Loretta Swit
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Loretta Jane Swit (born Loretta Jane Szwed; November 4, 1937) is an American stage and television actress known for her character roles. Swit is best known for her portrayal of
Early life
Loretta Swit was born on November 4, 1937,[1] in Passaic, New Jersey, to Lester and Nellie Szwed (née Kassack), who were both of Polish descent. Her father was a salesman and upholsterer. Swit's brother, Robert, was six years and one day her senior.[2] As a child, Swit was a member of a Girl Scout troop sponsored by the Holy Rosary R.C. Church of Passaic known as the Holy Rosary Scouts.[3]
She graduated from
She studied drama with Gene Frankel in Manhattan in New York City and considered him her acting coach. She regularly returned to his studio to speak with aspiring actors throughout her career. Swit is also a singer, having trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.[7]
Theatre
Swit's first off-Broadway appearance was in the Actor's Playhouse production of "An Enemy of the People." In 1961, Swit landed a role in the Circle in the Square production of "The Balcony" written by Jean Genet and produced by José Quintero.[8]
In 1967, Swit toured with the national company of Any Wednesday, starring Gardner McKay. She continued as one of the Pigeon sisters opposite Don Rickles and Ernest Borgnine in a Los Angeles run of The Odd Couple.
In 1975, Swit played in Same Time, Next Year on Broadway opposite Ted Bessell.[9] She also performed on Broadway in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. From there, she played Agnes Gooch in the Las Vegas version of Mame, starring Susan Hayward and later, Celeste Holm.
She has played Shirley Valentine, a one-woman play, since the 1990s into the 2010s, appearing in a variety of locales and revivals.[10][11]
In October–November 2003, she starred as the title character in North Carolina Theatre's production of Mame in Raleigh, North Carolina.[12]
In August–September 2010, Swit starred in the world premiere of the Mark Miller play, Amorous Crossings, at the Alhambra Dinner Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida, directed by Tod Booth.
In 2016, Swit appeared in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks at Totem Pole Playhouse in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania.[13]
In 2017, Swit appeared in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks in Buffalo, New York.
Television
When Swit arrived in Hollywood in 1969, she performed guest roles in various television series, including Hawaii Five-O (her first TV credit), Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, and Mannix.
M*A*S*H
Starting in 1972, Swit played the extremely capable head nurse Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the television series
Swit and Alda were the only actors to have been in both the pilot episode and the finale; she appeared in all but 11 of the total of 256 episodes. Swit received two
Her favorite episodes are "
She also had a close relationship with
Cagney & Lacey
In 1981, Swit played the role of Christine Cagney in the movie pilot for the television series Cagney & Lacey but was precluded by contractual obligations from continuing the role. Actress Meg Foster portrayed Cagney for the first six episodes of the television series, then Sharon Gless took over the role.
Other TV work
Swit also guest-starred in shows such as
She was also in the TV movie The Last Day, 1975, with Richard Widmark and Robert Conrad.[18]
Swit guest-starred with Mike Connors in Mannix, Episode 78, Season 4, "Figures in a Landscape", written by Paul Krasny Directed by Donn Mullally originally airing on October 10, 1970.
Swit guest-starred in Hawaii Five-O episode "Bait Once, Bait Twice", January 4, 1972. She also played Wanda Russell in the Hawaii Five-O episode titled "Three Dead Cows at Makapuu" which aired February 25, 1970.
Personal life
Swit was once linked with musician Bill Hudson.[19] She married actor Dennis Holahan in 1983 and divorced him in 1995. Holahan played Per Johannsen, a Swedish diplomat who became briefly involved with Swit's character in an episode of M*A*S*H.
