View source for Loretta Swit

{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Short description|American actress (1937–2025)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Loretta Swit
| image              = Loretta Swit MASH 1972.JPG
| image_size         = 
| caption            = Swit on ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'' set in 1972 as [[List of M*A*S*H characters#Margaret Houlihan|Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan]]
| birth_name         = Loretta Jane Szwed
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1937|11|04|mf=yes}}
| birth_place        = [[Passaic, New Jersey]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2025|05|30|1937|11|04|mf=yes}}
| death_place        = New York City, U.S.
| parents            = 
| education          = {{indented plainlist|
* [[Gibbs College|Katharine Gibbs College]]
* [[American Academy of Dramatic Arts]]
  }}
| known_for          = {{hlist|''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]''|''[[Pyramid (franchise)|Pyramid]]''}}
| occupation         = Actress<!-- Occupation(s) as given in the lead (see [[MOS:ROLEBIO]]) -->
| years_active       = 1967–2019
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Dennis Holahan]]|1983|1995|end=div}}
| signature          = Loretta Swit - signature.svg
}}

'''Loretta Jane Swit''' (born '''Loretta Jane Szwed'''; November 4, 1937 – May 30, 2025) was an American stage and television actress. She was widely known for her character roles, especially her role as [[List of M*A*S*H characters#Margaret Houlihan|Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan]] on ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'', for which she was nominated for [[Emmy Awards]] in each season of the long-running show, and won two, in 1980 and 1982.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=C. K. |date=2025-05-31 |title=Loretta Swit, M*A*S*H Star, Dies at 87 |url=https://www.salon.com/2025/05/31/loretta-swit-mash-star-dies-at-87/ |access-date=2025-05-31 |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Loretta Jane Szwed was born on November 4, 1937,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Solomonson |first1=Ed |last2=O'Neill |first2=Mark |title=TV's M*A*S*H: The Ultimate Guide Book |year=2009 |publisher=Bear Manor Media |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e6ezCgAAQBAJ&dq=Loretta+Swit&pg=PP47 |page=47 |isbn=978-1-5939-3501-6}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news| title=Birthdays| url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-news-birthday-of-robert-swit/172203465/| newspaper=[[Herald News|The Herald-News]]| location=Passaic, NJ| date=November 3, 1941| page=8| access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref> As a child, Swit was a member of a [[Girl Guides|Girl Scout]] troop sponsored by the Holy Rosary R.C. Church of Passaic.<ref>{{cite news| title=Holy Rosary Scouts Hold Breakfast| url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-news/69105997/| newspaper=The Herald-News| location=Passaic, NJ| date=March 7, 1951| page=22| access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>

She graduated from [[Pope Pius XII High School]] in Passaic in 1955, where she had been a cheerleader, had taken part in theatrical productions, and was co-captain of the girls' basketball team.<ref>{{cite news| title=Tween-Teens: About Pope Pius| first=Shelley| last=Bovitz| location=Passaic, New Jersey| newspaper=The Herald-News| date=November 26, 1954| url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-news/121836726/| page=29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Tween-Teens: Here and There| first=Shelley| last=Bovitz| location=Passaic NJ| newspaper=The Herald-News| date=December 16, 1954| url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-news-loretta-swit-is-named-co/172203655/| page=27}}</ref><ref name="lssxsy">{{cite news| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xtBOAAAAIBAJ&pg=7237%2C4829462 |newspaper=[[The Blade (Toledo, Ohio)|The Blade]] |location=Toledo, Ohio |agency=KNS |last=Harris |first=Harry |title=Loretta Swit – sex symbol |date=August 15, 1973 |page=P4}}</ref> She&nbsp;graduated from [[Gibbs College|Katharine Gibbs School]] in [[Montclair, New Jersey]], in June 1957, then was employed at a variety of clerical jobs, including as a [[Shorthand|stenographer]] in [[Bloomfield, New Jersey]]; personal secretary to [[Elsa Maxwell]]; secretary to the ambassador from [[Ghana]] to the United Nations; and at the [[American Rocket Society]] in New York City while being trained to dance by a classmate, Elizabeth Parent-Barber, a [[The Rockettes|Rockette]] and student at the New York School of Ballet. During this time, she began developing her acting career.<ref name="Passaic Herald-News">{{cite news| title=Up-Coming Passaic Actress Loretta Swit Lands Role in "The Balcony"| url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-news-up-coming-passaic-actres/35836246/| first=Mary Ann| last=Kilmassewski| location=Passaic, NJ| newspaper=The Herald-News| date=August 25, 1961| page=6}}</ref>

