Loretta Swit Turns 75, Prepares For Role In Upcoming Play


Loretta Swit of M*A*S*H fame turned 75 today (November 4), according to the Examiner. Although she has tackled many other projects during her career, the Emmy Award-winning actress will be forever known as Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan.

Out of the show’s impressive 251 episodes, Loretta Swit only missed out on 11. In fact, she was one of only four characters that appeared in every single season.

Although she may be getting older, the actress is still hard at work. The Los Angeles Times reports that Swit will appear alongside L.A. Law alum Harry Hamlin in writer-director Joshua Ravetch’s two actor play One November Yankee.

Playbill describes the story as follows:

“It’s the aftermath of a plane crash and a brother and sister have survived, but all is not exactly what it might seem as we travel to unexpected places that take us from New York’s MOMA, to the mountains of New Hampshire, from the past to the present in a play that unfolds like theatrical Origami in this funny and touching new play.”

Of course, this isn’t Loretta Swit’s first time on stage. The actress has also appeared in such productions as Mame, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Shirley Valentine and It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman. One November Yankee, meanwhile, opens on November 16 at the NoHo Arts Center.

During an interview, Swit discussed the impact her portrayal of Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan had on the real men and women who work in the medical field.

“Sometimes I would get letters from nurses saying how grateful they were that a nurse was finally being portrayed as a person, a caring human being,” she explained. “As far as the audience was concerned, I think it identifies with at least one or two or maybe all of us. We have become people to them and never caricatures. We’re very real to them.”

The M*A*S*H star isn’t the only celebrity celebrating a birthday on November 4. Everybody Loves Raymond actress Doris Roberts is 82, D-lister Kathy Griffin is 50, and The Karate Kid star Ralph Macchio is 51. Additionally, Killer Joe star Matthew McConaughey and music mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs are 43.

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