Swit is an animal rights activist.[20][21] She was a vegetarian for many years before becoming a vegan in 1981.[22]
Swit wrote a book on needlepoint, titled A Needlepoint Scrapbook.[23]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1972 | Stand Up and Be Counted | Hilary McBride | |
1973 | Deadhead Miles | Lady With Glass Eye | |
1974 | Policewomen | Police Clerk | Uncredited |
1974 | Freebie and the Bean | Mildred Meyers, Red's Wife | |
1975 | Race with the Devil | Alice | |
1981 | S.O.B. | Polly Reed | |
1985 | Beer | B.D. Tucker | |
1986 | Whoops Apocalypse | President Barbara Adams | |
1996 | Forest Warrior | Shirley | |
1998 | Beach Movie | Mrs. Jones | |
2019 | Play the Flute | Mrs. Kincaid |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1969–1972 | Hawaii Five-O | Anna Schreuder / Wanda Russell / Betty | 4 episodes |
1970 | Mission: Impossible | Midge Larson | Episode: "Homecoming" |
1970 | Mannix | Dorothy Harker / Jill Packard | Episodes: "Only One Death to a Customer" (Season 3-Episode 20), "Figures in a Landscape" (Season 4-Episode 04) |
1970 | Gunsmoke | Belle Clark / Donna | Episodes: "The Pack Rat", "Snow Train" (Parts 1 & 2) |
1971 | Cade's County | Ginny Lomax | Episode: "Homecoming" |
1971 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Rosalyn | Episode: "The Convicts" |
1972 | Fireball Forward | Nurse (uncredited) | TV movie |
1972 | Bonanza | Ellen Sue Greely | Episode: "A Visit to Upright" |
1972 | Young Dr. Kildare | Alice | Episode: "The Nature of the Beast" |
1972–1983 | M*A*S*H | Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan | 251 episodes People's Choice Award for Favorite Female TV Performer (1983) (1974, 1983)
Nominated–Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1974–79, 1981, 1983) Nominated–Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1980, 1982) Nominated–Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film |
1972 | Love, American Style | Doris | Segment "Love and the Pick-Up Fantasy" |
1973 | Ironside | Sally Pearson | Episode: "Ollinger's Last Case" |
1973 | Match Game | Herself | Game Show Participant / Celebrity Guest Star |
1973 | Shirts/Skins | Linda Bush | TV movie |
1973 | Love, American Style | Mary Beth Scoggins | Segment "Love and the Locksmith" |
1973–1979 | Pyramid |
Herself | 90 episodes |
1973–1979 | Match Game | Herself | 51 episodes |
1973–1979 | The Mike Douglas Show | Herself | 6 episodes |
1974 | Petrocelli | Ella Knox | Episode: "By Reason of Madness" |
1974 | The Merv Griffin Show | Herself | 1 episode |
1975 | The Last Day | Daisy | TV movie |
1975 | It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman | Sydney | TV movie |
1975 | Rickles | Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan | TV special |
1975 | The Bobby Vinton Show | Herself | 1 episode |
1975 | Celebrity Bowling | Herself | 2 episodes |
1976 | Good Heavens | Maxine | Episode: "Good Neighbor Maxine" |
1977 | The Hostage Heart | Chris LeBlanc | TV movie |
1977–1978 | The Love Boat | Terry Larsen / Anoushka Mishancov | 2 episodes |
1979 | Supertrain | Alice Phillips | Episode: "Hail to the Chief" |
1979 | Mirror, Mirror | Sandy McLaren | TV movie |
1979 | Friendships, Secrets and Lies | B.J. | TV movie |
1979 | Valentine | Emily | TV movie |
1979–1980 | Password Plus | Herself | Game Show Contestant / Celebrity Guest Star (4 episodes) |
1980 | The Love Tapes | Samantha Young | TV movie |
1981 | Cagney & Lacey | Detective Christine Cagney | TV movie |
1982 | The Kid from Nowhere | Caroline Baker | TV movie |
1982 | Games Mother Never Taught You | Laura Bentells | TV movie |
1983 | First Affair | Jane Simon | TV movie |
1983 | The Best Christmas Pageant Ever | Grace Bradley | TV movie |
1984 | The Love Boat | Kathy Ross | Episode: "My Mother, My Chaperone/The Present/The Death and Life of Sir Albert Demerest/Welcome Aboard" |
1985 | The Execution | Marysia Walenka | TV movie |
1985 | Sam | Samantha Flynn | TV pilot episode |
1985 | Miracle at Moreaux | Sister Gabrielle | TV movie |
1986 | Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story | Deo Fisher | TV movie |
