Loretta Swit

About Loretta Swit

Loretta Swit, an accomplished American performer on both the small and silver screens, is most famously recognized for her enduring portrayal of Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in the iconic television series M*A*S*H. Born Loretta Jane Szwed on November 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey, she was the daughter of Nellie (née Kassack) and Lester Szwed, both of Polish heritage. Her father worked as a salesman and upholsterer. Loretta had an older brother, Robert, who was just over six years her senior. During her childhood, Swit was an active member of a Girl Scout troop supported by the Holy Rosary R.C. Church in Passaic. Her academic journey led her to graduate from Pope Pius XII High School in Passaic in 1955. At this institution, she showcased her talents as a cheerleader, participated in numerous theatrical productions, and served as co-captain of the girls' basketball team. She furthered her education at Katharine Gibbs School in Montclair, New Jersey, completing her studies there in June 1957. Following graduation, Swit held a variety of administrative positions, including a stenographer in Bloomfield, New Jersey; she served as the personal secretary to Elsa Maxwell, a secretary for the ambassador from Ghana to the United Nations, and worked at the American Rocket Society in New York City. During this period, she also pursued dance training with Elizabeth Parent-Barber, who was a Rockette and a student at the New York School of Ballet. It was during these years that Swit began to cultivate her acting career. She honed her craft by studying drama with Gene Frankel in Manhattan, considering him her primary acting coach and frequently returning to his studio to mentor aspiring actors throughout her professional life. Swit also possessed a talent for singing, having received training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In her personal life, Swit was once publicly associated with musician Bill Hudson. She married actor Dennis Holahan in 1983, though they later divorced in 1995. Notably, Holahan had portrayed Per Johannsen, a Swedish diplomat who had a brief romantic entanglement with Swit's character on M*A*S*H. Swit was a dedicated advocate for animal rights and maintained a vegetarian diet for many years before transitioning to veganism in 1981. She also authored a book on needlepoint titled A Needlepoint Scrapbook. Loretta Swit passed away at her residence in New York City on May 30, 2025, at the age of 87.