Where To Watch
After M*A*S*H ended, Loretta Swit got fed up and declared all these interview questions off-limits
No. 1 on the list: Do not even think about asking about M*A*S*H!
In the sixth season of M*A*S*H, there came an episode where Major Margaret Houlihan seriously worried she might be pregnant.
The only logical solution to test if she was pregnant or not? Obviously, Hawkeye had to perform surgery to extract the ovaries from Radar's pet rabbit to perform a pregnancy test.
In "What's Up, Doc?", Loretta Swit performed one of Margaret's most complicated moments when she confronts the reality that having a baby might end her military career. According to an interview that year with the Associated Press, Swit actually ended up with an odd little keepsake from this particular episode.
"I got a pewter rabbit from the woman whose idea it was that Margaret think she's pregnant and the only available rabbit for the test was Radar's pet," Swit said.
Swit never named the woman who gifted her the pewter rabbit, but she said that this memento led her to start a collection of pewter and silver rabbits. So next time you watch this particular episode, remember that Radar's rabbit's sacrifice left a much longer impression on Margaret than you might think!
For Swit, in early interviews when she was appearing on M*A*S*H, the actor was generous, sharing with reporters intimate details from her life, both behind the scenes of the show and beyond.
In 1975, the UPI called Swit chatty and listed off the things she spoke about during their interview: "Loretta Swit — 5-foot-5, 117 pounds, ash blonde, green eyes — loves to talk. She also loves Szechuan food, cooking, reading, old horror movies, collecting porcelain figures, tennis, needlepoint, painting in watercolor, charcoal sketching, Renoir, Pissarro and Edward Hopper."
However, it turns out that as Swit did more and more interviews, she began to grow less chatty and more tight-lipped. By 1995, Swit was done talking about a lot of stuff in her life, including M*A*S*H.
A reporter for The Los Angeles Times wrote in 1995 (under the catty headline "Major Houlihan to Major Bummer") that an interview request with Swit generated a list of guidelines the reporter would have to follow if they wanted to talk to the actor.
Why was Swit so distant after so much time? She said the press had abused her, and she refused to do interviews with anyone who wouldn't sign a written form promising not to abuse her.
"If you can agree that you can abide by these guidelines, we will arrange an interview with Ms. Swit," her press team promised the Times reporter.
Among the guidelines was a strict order not to ask about M*A*S*H, as well as guidelines for how to refer to Swit's M*A*S*H character, should the writer feel they must mention M*A*S*H in their story.
"There is no real purpose served by questions relating to Ms. Swit's role as Major Margaret Houlihan in the television series M*A*S*H, which ended 12 years ago," the form read, continuing to say, "If there is any reference in your piece to Ms. Swit's role in M*A*S*H, her character is not to be referred to as the derogatory 'Hot Lips'; she should be referred to as 'Major Margaret Houlihan.'"
The form goes on to almost point directly to Swit stories like that Inquirer piece quoted above as being guilty of very bad behavior.
"Ms. Swit's personal life and privacy are not the topic of this interview, therefore we ask that these aspects of her life be respected. We ask that you refrain from asking such questions as those which relate to where she lives, past, present or future romances, hair color… age, family, weight, height, religion, and other questions of personal and private nature."
The Times reporter declined to interview Swit because of all the rules, and it's likely that many others made the same decision, contributing to the mystique that has long surrounded Swit, who is perhaps the most guarded out of all the M*A*S*H cast. Not much is known about her personal life.
In 1978, though, Swit was still feeling chatty enough to spill a little to the Associated Press. She told the newspaper that she called her house "Chateau M*A*S*H" and although she lived alone, she usually had no trouble finding company.
"I have boyfriends, and I was almost married recently," Swit said.
Comparing herself to Margaret in 1978, Swit said there were certain aspects of the character that resonated true to her nature, too.
"We're both career ladies," Swit said. "We both like to be efficient. I appreciate sensuality. I share certain feelings by wanting to be peaceful and with one person. I think Margaret wants to stop running around and wants her marriage to work."
Although shortly after M*A*S*H ended, Swit was less inclined to discuss what went on in her home life, her interviews in the Seventies provide a brief window into her personal world, where she was apparently surrounded by pewter rabbits and, like many of us, could frequently be found posted up on her couch late into the night.
"I'm a real horror movie buff," Swit said in 1975. "I like the old horror movies, Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney. If there’s something on TV at 3:30 in the morning that I like, I'll stay up for that."
Related
47 Comments
When he was younger, he had hernia surgery, and some of the mortar had hit on the scars, but he was also hit in the chest. It was bad. He was fixed up well and completely in Tokyo and he was promoted to full sergeant, where he was driving generals. His deportment was always top notch, and he found himself in Officer's Candidate School (OCS). He never scored less than a 90% but often scored a 100%. He had to be recommended for this OCS, just like going to a military Academy.
