Loretta Swit, star of “M*A*S*H," dies at 87

'M*A*S*H' actress Loretta Swit dies at 87

Loretta Swit, star of 'M*A*S*H,' has died at the age of 87. She was known for her role Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the show, for which she won two Emmy Awards. Swit starred in more than 25 movies and several Broadway shows. In addition to acting, Swit was known for her work as an animal activist.

Loretta Swit, famously known for her role as Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the beloved show "M*A*S*H," has died. She was 87 years old. 

Swit died early Friday morning of suspected natural causes in her New York City home, according to her publicist, Harlan Boll. 

A versatile actress

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Swit burst onto the Hollywood scene in the 1970s and gained attention for her "humorous, off-centered performances," according to IMDB. 

She had roles in several TV shows including "Gunsmoke, "Mission Impossible," "Hawaii Five-O," and "Mannix" before landing her most notable character in "M*A*S*H." 

Starring alongside Alan Alda (Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, Jamie Farr (Cpl. Maxwell Q. Klinger), Gary Burghoff (Cpl. Walter "Radar" O'Reilly, and Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman T. Potter), Swit would stay with the show for all of its 11 seasons. 

Loretta Swit sitting in a jeep during the filming of television show M*A*S*H, United States, August 1976. (Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Sally Kellerman played Houlihan in the movie version and Swit took it over for TV, eventually deepening and creating her into a much fuller character. The sexual appetite was played down and she wasn’t even called "Hot Lips" in the later years.

Rolling Stone magazine put "M.A.S.H." at No. 25 of the best TV shows of all time, while Time Out put it at No. 34. It won the Impact Award at the 2009 TV Land annual awards. It won a Peabody Award in 1975 "for the depth of its humor and the manner in which comedy is used to lift the spirit and, as well, to offer a profound statement on the nature of war."

Loretta Swit attends The 30th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival Salute to Veterans Day MASH Party on November 11, 2015 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Credit: Aaron Davidson/Getty Images)