Loretta Swit, born Loretta Jane Szwed on November 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey, is an American stage and television actress known for her character roles. She is best known for her portrayal of Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the television series MASH, for which she won two Emmy Awards.

Her parents were Polish immigrants, and she grew up in a household that loved films. As a child, she was a member of a Girl Scout troop and participated in various activities, including cheerleading and basketball.

Loretta Swit graduated from Pope Pius XII High School in 1955 and later from Katharine Gibbs School in Montclair, New Jersey. She worked in various clerical jobs before pursuing her passion for acting.

She studied drama with Gene Frankel in Manhattan and trained as a singer at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her first off-Broadway appearance was in the production of "An Enemy of the People" in 1961.

Her career took off in 1967 when she toured with the national company of "Any Wednesday" and later appeared in productions such as "The Odd Couple" and "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" on Broadway.

She married actor Dennis Holahan in 1983, and they divorced in 1995. Swit is an animal rights activist and has been a vegan since 1981.

In addition to her role on MASH, she appeared in several films, including "S.O.B." (1981), "Beer" (1985), "Whoops Apocalypse" (1987), and "Forest Warrior" (1996). She also made guest appearances on various TV shows and game shows like "Match Game" and "Pyramid".