Loretta Swit Married Husband Dennis Holahan But Never Had Kids
Loretta Swit is best known to fans as the iconic character Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the television series M*A*S*H.
On that show, her connection with Alan Alda's Hawkeye Pierce took center stage. In real life, Swit was only married once, and her family never included children.
The actor Dennis Holahan was her only husband, and they didn't have kids.
Swit died on May 30, 2025, at the age of 87.
According to CBC, Swit married Holahan in 1983. He was an actor "whom she'd met when he was a guest star on M*A*S*H. They divorced in 1995," the site reported.
What character did Holahan play on M*A*S*H? He played Swedish diplomat Per Johannsen, "who was briefly involved with Houlihan," Swit's character, USA Today reported.
According to his IMDb profile, Holahan also had roles in other iconic productions, playing a banker in the Al Pacino classic, Scarface. He also worked as a lawyer and appeared on General Hospital and in Halloween II.
In 1989, People reported that Swit dated Bill Hudson before Hudson's romance with Goldie Hawn, but other than that reference and her marriage to Holahan, her romantic life was kept private.
“I’ve never married, but I’m not against the institution of marriage. I don’t see it for myself at the moment, but that could change any second,” she told The Toledo Blade in 1973. “The kind of life I’ve been thrust into is kind of abnormal, but my brother, who’s gorgeous like Robert Stack, always says, ‘You can take the girl out of Passaic, but you can’t take Passaic out of the girl.” That's a reference to her hometown in New Jersey.
She said she still called her mother and father “like a little kid whenever I need some chicken soup.”
"Loretta Swit's portrayal of Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan was groundbreaking — bringing heart, humour, and strength to one of television comedy's most enduring roles. Her talent extended well beyond that iconic character, with acclaimed work on both stage and screen that showcased her intelligence, versatility, and passion," National Comedy Center executive director Journey Gunderson said in a statement to CBC.
Related: Alan Alda Remembers Loretta Swit in Heartbreaking Tribute