She studied drama with [[Gene Frankel]] in Manhattan and considered him her acting coach. She regularly returned to his studio to speak with aspiring actors throughout her career. Swit was also a singer, having trained at the [[American Academy of Dramatic Arts]].<ref>[https://www.aada.edu/alumni/notable-alumni/#decade:all/orderby:last_name/display:panel/page:10 Notable Past Students]. ''American Academy of Dramatic Arts''. Retrieved March 18, 2024.</ref>

==Theatre==
Swit's first [[off-Broadway]] appearance was in the Actors 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]].<ref name="Passaic Herald-News"/>

In 1967, Swit toured with the national company of ''[[Any Wednesday (play)|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 (play)|The Odd Couple]]''.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

In 1975, Swit played in ''[[Same Time, Next Year (play)|Same Time, Next Year]]'' on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] opposite [[Ted Bessell]].<ref>{{cite news |access-date=November 7, 2011 |title=Stage: 'Same Time,' 1976 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/02/21/archives/stage-same-time-1976-complete-change-of-twocharacter-cast-gives.html?sq=same%2520time%2520next%2520year%2520loretta%2520swit&scp=2&st=cse |first=Clive |last=Barnes |date=February 21, 1976}}</ref> She also performed on Broadway during the 1980s in ''[[The Mystery of Edwin Drood (musical)|The Mystery of Edwin Drood]]''. From there, she played Agnes Gooch in the Las Vegas version of ''[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]'', starring [[Susan Hayward]] and later, [[Celeste Holm]].{{cn|date=May 2025}}

She played ''[[Shirley Valentine]]'', a one-woman play, from the 1990s into the 2010s, appearing in a variety of locales and revivals.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1990/07/26/loretta-swit-offers-a-splendid-shirley-valentine/ |title=Loretta Swit Offers A Splendid 'Shirley Valentine' |date=July 26, 1990 |first=Richard |last=Christiansen |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/1059347/Loretta-Swit-s-new-production-on-stage-now-Shirley-Valentine |title=Loretta Swit is Shirley Valentine |date=September 24, 2010 |first=Kathryn |last=Kates |website=She Knows Media}}</ref>

In October–November 2003, she starred as the title character in [[North Carolina Theatre]]'s production of ''Mame'' in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nctheatre.com/index.html |title=2011 Broadway Season| website=North Carolina Theatre |access-date=May 17, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110404144549/http://www.nctheatre.com/index.html |archive-date=April 4, 2011}}</ref>

In August–September 2010, Swit starred in the world premiere of the [[Mark Miller (actor)|Mark Miller]] play ''Amorous Crossing'' at the [[Alhambra Dinner Theatre]] in Jacksonville, Florida, directed by Tod Booth.<ref>Patton, Charlie (August 20, 2010). [https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/local/2010/08/20/alhambras-new-show-amorous-crossing-funny-and-entertaining/15933958007 "Loretta Swit shines in Alhambra's new show, 'Amorous Crossing{{'"}}]. ''Florida Times-Union''.</ref>

In 2016, Swit appeared in ''[[Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks]]'' at Totem Pole Playhouse in [[Fayetteville, Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.explorefranklincountypa.com/10519-2/ |title=Totem Pole Playhouse Announces Emmy Award-Winner Loretta Swit From 'M*A*S*H' to Open 66th Summer Season |website=Visit Franklin County PA }}</ref> and again, in 2017, in [[Buffalo, New York]].{{Citation needed |date=April 2024}}

==Television ==
When Swit arrived in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] in 1969, she performed guest roles in various television series, including ''[[Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series)|Hawaii Five-O]]'' (her first TV credit), ''[[Gunsmoke]]'', ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'', and ''[[Mannix]]''.