1987 | A Christmas Calendar | Herself (Host) | TV special |
1988 | 14 Going on 30 | Miss Louisa Horton | TV movie |
1988 | Dolly | LuWanda Novack | Episode: "#1.19" |
1989 | ABC Afterschool Special | Wanda Karpinsky | Episode: "My Dad Can't Be Crazy... Can He?" |
1990 | A Matter of Principle | Jane Short | TV movie |
1991 | Hell Hath No Fury | Connie Stewart | TV movie |
1991 | Memories of M*A*S*H | Herself / Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan | TV special |
1992 | Batman: The Animated Series | Marcia Cates (voice) | Episode: "Mad as a Hatter" |
1992 | A Killer Among Friends | Detective Patricia Staley | TV movie |
1992 | The Big Battalions | Cora Lynne | TV miniseries |
1994 | Murder, She Wrote | Kim Mitchell | Episode: "Portrait of Death" |
1995 | Burke's Law | Evelyn Turner | Episode: "Who Killed the Sweet Smell of Success?" |
1997 | Cow and Chicken | Judge (voice) | Episode: "Space Cow/The Legend of Sailcat" |
1998 | Diagnosis: Murder | Maggie Dennings | Episode: "Drill for Death" |
1999–2004 | Hollywood Squares | Herself | 6 episodes |
2002 | M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion | Herself / Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan | TV special |
Awards and honors
- In 1991, she won the Sarah Siddons Award for her work in Chicago theatre.
- Swit received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989.
Bibliography
- Swit, Loretta (1986). A Needlepoint Scrapbook. Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-38-519905-6.
- Swit, Loretta (2017). SwitHeart: The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit. Ultimate Symbol. ISBN 978-0-97-695139-1.
References
- ^ Solomonson, Ed; O'Neill, Mark (2009). TV's M*A*S*H: The Ultimate Guide Book. Bear Manor Media.
- ^ Passaic Herald-News, November 3, 1941, p. 8
- ^ Passaic Herald-News, March 7, 1951, p.22
- ^ Passaic Herald-News, November 26, 1954, p.29, December 16, 1954 p.27, April 28, 1955 p.32
- ^ Harris, Harry (August 15, 1973). "Loretta Swit - sex symbol". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). KNS. p. P4.
- ^ Passaic Herald-News, August 25, 1961, p.6
- ^ Notable Past Students. American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ Passaic Herald-News, August 25, 1961, p.6
- ^ Barnes, Clive (February 21, 1976). "Stage: 'Same Time,' 1976". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
- ^ Christiansen, Richard (July 26, 1990). "Loretta Swit Offers A Splendid 'Shirley Valentine'". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Kates, Kathryn (September 24, 2010). "Loretta Swit is Shirley Valentine". She Knows Media.
- ^ "North Carolina Theatre". Nctheatre.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
- ^ "TOTEM POLE PLAYHOUSEANNOUNCES EMMY AWARD-WINNER LORETTA SWIT FROM 'M*A*S*H' TO OPEN 66th SUMMER SEASON|Visit Franklin County PA".
- ^ M*A*S*H: The Martinis & Medicine Collection – Special Features: Disc 1 – "My Favorite MASH"
- ^ "RIP Harry Morgan [Archive]". The Gear Page. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
- ^ Reilly, Sue (March 12, 1979). "Major Hottie". People.
- ^ A Christmas Calendar (1987). Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved October 26, 2008
- IMDb
- ^ Dougherty, Margot; Adelson, Suzanne (June 5, 1989). "Cindy Williams and Bill Hudson Really Do Act Just Like Family". People.
- ^ "Local Activists Hail Anti-'Crush Video’ Law". latimes.com. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ^ "TV Icon Loretta Swit On Art, Animals, And Activism". huffpost.com. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ^ "The Flashback Interview: Loretta Swit". popgeeks.com. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ISBN 0385199058.
External links
- Loretta Swit at IMDb
- Loretta Swit at the Internet Broadway Database
- Loretta Swit at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Loretta Swit at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television
- "SwitHeart Animal Alliance". Switheart.com.
- Thomas, Nick (January 5, 2017). "M*A*S*H's Loretta Swit paints to help animals". The Spectrum. Tinseltown Talks. Retrieved January 14, 2017.