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IMDbPro

Loretta Swit

  • Actress
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000150
Loretta Swit
A British satire on the beginning of WWIII.
Play trailer2:18
Se on ydinsota nyt (1986)
12 Videos
99+ Photos
Equally versatile at comedy and drama, Loretta Swit was born on November 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey. Her parents, Polish immigrants, were not in favor of her making a stab at a show business career. Performing on stage from age 7, however, nothing and nobody could deter her.

A natural singer who trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before finding work in repertory companies, her features were deemed a bit too plain and hard for ingénue roles so she attempted musicals and light comedy, imbuing her characters with a snappy, comic edge. Beginning with the 1967 national touring company of "Any Wednesday", starring Gardner McKay, she forged ahead as a scene-stealing "Pigeon sister" opposite Don Rickles and Ernest Borgnine in an L.A. run of "The Odd Couple" and, from there, earned more laughs as the hopelessly awkward "Agnes Gooch" in the Las Vegas version of "Mame" starring Susan Hayward and (later) Celeste Holm.

Arriving in Hollywood in 1970, Loretta merited some attention by lightening up a number of dramas with her humorous, off-centered performances on such TV fare as Gunsmoke (1955), Vaarallinen tehtävä (1966), Hawaii Five-O (1968) and Mannix (1967). Her star-making role, however, came within two years of moving to the West Coast when she inherited Sally Kellerman's vitriolic "Hot Lips" Houlihan movie character for the TV series version of M*A*S*H (1972). She stayed with the show the entire eleven seasons and was Emmy-nominated every season the show was on the air (except the first).

Although Loretta's post-"M*A*S*H" career may appear less noteworthy (it would be hard to imagine anything that could top her bookend Emmy wins on the M*A*S*H series), she has nonetheless remained quite active and provided colorful support in a handful of films including S.O.B. (1981), Beer (1985), Se on ydinsota nyt (1986), Metsien soturi (1996) and Beach Movie (1998). She also kept up her TV visibility with episodic appearances and occasional mini-movies, including originating the role of "Chris Cagney" in the TV pilot of Pilot (1981). Returning to singing on occasion, she also inherited the Linda Lavin role in the TV version of the stage musical It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975).

On stage, she made her Broadway debut opposite Mikä tyttö! (1966)'s Ted Bessell in "Same Time, Next Year" in 1975 and later replaced Cleo Laine on Broadway in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood". Honored with the Sarah Siddons award for her title role in "Shirley Valentine" (over 1,000 performances) in Chicago, she has more recently toured in productions of "The Vagina Monologues" and played the musical title role of "Mame" in 2003. Loretta also was a five-season host of the 1992 cable-TV wildlife series "Those Incredible Animals" (1992).

After her smash success on "M*A*S*H," Loretta went the dramatic TV movie route with leads in such vehicles as The Execution (1985), Miracle at Moreaux (1985), Unelma kullasta (1986), A Matter of Principal (1990) and Hell Hath No Fury (1991). She also appeared in a few guest spots on the series "The Love Boat," "Dolly," "Murder, She Wrote," "The New Burke's Law" and "Diagnosis Murder" before she left the big and small screens. After a decade, Loretta was spotted in the film drama Play the Flute (2019).

Off-stage, Loretta was once married to actor Dennis Holahan, whom she met on the set of M*A*S*H (1972), in 1983. They had no children and divorced in 1995. Her natural spark and trademark blonde, curly mane are more prevalent these days at animal activist fundraisers. A strict vegetarian, she has served as a spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States and has been multi-honored for her long-time dedication and passion to animals. She is also the author of a book on needlepoint (A Needlepoint Scrapbook), runs her own line of jewelry and exhibits watercolor paintings. As a result, little has been seen of Loretta on film and TV, into the millennium.
BornNovember 4, 1937
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornNovember 4, 1937
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000150
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 2 Primetime Emmys
    • 5 wins & 13 nominations total

Photos174

Andy Romano and Loretta Swit in M*A*S*H (1972)
Lesley Ann Warren and Loretta Swit in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
Loretta Swit and David Wilson in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
Loretta Swit and David Wilson in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
Loretta Swit and David Wilson in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
Loretta Swit and David Wilson in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
Loretta Swit and David Wilson in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
Loretta Swit and David Wilson in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
Loretta Swit and David Wilson in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
Lesley Ann Warren and Loretta Swit in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
Loretta Swit in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
Loretta Swit in It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)

Known for:

Alan Alda, David Ogden Stiers, Gary Burghoff, William Christopher, Jamie Farr, Mike Farrell, Harry Morgan, and Loretta Swit in M*A*S*H (1972)
M*A*S*H
8.5
TV Series
  • Maj. Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (1983)
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
7.2
TV Movie
  • Grace Bradley
  • 1983
Se on ydinsota nyt (1986)
Se on ydinsota nyt
6.0
  • President Barbara Adams
  • 1986
S.O.B. (1981)
S.O.B.
6.4
  • Polly Reed
  • 1981