===''M*A*S*H''===
[[File:MASH TV cast 1974.JPG|thumb|250px|The cast of ''M*A*S*H'' (1974); clockwise from left: [[Larry Linville]], Swit, [[Wayne Rogers]], [[Gary Burghoff]], [[McLean Stevenson]], and [[Alan Alda]].]]
[[File:MASH Cast 1977.JPG|thumb|250px|The cast of ''M*A*S*H'' (1977); back row, L-R: [[William Christopher]], [[Gary Burghoff]], [[David Ogden Stiers]], and [[Jamie Farr]]. Front: Swit, [[Harry Morgan]], [[Alan Alda]], and [[Mike Farrell]].]]
Starting in 1972, Swit played the extremely capable head nurse Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the television series ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'', a comedy set in a U.S. [[Mobile Army Surgical Hospital]] during the [[Korean War]]. Swit inherited the star-making role from actress [[Sally Kellerman]], who had portrayed Houlihan in the feature film. In the first few seasons, her character was single and [[Blind_nationalism|blindly patriotic]], and she had no friends among the camp surgeons and nurses, with the notable exception of her married lover, Major Frank Burns, portrayed by [[Larry Linville]]. Over time, her character was considerably softened. She married a [[lieutenant colonel]] but divorced soon after. She became good friends with her fellow officers, and her attitude towards the Koreans in and around the camp became more enlightened. The change reflected that of the series in general, from absurdist dark humor to mature comedy-drama. Swit was one of only four cast members to stay for all 11 seasons of the show, from 1972 to 1983 (the others were [[Alan Alda]], [[Jamie Farr]], and [[William Christopher]]).

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 [[Emmy]] Awards for her work on ''M*A*S*H''.

Her favorite episodes were "[[M*A*S*H (season 2)#ep38|Hot Lips and Empty Arms]]", "[[Margaret's Engagement]]", and "The Nurses".<ref>M*A*S*H: The Martinis & Medicine Collection – Special Features: Disc 1 – "My Favorite MASH"</ref>

She also had a close relationship with [[Harry Morgan]], who played [[Colonel Sherman T. Potter]]. They became neighbors after the series ended until his death on December 7, 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegearpage.net/board/archive/index.php/t-996586.html |title=RIP Harry Morgan [Archive] |website=The Gear Page |access-date=March 7, 2013}}{{dead link|date=May 2025}}</ref> Swit remained close to Alda, along with his wife, three daughters and seven grandchildren.<ref>{{cite web |first=Sue |last=Reilly |url=http://people.com/archive/cover-story-major-hottie-vol-11-no-10/ |title=Major Hottie |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=March 12, 1979}}</ref>

===''Cagney and 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. [[Meg Foster]] portrayed Cagney for the first six episodes of the television series, then [[Sharon Gless]] took over the role.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

===Other TV work===
Swit also guest-starred in television shows, such as: ''[[The Muppet Show]]'', ''[[Bonanza]]'', ''[[The Love Boat]]'' and ''[[Gunsmoke]]''. She also appeared as a celebrity guest on game shows, including: ''[[Match Game]]'', ''[[Pyramid (game show)|Pyramid]]'', ''[[Win, Lose or Draw]]'', ''[[Password (American game show)|Password]]'' and ''[[Hollywood Squares]]''. Additionally, she starred in Christmas programs such as the television version of ''[[The Best Christmas Pageant Ever]]'' and 1987's [[PBS]] special ''[[A Christmas Calendar]]''.<ref>[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/461172/a-christmas-calendar "A Christmas Calendar (1987)"]. ''[[Turner Classic Movies]]''. Retrieved October 26, 2008.</ref> In 1988, she hosted ''Korean War—The Untold Story'', a documentary on the true events of the war, and went to [[South Korea]] to film it, becoming the first ''M*A*S*H'' cast member to actually visit the country since Jamie Farr's service there in the mid-1950s while a member of the [[U.S. Army]]. In 1992, she hosted the 26-part series ''Those Incredible Animals'' on the [[Discovery Channel]]. Swit's last appearance was on [[GSN Live]] on October 10, 2008.

