Loretta Swit Bio, Wiki, Age, Husband, Actress, Net Worth, Salary, and Instagram

Loretta Swit Biography

Loretta Swit( Loretta Jane Szwed) is an American stage and television actress of Polish descent famed for her portrayal of Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on M*A*S*H. She began her acting career in 1967.

Loretta Swit Age

Swit was on November 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey, United States. She is 85 years old in 2022.

Loretta Swit Height

Swit stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 6 inches.

Loretta Swit Family

Swit was born to Polish immigrants, Lester and Nellie Szwed (née Kassack). Her father served as a salesman and upholsterer. They had two kids counting Swit and her brother, Robert. Robert was 6 years and a day older than Sawit. When she was a child, she served as a member of a Girl Scout troop sponsored by the Holy Rosary R.C. Church of Passaic dubbed the Holy Rosary Scouts.

Loretta Swit Husband

Swit is very private about her personal life therefore it is not known if she is in any relationship. Prior to this, she tied the knot with actor, Dennis Holahan in 1983. Later, they divorced in 1995.

Loretta Swit Net Worth

Swit has an estimated net worth of between $1 Million-$5 Million which she has earned through her successful career as an actress.

Loretta Swit Education

When Swit completed her high school education at Pope Pius XII High School in Passaic in 1955, she went on to attend Katharine Gibbs School in Montclair, New Jersey. In 1957, she became its graduate. While in high school, she served as a cheerleader, took part in theatrical productions, and served as co-captain of the women’s basketball team. Moreover, she studied Drama alongside Gene Frankel in Manhattan, New York City. Regularly, she made appearances so as to speak to aspiring actors during her career. Additionally, she learned to sing at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Loretta Swit Career

Swit is a stage and television actress famed for her portrayal of Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on M*A*S*H. She began her acting career in 1967. Upon finishing her studies in 1057, she went on to serve several clerical jobs. For instance, she served as a stenographer in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Additionally, she served Elsa Maxwell as a personal secretary. Moreover, she served as a secretary to the ambassador from Ghana to the United Nations. Further, she served at the American Rocket Society in New York City.

While working in New York, she was trained to dance by a classmate, Elizabeth Parent-Barber, a Rockette and student at the New York School of Ballet. This was when she began her acting career. Her initial off-broadway appearance was in the Actor’s Playhouse production of “An Enemy of the People.”In 1961, she attained a role in the Circle in the Square production of “The Balcony” written by Jean Genet and produced by José Quintero. Alongside the national company of Any Wednesday, she toured in 1967.

Additionally, she progressed as one of the Pigeon sisters opposite Don Rickles and Ernest Borgnine in a Los Angeles run of, The Odd Couple. In 1975, she played in Same Time, Next Year on Broadway opposite Ted Bessell. Also, she performed on Broadway in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Later, she played Agnes Gooch in the Las Vegas version of Mame. Moreover, she played a one-woman play, Shirley Valentine. Since the 90s and 2000s, she made appearances in a number of locales and revivals.

From October to November 2003, she starred as the title character in North Carolina Theatre’s production of Mame in Raleigh, North Carolina. Further, she starred in the world premiere of the Mark Miller play, Amorous Crossings, from August to September 2010. Tod Booth directed the play at the Alhambra Dinner Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2017, she starred in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks in Buffalo, New York. In 1969, Swit came to Hollywood and did d guest roles in various television series.

For instance, Hawaii Five-O, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, and Mannix. In 1991, she attained the Sarah Siddons Award for her work in Chicago theatre. Else, she attained a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989. To boot, she authored A Needlepoint Scrapbook. Doubleday(1986) and SwitHeart: The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit. Ultimate Symbol (2017).

Loretta Swit-M*A*S*H

Appearing in 239 episodes, Swit starred in the role of Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan (Penobscott) in the film, M*A*S*H (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital). Houlihan serves as a Major and head nurse from 1972 to 1983. After her role in the film, Swit attained two Emmy Awards. Additionally, she alongside Alan Alda, Jamie Farr, and William Christopher are the only four cast members to stay for all 11 seasons of the show.

Loretta Swit Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan

Swit starred as Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in the film, M*A*S*H. During the initial seasons, Houlihan is a single and blindly patriotic character with no friends among the camp surgeons and nurses. Her only friend was her married lover, Major Frank Burns, portrayed by Larry Linville. Over time, she softened and tied the knot with a lieutenant colonel but divorced soon after. Later, she became good friends with her fellow officers while her attitude toward the Koreans in and around the camp became more civilized.

Loretta Swit-Cagney & Lacey

Initially, Swit played the role of Christine Cagney, during the series’ pilot episodes of Cagney & Lacey. However, due to her contractual obligations to M*A*S*H (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital), she couldn’t continue playing the character. As a result, actress Meg Foster portrayed Cagney for the initial six episodes of the television series till Sharon Gless took over the role.

Loretta Swit Plastic Surgery

There have been rumors and speculations of Swit doing plastic surgery on her face, especially between the 7th and 10th seasons of M*A*S*H (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital). Some voiced that her face was not ruined till the 9th season of the show. Further, some voice that she did the procedures because she feared growing old and being pressured due to her blonde-haired beauty/”sex symbol” status back in the day.

Additionally, some claim that she had a botox and facelift. Moreover, some have categorized her into the “list of celebrities with awful plastic surgery.” However, Swit has not commented on the issue but we will update this information once available to the public.

Loretta Swit Other Films and TV Shows

During her career, Swit has starred in many other films and TV shows such as;

1. Hawaii Five-O(1969–1972) as Anna Schreuder / Wanda Russell / Betty
2. Mission: Impossible(1970) as Midge Larson
3. The Merv Griffin Show(1974) as Herself
4. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever(1983) as Grace Bradley
5. Freebie and the Bean(1974) as Mildred Meyers, Red’s Wife
6. S.O.B.(1981) as Polly Reed
7. Whoops Apocalypse(1986) as President Barbara Adams
8. Beach Movie(1998) as Mrs. Jones
9. The Bold Ones: The New Doctors(1971) as Rosalyn
10. Love, American Style(1972) as Doris

Loretta Swit Social Media Platforms

She is active on her social media accounts and is often seen posting on her Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. She has over 16.8K followers on Instagram.