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actress

  • Brett Varvel in Play the Flute (2019)
    Play the Flute
    6.7
    • Mrs. Kincaid
    • 2019
  • Beach Movie (1998)
    Beach Movie
    3.1
    • Mrs. Jones
    • 1998
  • Dick Van Dyke and Barry Van Dyke in Diagnoosi: murha (1993)
    Diagnoosi: murha
    6.8
    TV Series
    • Maggie Dennings
    • 1998
  • Charlie Adler, Dee Bradley Baker, Dan Castellaneta, and Candi Milo in Cow and Chicken (1997)
    Cow and Chicken
    6.5
    TV Series
    • Judge (voice, as Lorretta Swit)
    • 1997
  • Chuck Norris, Jordan Brower, Trenton Knight, Megan Paul, and Josh Wolford in Metsien soturi (1996)
    Metsien soturi
    3.6
    • Shirley
    • 1996
  • Gene Barry and Peter Barton in Burke's Law (1994)
    Burke's Law
    6.5
    TV Series
    • Evelyn Turner
    • 1995
  • Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)
    Murder, She Wrote
    7.2
    TV Series
    • Kim Mitchell
    • 1994
  • The Big Battalions (1992)
    The Big Battalions
    7.6
    TV Mini Series
    • Cora Lynne
    • 1992
  • Tiffani Thiessen, Angie Rae McKinney, and Margaret Welsh in A Killer Among Friends (1992)
    A Killer Among Friends
    6.6
    TV Movie
    • Det. Patricia Staley
    • 1992
  • Kevin Conroy in Batman: The Animated Series (1992)
    Batman: The Animated Series
    9.0
    TV Series
    • Marcia Cates
    • Photographer (voice)
    • 1992
  • Barbara Eden in Hell Hath No Fury (1991)
    Hell Hath No Fury
    5.8
    TV Movie
    • Mary
    • 1991
  • A Matter of Principal
    9.0
    TV Movie
    • Janet Short
    • 1990
  • ABC Afterschool Specials (1972)
    ABC Afterschool Specials
    7.1
    TV Series
    • Wanda Karpinsky
    • 1989
  • Dolly Parton in Dolly (1987)
    Dolly
    7.6
    TV Series
    • LuWanda Novack
    • 1988
  • Suuri pieni mies (1988)
    Suuri pieni mies
    6.3
    TV Movie
    • Miss Horton
    • 1988

Soundtrack

  • Dolly Parton in Dolly (1987)
    Dolly
    7.6
    TV Series
    • performer: "Stop In The Name of Love", "If We Never Meet Again (This Side of Heaven)"
    • 1988
  • Alan Alda, David Ogden Stiers, Gary Burghoff, William Christopher, Jamie Farr, Mike Farrell, Harry Morgan, and Loretta Swit in M*A*S*H (1972)
    M*A*S*H
    8.5
    TV Series
    • performer: "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"
    • performer: "Happy Birthday to You"
    • performer: "The Army Goes Rolling Along" ...
    • 1972–1981
  • The Great Gonzo, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show (1976)
    The Muppet Show
    8.4
    TV Series
    • performer: "I Feel the Earth Move", "Side by Side by Side/What Would We Do without You?" (uncredited)
    • 1980
  • It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman! (1975)
    It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman!
    3.8
    TV Movie
    • performer: "You've Got Possibilities", "Ooh, Do You Love You!"
    • 1975

Funny Women of Television

Funny Women of Television

We salute the brilliant women behind all those unforgettable laughs on the small screen.
View the gallery
Production art
Photos

Videos12

Trailer
Trailer 4:55
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:18
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 3:11
Trailer
Race with the Devil
Trailer 2:03
Race with the Devil
M*A*S*H: Season 6
Trailer 0:16
M*A*S*H: Season 6
M*A*S*H: Season 3
Trailer 0:17
M*A*S*H: Season 3
Race with the Devil
Trailer 2:01
Race with the Devil
Mash: Clip 3
Trailer 1:29
Mash: Clip 3
Mash: Clip 1
Trailer 1:07
Mash: Clip 1
Mash: Clip 4
Trailer 2:11
Mash: Clip 4
Mash: Season 11
Trailer 1:38
Mash: Season 11
Mash: Clip 2
Trailer 1:31
Mash: Clip 2

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Cameo
    • Facebook
  • Alternative name
    • Lorretta Swit
  • Height
    • 1.68 m
  • Born
    • November 4, 1937
    • Passaic, New Jersey, USA
  • Spouse
    • Dennis HolahanDecember 21, 1983 - 1995 (divorced)
  • Children
    • No Children
  • Parents
      Lester Szwed
  • Other works
    Played Agnes Gooch in the first national company of "Mame".
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Interview
    • 3 Articles
    • 5 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Wanted to leave M*A*S*H (1972) after the 8th season, but FOX wouldn't let her out of her contract. She has said that she wanted to star in the series Cagney & Lacey (1981), after she made the pilot movie, but her MASH commitment prevented her from doing so.
  • Quotes
    Hot Lips changed a lot in eleven years. Initially Margaret Houlihan behaved as though a man were the only thing that could complete her life, and she didn't see what richness her life contained. She gained a lot of self-esteem through the years, and she came to realize that what she did, what she offered, was valuable. To oversimplify it, I took each traumatic change that happened in her life and kept it. I didn't discard anything. I didn't go on into the next episode as if it were a different character in a different play. She was a character in constant flux. She never stopped developing.
  • Trademarks
      Distinctive full lips

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