She was also in the TV movie ''The Last Day'' (1975), with [[Richard Widmark]] and [[Robert Conrad]].<ref>{{cite web| title=The Last Day (1975)| first=Mark| last=Franklin| date=March 13, 2022| url=https://onceuponatimeinawestern.com/the-last-day-1975/| website=Once Upon a Time in a Western | access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>

Swit guest-starred with [[Mike Connors]] in ''[[Mannix]]'', Episode 78, Season 4, "Figures in a Landscape", written by Paul Krasny and directed by Donn Mullally, originally airing on October 10, 1970.

Swit guest-starred as Wanda Russell in the ''Hawaii Five-O'' episode titled "Three Dead Cows at Makapuu", which aired February 25, 1970. She also starred in the ''Hawaii Five-O'' episode "Bait Once, Bait Twice", on January 4, 1972.

==Personal life and death==
[[File:Loretta Swit 2019.jpg|thumb|Swit with her book, 2019]]
Swit was once linked with musician [[Bill Hudson (singer)|Bill Hudson]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://people.com/archive/cindy-williams-and-bill-hudson-really-do-act-just-like-family-vol-31-no-22/ |title=Cindy Williams and Bill Hudson Really Do Act Just Like Family |last1=Dougherty |first1=Margot |last2=Adelson |first2=Suzanne |date=June 5, 1989 |work=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref> She married actor [[Dennis Holahan]] in 1983 and divorced him in 1995.<ref>{{cite news |title=Loretta Swit, MASH star and 2-time Emmy winner, dead at 87 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/mash-star-loretta-swit-obituary-1.7548622 |access-date=May 30, 2025 |work=CBC News |agency=Associated Press |date=May 30, 2025}}</ref> Holahan played Per Johannsen, a Swedish diplomat who became briefly involved with Swit's character in an episode of ''M*A*S*H''.

Swit was an [[animal rights]] activist.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-dec-11-me-42743-story.html| title=Local Activists Hail Anti-'Crush Video' Law| first=Richard| last=Simon| date=December 11, 1999| newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]| access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tv-icon-loretta-swit-on-a_b_14424724| title=TV Icon Loretta Swit On Art, Animals, And Activism| first=Jed| last=Ryan| website=[[HuffPost]]| date=January 27, 2018| access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref> She was a vegetarian for many years before becoming a [[vegan]] in 1981.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://popgeeks.com/the-flashback-interview-loretta-swit/| title=The Flashback Interview: Loretta Swit| first=Johnny| last=Caps| website=PopGeeks| date=December 17, 2018| access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>

Swit wrote a book on [[needlepoint]], titled ''A Needlepoint Scrapbook''.<ref>{{cite book |isbn=978-0-3851-9904-9 |title=A Needlepoint Scrapbook |last1=Swit |first1=Loretta |author2=Ellen Appel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HUmA-L77Rt8C&q=needlepoint+scrapbook |year=1986 |publisher=Doubleday}}</ref>

