Loretta Swit, famous for her legendary role as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in the classic TV show MASH*, has passed away at age 87. Per her publicist Harlan Boll, the Emmy Award-winning actress died on Friday at the home she shared in New York City, most likely from natural causes.

An Enduring Television Legacy

Swit along with Alan Alda, was one of the longest-running cast members on MASH*, which was on air from 1972 to 1983. Based on a film and a novel, the CBS series showed life at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. The series finale attracted more than 100 million viewers, making it the most-watched scripted TV episode ever.

Originally portrayed as a comic stereotype in the 1970 film version, Houlihan was transformed by Swit into a complex, evolving character. Swit downplayed the nickname “Hot Lips” and infused her role with emotional depth and feminist undertones. She credited the changes to both the cultural shift in the 1970s and her insistence on portraying Houlihan as a “real person.”

As reported by AP, Swit appeared in nearly every episode of MASH*, exploring themes like PTSD, racism, and sexism. Alan Alda credited Swit for inspiring deeper storylines for her character, saying she moved beyond the one-dimensional portrayal to something more authentic and inspiring.

Stage And Screen Career

Aside from MASH*, Swit acted in Broadway shows like Same Time, Next Year, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. She also became an animal rights activist, selling merchandise such as her SwitHeart perfume to support animal welfare efforts.

Raised in Passaic, New Jersey, by Polish immigrants, Swit studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before relocating to Hollywood in 1969.

Her reputation lives on not only from her performances but in the lives of fans—nurses in particular—who were inspired by her Major Houlihan.

She leaves behind a career that assisted in redefining the way women were represented on television.

(With inputs from AP)