Who was Loretta Swit and what happened to her? All about the M*A*S*H star and Emmy-winning actress who passed away at 87

Loretta Swit, a legendary American actress popular for her role in the hit TV series M*A*SH, passed away on May 30, 2025. Her publicist, Harlan Boll, revealed to news outlets that Swit died at her New York home from natural causes.

Loretta Swit, who passed away at 87-year-old was best known for her role as Major Margaret J “Hot Lips” of M*A*S*H. Besides playing the head nurse on the CBS series, Loretta Swit starred in other hit TV projects like Mission: Impossible, The Love Boat, Hawaii Five-O, Gunsmoke, and Mannix, amongst others.

The New Jersey-born actress earned two Emmy awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on M*A*S*H. She also got four Golden Globe nominations and her show got a TV Land Impact Award. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989.

Loretta Swit always wanted to be an actress: More about the screen darling as she passes away at 87

In a March 12, 1979 People cover story, Swit recalled that she had always wanted to be an actress. The actress also added that she had grown up watching films with her mother:

“I always wanted to be an actress. Luckily, my mother loved movies, and we would go to double features and sit through both films twice.”

Swit transitioned from a shy kid into a cheerleader who was active in the drama club at Pope Pius XII High School. After graduating high school, Swit, who was passionate about all things film, went off to New York and attended Gene Frankel’s Theatre Workshop.

Her first acting role came as an understudy for Ellen Gordon on a Broadway, and she described the experience as the “perfect break-in”:

“It was the perfect break-in. I rehearsed twice a week in the lead and never had to perform—not once. When that run came to an end, I got to stand in the unemployment line and say, ‘I’m an actress.’”

The actress went on to have a successful theater career alongside acting on the big screen. After making her Broadway debut with Same Time, Next Year in 1975, she starred in the Mystery of Edwin Drood. She also played roles in Mame and Shirley Valentine. She earned the Sarah Siddons Award in 1991. Loretta Swit was still active in 2019 when she starred in Play The Flute.

Tributes continue to pour in in honor of one of the movie industry’s most beloved actresses.

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