“Loretta was a supremely talented actor. She deserved all her 10 EMMY nominations and her 2 wins,” Alan Alda wrote via X on Friday, May 30. “But more than acting her part, she created it.”

Alda, now 89, starred Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce on M*A*S*H, while Swit played Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan. The pair were the only two actors to appear in both the pilot and finale of the war series, which aired for 11 seasons from 1972 to 1983. In his tribute post, Alda recalled how Swit put her all into the role.

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,” he continued. “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.”Mike Farrell, who joined the cast in season 4 as B.J. Hunnicutt, also paid his respects to Swit.