she emotacleles how she has felt ostra – How’ve Never so much as offend her “A Lousy Cup of Coffee.” In the Words of One “Mash” Fan Site, “She Lets I Know Why She’s Always SO Mean to Tell, In a Speech That’s Both Riveting and Heartbreaking.”
Another Key Moment Came in Season Six When Margaret and Hawkeye Were Trapdued in a Hut Amid Rain and Shelling by The Enemy; Amid the trauma, They Sleep Together-Ultimately, in Switt’s Own Opinion, Ending the Long-Monitor Enmyween The Two Characters.
Revisionwing Her Character’s Position and Evolution on “Mash,” Swit Once Said, “I Mean, Certain Things Had to Same. She had reminal one of the antagonists that was the structure of the show. Wante More from Life. Her Divorce Changed Her.
Swit appeared as Major Houlihan (and Larry Linville Appeared as Frank Burns) on the 1975 Variety special “Rickles,” Starring Insult Comedian Don Rickles.
AFTER the end of the show, the actress stayed in the popular, Emmy-Nominated 1983 Telepic “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” in Which she played a teacher who puts the works in the School’s Holiday Pageant. She Went to Star in A Long Series of TV Movies, Including 1985’s “The Execution,” and Guessted on Shows Ranging from “The Love Boat” to “MURDER,” MAKING HER Final Television appeaarans in a 1998 episode of “Diagnosis Murder.”
In 1985 she stayed with rip torn in the feature comedy “beer,” with swit first-billed; Three years she played President Barbara Adams in “WhoOops Apocalyps,” A Feature Adaptation of a Dark Political Comedy on British TV. The Actress Also Had Role in the 1996 Chuck Norris Film “Forest Warrior” and Last Appeared in the 1998 Comedy “Beach Movie.”
Switt was born loretta are szwed in passsic, new jersey, to polish immigrant parents who were far from encouraaging a career in show business, but she does not be deterred, performing onstage for the first at the age of 7. Arts and Studied Acting with Gene Frankel in Manhattan.
The Actress Made Her Smallscreen Debut in 1969 with the first of Several Appean on “Hawaii Five-O” Followed by Guest Appean in 1970 on “Mission: Impossible,” “Mannix” and “Bonanza,” Ironside “and” Next Few Years.
Swit Made Her Feature Debut in the 1972 Battle-of-The-Sexes Comedy “Stand Up and Be Custom,” Starring Jacqueline Bisset.
After Being Cast in “Mash,” Swit Continue with Other Work Both in Film and TV, appearing in richard rush’s 1974 Action comedy “freebie and the bean,” in which she was third-billed after alan arkin and in the 1975 peter funda of the devil.
On Tv She made use of her time musical talents in an adaptation of the Campy Man of Steel Musical “It’s A Bird … IT’S PLAN … It’S Superman!” In 1975.
In the late ’70s she appeared in a series of TV Movies, and she had a suppue of roles in blake edwards’ 1981 comedy “sob” also in 1981 she appeared in the pilot for CBS “Cagney & Lacey” as Christine Lacey, But Fox Wold Not Let Her ” Replaced by Sharon Gless when the show was picked up to series.
Swit Also Did Theater, Touring with the National Company of “Any wednesday,” Starring Gardner McKay, in 1967, and Played One of the Pigeon Systers in a Los Angeles Run of “Odd Couple” Starring Don Rickles and Ernest Borgenine.
The Actress made Her Broadway Debut in 1975 As a Replacement in “Same Time, Next Year,” Starring Opposite Ted Bessell. She returning to the rialto as a replacement in “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” in the mid-80s. She Also Played Agnes Goach in a Las Vegas Production of “Mame” That Starred Susan Hayward and Then Celeste Holm, Later Playing the Title Character in A North Carolina Theater Production in 2003. The Actress Also Toured with “The Vagina Monologues.”
Swit was Married to Actor Dennis Holhan From 1983 UNIL THEIR DIVORCE IN 1995.
Swit was heavily Involved with Animal Rights Organizations, and Founded the Switert Animal Alliance to Raise Money for Animals. She was honored by with the betty White Award from Actors and Others for Animals and by Numerous Other Animal Organizations.
Donations May Be made to Actors & Others for Animals or Switheart Animal Alliance.
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