Hot Lips Houlihan Actress Loretta Swit Dead at 87 Just A Month After “M*A*S*H*” Co-Star’s Death

A little more than a month after she posted a goodbye to a M*A*S*H* co-star, Loretta Swit passed away. Loretta played Hot Lips Houlihan during the entire 11-season run of the critically acclaimed war dramedy M*A*S*H*. During that time, she took home two Emmys. Decades after the show ended, Loretta remained incredibly proud of her work and dedicated to keeping the show’s memory alive. She often posted about M*A*S*H* on social media. She wished co-star Gary Burghoff, who played Radar O’Reilly, a happy birthday on Instagram on May 24, alongside a picture of the pair from the show.

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Loretta Swit posted a picture of herself on Memorial Day, captioned, “With loving gratitude, they served and protected and gave their lives. Rest In Peace. God is nigh.”

Fans shared their sadness and condolences on Instagram.

“Hot Lips?! Hearing the news of your passing is heartbreaking! And how much is it just like you that your last IG post was paying tribute to those who served. RIP, Loretta,” a fan wrote.

“Thank you for always representing the M.A.S.H. family well. You remembered every birthday, every event. We can tell how much you loved the MASH era and everyone in it,” a fan agreed. “The members of the 4077 on the other side are embracing you.”

“Amen. We were watching MASH last night all the while thinking of those who served in Korea and across the globe,” another person shared.  “Thank you for making that show so many things- real, heartbreaking, funny, sweet, THE BEST.”

“Loretta brought to life one of the strongest/most well-shaded female characters of the era. Not easy w/some inconsistent writing, but Swit was game & flexible enough to convince us of Margaret’s development while still letting the Hotlips within peek out. Many thanks & RIP,” a fan shared on X.”

Loretta Swit was 87.

This story’s featured image is by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images.