Swit died at her home in New York City, on May 30, 2025, at the age of 87.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/loretta-swit-dead-mash-hot-lips-houlihan-1236233958/|title=Loretta Swit, Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on 'M*A*S*H,' Dies at 87|author=De Los Reyes, Lisa|publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=May 30, 2025|accessdate=May 30, 2025}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Loretta Swit film credits<!-- Per [[WP:ACCESSIBILITY]] & [[MOS:TABLECAPTION]], data tables should always include a descriptive caption. -->
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1972 || ''[[Stand Up and Be Counted]]'' || Hilary McBride || 
|-
| 1973 || ''[[Deadhead Miles]]'' || Lady With Glass Eye ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1974 || ''[[Policewomen (film)|Policewomen]]'' || Police clerk || Uncredited
|-
| ''[[Freebie and the Bean]]'' || Mildred Meyers, Red's Wife ||
|-
| 1975 || ''[[Race with the Devil]]'' || Alice ||
|-
| 1981 || ''[[S.O.B. (film)|S.O.B.]]'' || Polly Reed ||
|-
| 1985 || ''[[Beer (film)|Beer]]'' || B.D. Tucker ||
|-
| 1986 || ''[[Whoops Apocalypse (film)|Whoops Apocalypse]]'' || President Barbara Adams ||
|-
| 1996 || ''[[Forest Warrior]]'' || Shirley ||
|-
| 1998 || ''Beach Movie'' || Mrs. Jones ||
|-
| 2019 || ''Play the Flute'' || Mrs. Kincaid || 
|}

===Television===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Loretta Swit television credits
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1970–1972 || ''[[Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series)|Hawaii Five-O]]'' || Anna Schreuder / Wanda Russell / Betty || 4 episodes
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1970 || ''[[Mission: Impossible (1966 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'' || Midge Larson || Episode: "Homecoming"
|-
| ''[[Mannix]]'' ||Dorothy Harker / Jill Packard || Episodes: "Only One Death to a Customer" (Season 3-Episode 20), "Figures in a Landscape" (Season 4-Episode 04)
|-
| ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' || Belle Clark / Donna || Episodes: "The Pack Rat", "Snow Train" (Parts 1 & 2)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1971 || ''[[Cade's County]]'' || Ginny Lomax || Episode: "Homecoming"
|-
| ''[[The Bold Ones: The New Doctors]]'' || Rosalyn || Episode: "The Convicts"
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1972 || ''Fireball Forward'' || Nurse (uncredited) || TV movie
|-
| ''[[Bonanza]]'' || Ellen Sue Greely || Episode: "A Visit to Upright"
|-
| ''[[Young Dr. Kildare (TV series)|Young Dr. Kildare]]'' || Alice || Episode: "The Nature of the Beast"
|-
| 1972–1983 || ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]]'' || [[List of M*A*S*H characters#Margaret Houlihan|Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan]] || {{Br separated entries
  | Main cast
  | [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series]] <small>(1980, 1982)</small>
  | [[People's Choice Awards|People's Choice Award for Favorite Female TV Performer]] <small>(1983)</small>
  | Nominated – [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series]] <small>(1974–79, 1981, 1983)</small>
  | Nominated – [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy]] <small>(1980, 1982)</small>
  | Nominated – [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film]] <small>(1974, 1983)</small>
  }}
|-
| 1972 || ''[[Love, American Style]]'' || Doris || Segment "Love and the Pick-Up Fantasy"
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1973 || ''[[Ironside (1967 TV series)|Ironside]]'' || Sally Pearson || Episode: "Ollinger's Last Case"
|-
| ''[[Match Game]]'' || Herself || Game Show Participant / Celebrity Guest Star
|-
| ''Shirts/Skins'' || Linda Bush || TV movie
|-
| ''[[Love, American Style]]'' || Mary Beth Scoggins || Segment "Love and the Locksmith"
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1973–1979 || ''[[Pyramid (franchise)|Pyramid]]'' || rowspan="3" | Herself || 90 episodes
|-
| ''[[Match Game]]'' || 51 episodes
|-
| ''[[The Mike Douglas Show]]'' || 6 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1974 || ''[[Petrocelli]]'' || Ella Knox || Episode: "By Reason of Madness"
|-
| ''[[The Merv Griffin Show]]'' || Herself || 1 episode
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1975 || ''The Last Day'' || Daisy || rowspan="2" | TV movie
|-
| ''[[It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman]]'' || Sydney 
|-
| ''Rickles'' || [[List of M*A*S*H characters#Margaret Houlihan|Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan]] || TV special
|-
