*"MASH Legend Loretta Swit Made Glamorous Career Move Three Months Before Her Death"**

*Loretta Swit, MASH’s Beloved “Hot Lips,” Passes at 87 After Final Career Highlight**

Loretta Swit, the Emmy-winning actress best known for her iconic role as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on MASH*, died of natural causes at her New York City home on May 30, 2025, her publicist confirmed. She was 87.

Swit graced Elysian Magazine’s Spring 2025 cover just months before her passing.

Months earlier, Swit made a final glamorous career appearance, starring on the cover of Elysian Magazine’s Spring 2025 issue. She attended the cover launch party on February 6, 2025, radiating elegance in a close-up portrait with bold makeup—a fitting tribute to her enduring star power.

Born in Passaic, New Jersey, on November 4, 1937, Swit trained at New York’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her breakout role as the sharp-tongued yet compassionate Major Houlihan on MASH* earned her two Emmys and 10 nominations across the show’s 11-season run (1972–1983). She appeared in 240 of its 251 episodes, becoming a cornerstone of the beloved series.

Swit at the Elysian Magazine launch party in February 2025.

Adapted from Robert Altman’s 1970 film, MASH followed medics at a Korean War field hospital, blending humor and heartache. Its record-breaking finale in 1983 drew 105 million viewers, remaining one of TV’s most-watched episodes. Swit credited the show’s success to its balance of comedy and humanity: “Laughter was our defense against standing in blood… this cast exceeded [expectations],” she told First for Women* in 2024.

Though the film version featured Sally Kellerman as Houlihan, Swit made the role her own on TV, starring alongside Alan Alda’s Hawkeye Pierce. Reflecting on the finale, Goodbye, she called it “the jewel of the crown” and praised MASH* as “a piece of Americana.” The series won 14 Emmys and a Peabody Award, cementing its legacy.

Swit as Major Houlihan in MASH, a role that defined her career.*

Beyond MASH, Swit appeared in Hawaii Five-O, Murder, She Wrote, and The Love Boat*, showcasing her versatility. She also advocated for animal rights, aligning her passions with her platform.

Swit’s final magazine feature and enduring work remind fans of her talent, wit, and grace. As colleagues and audiences mourn her passing, her legacy as a TV pioneer lives on.

“MASH was magic,”* she once said—a sentiment echoed by millions who cherished her unforgettable performances.

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