Stage and Screen Actress Loretta Swit Dies at 87

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that stage and screen actress Loretta Swit has died at age 87. She passed away on May 30th, 2025, at her home in New York City.

Swit is best known for her role as Major Margaret Houlihan on the television series, M*A*S*H. However, she is no stranger to the stage, making her Broadway debut in Same Time, Next Year opposite Ted Bessell. She also toured with two illustrious “Mames,” Susan Hayward and Celeste Holm, playing the title role of Mame herself years later in New York and Pennsylvania. She has appeared in over 1,200 performances of Shirley Valentine - a role for which she won Chicago's most prestigious theatrical honor, the Sarah Siddons Award.  

In 2010 she revisited Shirley Valentine in Canada for a highly successful 3-month en­gagement. Ms. Swit toured in the musical spoof, Song of Sin­gapore, while continuing to perform select dates of Love Letters with Anthony Franciosa. She appeared in The Vagina Monologues in New York, Chicago, and the West End in London.

Her television career boasts over 25 movies, including the original Cagney and Lacey, in which she created the role of Chris Cagney (obligations to M*A *S*H prevented her from shooting the series). A few other films include Games Mother Never Taught You with Sam Waterston, Hell Hath No Fury with Barbara Eden, The Execution with Rip Torn, Dreams of Gold with Cliff Robertson, and A Killer Among Friends with Patty Duke. Ms. Swit has sung and danced her way through most of television's musical specials, including alongside Bob Hope and perhaps most notably The Muppet Show with Kermit and Miss Piggy, and the Broadway musical It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman.

Every year she could be seen in the annual specials, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Miracle at Moreaux, and A Christmas Calen­dar, aired worldwide during the holidays. Her dynamic acting range has placed her in some heady company on the big screen as well. Ms. Swit has starred in such films as Stand Up and Be Counted with Jacqueline Bisset, Freebie and the Bean with James Caan and Alan Arkin, Race With the Devil with Peter Fonda, Beer opposite Rip Torn, S.O.B. with Julie Andrews and William Holden, Whoops Apocalypse with Peter Cook and Herbert Lom, Forrest Warrior with Chuck Norris, and BoardHeads with Bronson Pinchot.

Regionally she has appeared in The Apple Tree, Doubt, Equus, Murder Among Friends, Barefoot in the Park, Driving Miss Daisy, Mame, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Ms. Swit's wildlife series, Those Incredible Animals, was shown twice weekly on the Discovery Channel for an amazing five-year run, as well as being aired in over 30 countries. Most recently, Ms. Swit appeared across the country in two separate productions:  the contemporary comedy Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, and Me & Jezebel, a comedy about Bette Davis.

Loretta was as impassioned about animals as she is about the Arts.  Loretta Swit set up the SwitHeart Animal Alliance to prevent cruelty and end animal suffering, to promote and cooperate with numerous nonprofit organizations and programs that protect, rescue, train, and care for animals and preserve their habitat, while raising public awareness about issues that concern domestic, farm, exotic, wild, and native animals and their well being. 

Among her numerous efforts to raise money for animal causes, Loretta created her critically acclaimed art book, SwitHeart, which included 65 full-color paintings and drawings by Loretta herself, which has raised money for numerous animal causes. In addition, Loretta Swit was thrilled and proud of the response to her new fragrance, called SwitHeart, in its trademark heart-shaped bottle, with her very own blend of orange flower, jasmine, sandalwood, musk, patchouli and vanilla. Exclusively for SwitHeart Animal Alliance donors, SwitHeart perfume is not available in stores and all proceeds go to the nonprofit SwitHeart Animal Alliance nonprofit!  Ms Swit was currenty touring the country at accessory shows, unveiling her latest creation, a necklace - Swinging and a sparkle from a GOLD chain is a loving heart featuring a selected birthstone of Topaz, Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds, and more. As with the perfume and book, again, with all proceeds go to SwitHeart.org.

Swit has been honored with such recognition as the People's Choice Award, The Genie Award, The Silver Satellite Award, The Jean Golden Halo Award, the Pacific Broadcasters Award, and two Emmy Awards.  With ten Emmy nominations and four nominations for the Golden Globe, she most recently has received her third Career Achievement Award.  

For her ceaseless humanitarian efforts, Ms. Swit had earned the respect of both the general public and the philanthropic world including such awards as: Woman of the Year by both the Animal Protection Institute and the International Fund For Animal Welfare (IFAW); The Advocate for Farm Animals Award, 2007 (The Farm Sanctuary); Compassion in Action Award (Ayla's Acres); Westminster Animal Welfare & Leadership Award; International Red Cross Humanitarian Award, 2016; Global Wildlife Conservation Champion Award, 2016 (GES Africa Conservation Fund); and The Betty White Award, 2016 (Actors and Others for Animals).  Her book, ‘SwitHeart: The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit', a chronicle of her work as an artist and activist, was be published on January 1, 2017 by Ultimate Symbol, NY, with a second version currently set for release. Ms Swit's Uniform and dog-tags as Major Margaret Houlihan from M*A*S*H, was donated to and is currently on display at the Hollywood Museum.