| ''[[The Bobby Vinton Show]]'' || rowspan="2" | Herself || 1 episode
|-
| ''[[Celebrity Bowling]]'' || 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
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1979 || ''[[Supertrain]]'' || Alice Phillips || Episode: "Hail to the Chief"
|-
| ''[[Mirror, Mirror (1979 film)|Mirror, Mirror]]'' || Sandy McLaren || rowspan="3" | TV movie
|-
| ''[[Friendships, Secrets and Lies]]'' || B.J. 
|-
| ''Valentine'' || Emily 
|-
| 1979–1980 || ''[[Password Plus and Super Password|Password Plus]]'' || rowspan="2" | Herself || Game Show Contestant / Celebrity Guest Star (4 episodes)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1980 || ''[[The Muppet Show]]'' || 1 episode
|-
| ''The Love Tapes'' || Samantha Young || rowspan="6" | TV movie
|-
| 1981 || ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]'' || Detective Christine Cagney 
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1982 || ''The Kid from Nowhere'' || Caroline Baker 
|-
| ''Games Mother Never Taught You'' || Laura Bentells 
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1983 || ''[[First Affair (film)|First Affair]]'' || Jane Simon 
|-
| ''[[The Best Christmas Pageant Ever]]'' || Grace Bradley 
|-
| 1984 || ''[[The Love Boat]]'' || Kathy Ross || Episode: "My Mother, My Chaperone/The Present/The Death and Life of Sir Albert Demerest/Welcome Aboard"
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1985 || ''The Execution'' || Marysia Walenka || TV movie
|-
| ''Sam'' || Samantha Flynn || TV pilot episode
|-
| ''[[Miracle at Moreaux]]'' || Sister Gabrielle || rowspan="2" | TV movie
|-
| 1986 || ''[[Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story]]'' || Deo Fisher 
|-
| 1987 || ''[[A Christmas Calendar]]'' || Herself (Host) || TV special
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1988 || ''[[14 Going on 30]]'' || Miss Louisa Horton || TV movie
|-
| ''[[Dolly (1987 TV series)|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 || rowspan="2" | TV movie
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1991 || ''[[Hell Hath No Fury (film)|Hell Hath No Fury]]'' || Connie Stewart 
|-
| ''[[M*A*S*H (TV series)#Spin-offs and reunion specials|Memories of M*A*S*H]]'' || Herself / Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan || TV special
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1992 || ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]'' || Marcia Cates (voice) || Episode: "Mad as a Hatter"
|-
| ''[[A Killer Among Friends]]'' || Detective Patricia Staley || TV movie
|-
| ''The Big Battalions'' || Cora Lynne || TV miniseries
|-
| 1994 || ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'' || Kim Mitchell || Episode: "Portrait of Death"
|-
| 1995 || ''[[Burke's Law (1994 TV series)|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 (TV series)#Spin-offs and reunion specials|M*A*S*H: 30<sup>th</sup> 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 theater.<ref>{{cite web |title=Awardees |url=https://sarahsiddonssociety.org/awardees |website=Sarah Siddons Society |access-date=10 September 2025}}</ref>
* Swit received a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] in 1989.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stanley |first1=T. L. |title=Loretta Swit |url=https://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/loretta-swit/ |access-date=10 September 2025 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=1 July 2010 |language=en}}</ref>

== Published works ==
* {{Cite book |last=Swit |first=Loretta |year=1986 |title=A Needlepoint Scrapbook |publisher=Doubleday |isbn=978-0-38-519905-6 |ref=none}}
* {{Cite book |last=Swit |first=Loretta |year=2017 |title=SwitHeart: The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit |publisher=Ultimate Symbol |isbn=978-0-97-695139-1 |ref=none}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikisource|TB Respiratory Protection - Administrators Review|TB Respiratory Protection - Administrator's Review}}
* {{IMDb name}}
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* {{discogs artist|Loretta Swit}}
* {{The Interviews name|loretta-swit|Loretta Swit}}

{{EmmyAward ComedySupportingActress}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swit, Loretta}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:2025 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from Passaic, New Jersey]]
[[Category:American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American people of Polish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Swedish descent]]
[[Category:American stage actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Writers from Passaic, New Jersey]]