The Cheeky Nickname Loretta Swit Called M*A*S*H Co-Star Alan Alda For Decades

The beloved characters of "M*A*S*H" delivered equal parts laughter and drama for more than a decade — longer than the actual Korean War lasted. The show's unconventional humor and anti-war messaging hit home with post-Vietnam audiences, and the splendid acting only added to its popularity. So strong was the ensemble that even when cast members like McLean Stevenson left the show, their successors proved to be just as popular, if not more so. (Who didn't adore Colonel Potter?) 

The love-hate relationship between authority-defying doctor Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) and by-the-book head nurse Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit) was a constant dance throughout the series. The two shared a passionate, brief encounter in one episode when they were trapped behind enemy lines, but later agreed they were better off as friends. Alda and Swit worked so well together, one might assume they were one of the real-life loves of "M*A*S*H" off-set. That assumption would be wrong — Alda has been happily married to Arlene Alda since 1957, and Swit's only marriage ended in divorce. Nonetheless, the two were still such close friends that they shared an inside-joke nickname.

Speaking to People in 2022 about the show's 50th anniversary, Alda admitted that he wasn't exactly a household name at first. Arriving at work after the first episode of "M*A*S*H" aired, the actor  recalled, "The guard looked at me with no hint of recognition, even though I'd been seeing him there every morning for a month." The guard asked him his name. "'Alan Alda,' I said. He looked puzzled and said, 'Alan Ogre?' When I got to the soundstage, I told Loretta [Swit] about my first moment of fame, and to this day she calls me Alan Ogre."

Unlike so many other sitcoms, "M*A*S*H" featured a cast of characters whose personalities and plot lines became more complex over time. Snooty Charles Winchester showed his sensitive side when he helped a wounded soldier rediscover his musical gift. After his Army discharge, Radar O'Reilly left behind his beloved teddy bear, a sign of the maturity he'd gained. Perhaps the greatest character growth of all, though, was that of the 4077's head nurse. Loretta Swit transformed Maj. "Hot Lips" Houlihan from a stereotype to a fully realized woman.

"Loretta campaigned hard to have her character not be seen as a one-note joke," Alan Alda explained in his interview with People. Her good friend, "Ogre," was also able to flesh out his signature role. In early seasons of the show, Hawkeye was an insufferable womanizer; later years found the sarcastic surgeon developing deeper feelings for the women who came into his life and the Korean citizens around him.

In May 2025, Swit joined the likes of Edward Winter, Harry Morgan, and many other "M*A*S*H" actors we've sadly lost. The two-time Emmy winner died in her Manhattan home at age 87. Alda posted a loving tribute to his former co-star on X (formerly Twitter): "Loretta was a supremely talented actor. She deserved all her 10 EMMY nominations and her 2 wins," he wrote. "But more than acting her part, she created it. 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."