'Hot Lips' a major player in hit show

ORETTA SWIT made her name as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, head nurse of the fictional 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the American sitcom M*A*S*H. Set during the Korean War, it ran for 11 seasons from 1972 to 1983.

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Swit’s character was a tough but vulnerable Army nurse who gained the nickname after having an affair with Major Frank Burns, played by Larry Linville.

The hugely popular show used comedy to tackle tough issues such as racism, sexism and PTSD at a time when battle-weary US forces were withdrawing from Vietnam.

Swit was nominated 10 years running for an Emmy award, twice winning Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

She also received four Golden Globe nominations for her role and was proud that the show “never lost sight of the overwhelming message: war sucks”.