FAREWELLING TV'S FIRST FEMINIST

The M*A*S*H legend loved the TV show that made her a star but hated her sexy nickname

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She will forever be sharp-tongued tough head nurse Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan to millions of fans, but the woman behind one of M*A*S*H's favourite characters was a big-hearted animal activist and pioneering feminist.

Loretta Swit died on May 30 of natural causes at her New York home, at age 87, some 42 years after the brilliant last ever episode of M*A*S*H was watched by more than 100 million adoring fans.

STAR OF THE SHOW

Actor and director Alan Alda, 89, who played wisecracking surgeon "Hawkeye" Pierce in all 11 seasons with Loretta says she deserved the 10 Emmy nominations in a row, including two wins in 1980 and 1982.

"More than acting her part, she created it," he said in a touching tribute. "She worked hard in showing the writing staff how they could turn the character from a one-joke sexist stereotype into a real person - with real feelings and ambitions. We celebrated the day the script came out listing her character not as Hot Lips, but as Margaret. Loretta made the most of her time here.”

Loretta fought to make her character into so much more than a sex bomb stereotype in the iconic series that focused on the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War.