- - Loretta Swit Recalled Fight to Empower Major 'Hot Lips' Houlihan on “M*A*S*H ”in Final Interview Before Her Death at 87 (Exclusive)

Angela AndaloroNovember 8, 2025 at 5:01 AM

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Loretta Swit as Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan -

Loretta Swit recorded her appearance on The Love Boat Podcast: Exciting & New before her death in May 2025

Swit's episode of the podcast features a hearty look back at her guest appearance on The Love Boat, as well as her time on M*A*S*H

Swit was proud of how she was able to help the character evolve and grow, both through acting and her work behind the scenes

Loretta Swit always took pride in what she accomplished in her time on TV.

The actress, who died at age 87 in May, gave her final interview with an appearance on The Love Boat Podcast: Exciting & New. The new podcast that reunites The Love Boat’s original cast — Fred Grandy (Gopher), Ted Lange (Isaac), and Jill Whelan (Vicki) — for an unscripted Hollywood reunion at sea.

In Swit's episode, they were also joined by Bernie Kopell as they discussed in her final interview before her passing, Swit — who played Terry Larsen in her guest appearance on The Love Boat — reflected on her legendary career in a moving and deeply personal conversation.

The actress took particular pride in how she was able to develop Major Margaret J "Hot Lips" Houlihan, a head nurse in the Korean War, on the CBS series M*A*S*H from 1972 to 1983.

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The Love Boat Podcast

"The Love Boat Podcast: Exciting and New"

"We were playing real people at the front in Korea, especially the women. The women in Korea that I commanded volunteered to be there — the coldest country on the planet and the hottest country on the planet," Swit shared.

"The things that killed us in Korea was number one frostbite, number two snake bite, and then the war. To these women, who volunteered, they were not drafted. I'm not putting the knock on the guys who were drafted. All I'm saying is these women just did it, and I can't play a part like a Schultzy in Hogan's, I can't."

She continued, "I took her very seriously. And when I began, I said to [creator and producer Larry] Gelbart in advance, 'My aim will be to be to be the best goddamn head nurse in Korea. That will be my goal.' "

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Loretta Swit

Swit recalled them being most concerned about whether she could do all of that and be funny, to which she replied, "I'll be funny if I'm dying. I can be funny. Just give me the opportunity."

Swit explained that as she did more tours, both in support of the troops and promoting the show, she garnered more questions about why the writers continued to have Houlihan have an affair with Frank Burns (Larry Linvolle), who was married, noting it didn't feel like a fit for the character.

While the actress mentioned these concerns, she had no expectations that the writers would do anything about this. Then, during their 1976 hiatus, she got a call.

"The boys called me and said, 'Let's have a conference. We're on hiatus. We want to hear what your thoughts are for the next season for Margaret.' "

Swit noted it was a "major breakthrough," and then quickly shared her suggestions.

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Mike Farrell, Loretta Swit, Alan Alda

"I said, 'Here's what I think. Number one, send her to Tokyo on R&R. Let her meet a guy who outranks Frank. Don't make him a doctor, make him a lieutenant colonel and give him, make him a little tall, dark, and handsome. Let's see something that she would go for and get engaged.' Can you imagine Linville when I come back to the 477 with a ring and, and we know guy, he'll tear off the doors of the tent."

Laughing, she adds, "And that's exactly what he did, by the way. We were talking about and they were loving it. They thought it was a good idea."

Gene Reynolds shared concerns that if the character got married, it would be "so permanent" and could lead to her leaving the show. Swit's solution was that she would "catch him being disloyal."

"Then, she's back in town, realizing she doesn't need these goons to complete her life. She is blossoming through this pain and hardship."

"My character broke a barrier in terms of growth. Most of the characters on television in my category, let's say, stayed the same for as long as they're on. They never grew. They never changed. That makes it unreal. We change every five minutes. When I leave. I'm gonna be changed by the time I get home. We change, we grow, and we have to allow the character that we're doing to do that, or we're going to lose our audience."

In her M*A*S*H role, Swit earned two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, four Golden Globe nominations and a TV Land Impact Award.

She went on to marry actor Dennis Holahan —who she met when he guest starred on M*A*S*H as Per Johannsen, a Swedish diplomat whom Swit's character became romantically involved with — in 1983. They divorced in 1995, and Swit never had children.

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Loretta Swit in Oct. 2024

Swit also had an active theater career. She made her Broadway debut in 1975's Same Time, Next Year and went on to replace Cleo Laine in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Other credits include her starring roles in Shirley Valentine and Mame. She received the Sarah Siddons Award in 1991.

The Emmy Award-winning actress was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989. Outside of acting, Swit was a painter and a vocal animal rights activist.

To hear about Swit's Love Boat guest appearance and more about that beloved series, listen to The Love Boat Podcast: Exciting and New, with new episodes every Saturday.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”