He was due to rotate out and he was asked to re-enlist to continue his training. I have NO DOUBT that my dad could have been a great 5 star general one day, but he politely declined, truthfully giving his reason that he had plans to go home, meet a nice lady, get married and have a family. He was almost on the money. He served from very early January 1951- Middle January 1954 and within two weeks of arriving home, he met my mother and I guess you could say it was Kismet. They married in September 1956. My brother was born in October 1957 and I in December 1961.
As for the shrapnel that got my dad, it was 3-4 inches long and it was the angriest piece of steel or mixed metals I have ever seen!! It had sharp and jagged pieces and edges to it and we are damn lucky it did not kill him. I wear his original dogtags. They are the notched type and oddly enough, were all made on Addressograph Multigraph Machines. Contrary to popular belief, the notch is not to put into the teeth of a dead soldier. It was a simple mistake made on two styles of the company's machines. Oddly, the company was based in Cleveland, Ohio and my dad, his father and older brother worked for the company. Most soldiers, beginning with THE KOREAN WAR had the rounded version of the tags. Also odd is that very few had the notched sets. Also, it only had the soldier's name on the tag, his US number, blood type and religion. The 2 tags were worn equally, not like in M*A*S*H. An 'X' meant no belief or doubt the existence of God. A 'Y' meant you believed in God but had not decided on a formal religion or faith.
I got a replacement set of my dad's tags in case something happened to the original set with the notch. I got the rounded set for my mom. I got a replacement set of my Uncle's WW2 tags, but had to get the ones in the shape like my dad's. When he served in WW2, they wore square tags on the corner hole chain. These are completely unavailable. For the original set of dad's I got a red tag of my own to wear with it because it has my name, our now chosen faith and allergies and main diseases/disorders. Important stuff. When you watch M*A*S*H, look closely at the tags......they are an Olive drab tint with way too much information on them. You get a small chain when you buy tags, but that is for a P-48 can opener for K-Rations. For participants in later wars or actions, one can get their "round " tags or the longer ones, and also the "silencers." These are rubber bumpers to wrap around the tags so they do not make the clanking noise.
The Korean War Vets often spoke about the horns, hooters and firecrackers plus loud noises that the North Koreans and mainly Chinese soldiers set off in early morning raids when it was still dark. The rubber soled almost tennis shoes was the other thing. This was to put the South Koreans and her supporters on edge. It worked, but millions of Chinese were ill equipped and died along with hundreds of thousands of North Koreans. In the end, there was no peace, It was an armistice, a very fragile sort of peace, with the North agitating little skirmishes over the next 50 years. There were many times a hot war during these so-called Cold War era was almost tripped a few hundred times because the North constantly were agitating the Demilitarized Zone. The other side was enough NOT to take the bait. They were the UN, USA and of course the South Koreans.
However, she did become a true redeemer as the latter years went by---when she understood her nurses better, came to know Klinger on a personal basis, truly got to know the doctors, stopped being so "GI," and her mixed up feelings about possibly being a mother. The final taped show---after the finale, was about the time capsule, was when she truly felt more open and caring for the things the surgeons' donated, which had 'real' meaning. Did anyone notice the teddy bear was NOT the original in that scene? In the finale, everyone truly displayed their genuine love and affection for each other. Which begs the question, my father was a Purple Heart Korean War Veteran and why would she be so negative about a show that shed light on a "Forgotten War," when her character, regardless of what stage of her life she was in---her triage program, so much more than freedom from her ex-husband and jerk, but displaying her talents and freeing the surgeons, Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan was a smart and funny character, played by an even more brilliant actress.
She actually should be more grateful and happy about the work she did, the lady she created and the friends she made.....and of course, the wonderful and enduring memories she helped make----for the Veterans and their families who deserved so much better than they received.
So many of them and us would not get to watch our fathers' see the Korean War Memorial!!!!! I wish she would have more gratitude for a 'dramedy', a new word invented for what they were doing that made her career and her, Loretta Swit, a household name.
Heard an interview with her a couple of years ago, she's a NUT, and made me like her less than I already did.
-1.jpg)
Those that wish to participate in the Weekly Movie Quiz.
Reward:
Conversation as to what this movie might be. Along with a music vids, Movie trailers, Bonus movies, cartoons or Humorous items.
Winners name in MeTV Lights
Just plain ole fun
Friday Night....Friday Night .....We all get together on Friday Night!
Let's go to: Can you guess which classic Western these child stars are in?
No later then 10:00 P.M CT (start time)
Also, on more than one occasion, I've been turned sour upon learning of some public figures' private leanings. Short of anything criminal, I don't need to know.
The person that's the worst off is Bill Shatner. Having guest stared in countless shows and staring in 3 programs he is only recognized for Star Trek. How many times can you hear "beam me up Scotty" before you start flipping people off?
Unfortunately, this does come with the territory of being known for this role or that.
But where is it going to be?
I'll be there!
It will be in the comment section of this 🙂
You're an interesting contributor!
And I appreciate that!!