Loretta Swit grew up believing that "being different was bad." But as one of the only female actors on M*A*S*H for a total of 11 seasons, being different was essential.

Swit played the role of Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan. Her character was the head nurse at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. She held her own in a male-dominated environment, which resonated with many viewers.

While she had an incredible career on M*A*S*H, in real life, Swit knew what it felt like to experience freedom, only to have it taken away—whether in her career or personal life.

"I know what it's like not to feel that you have any freedom or choice," Swit said in a 1975 interview with The Miami Herald. "When I was a child, my family wanted nothing more for me than marriage and at least four kids. When I told them I had other plans, there was a lot wondering if they'd done something wrong. You know, 'It must have been something we fed her to make her turn out like this.'"

But Loretta had always strived for something different. Portraying a character like Major Houlihan gave her the confidence to see that being different could define a person in a positive way.

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M*A*S*H's Loretta Swit thought laughter and comedy were hard to come by

And while her parents didn't foresee a marriage in her future, her character on M*A*S*H fulfilled that dream—just in a way that neither they nor she may have expected. 

"It's funny, all right, but that's now," Swit said. "When it's happening, it hurts. It takes a long time to get over the idea of different as bad, to realize that it can also mean special. I thought that I was a freak for too long not to understand and sympathize with people who feel that way."

According to the interview, Swit said she had a strong sense of justice for anyone who had been mistreated. She used her role on M*A*S*H to highlight that. Her character was strong and independent, and that’s the example she wanted to set for others.

"If I have any cause at all, it's my great sense of anger at injustice of any sort," Swit said. "Because I'm a woman and because I'm Polish, I have more knowledge first-hand about those two areas, about injustice based on sex or ethnic background, but the concern is broader."

At the time of this interview, Swit made all "what's on the outside" questions off limits. For example, questions like "What's your favorite perfume?" or "What's your favorite makeup routine?"

Instead, she started talking about her personal growth, injustices and how to succeed while being "different."

"I guess you don't ever get over your childhood, but you don't have to be doomed by it," Swit said. "You learn to cope. I was such a quivering mass of fear before... Now, I'm... well, I hate to say I'm happy. Happiness is a by-product. It's what you get if you just go ahead and be yourself and do the best you can with it."

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