M*A*S*H vet Mike Farrell breaks his silence about the death of his 'dynamo' costar Loretta Swit at age 87
M*A*S*H vet Mike Farrell reflects on working with late co-star Loretta Swit following her sudden passing last week.
Farrell, now 86, recalled the time they spent together on set and forming a close bond when they were starring on the medical drama series over 40 years ago.
The actor portrayed Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on the long-running TV series from 1975 to 1983 while Swit appeared on the show as Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan for all but 11 episodes of the 11 seasons.
'Loretta was a dynamo,' he told TMZ on Tuesday while remembering his late castmate — who died of suspected natural causes at the age of 87 on May 30.
He said she was 'sweet' and 'demure' off-camera, but as soon as she walked onto the set, she would instantly become her fiery character Hot Lips.
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'She was always doing something — whether she was working on a film. You know there is a lot of waiting time on set. So she was crocheting and she was reading a book,' he continued.
Farrell also recalled how Swit 'loved' to do needlepoint embroidery as a hobby and started making personalized gifts for each of their colleagues.
'The great thing I'll always remember about her is she would sit there and be her sweet, demure self and then they'd call for her to come in and do the scene and she'd go in and be roaring as Margaret,' he said.
He remembered how she would be 'hollering at somebody to do something that was going wrong and, "How dare you?" and so and so.
'Then she'd calm down and walk off and sit down and continue to do her needlepoint,' he said while chuckling.
He praised her 'extraordinary demonstration of the talent she had and the ability she had to focus.'
He said that the time the cast members lent to the show ultimately led to their great bond and becoming a 'family.'
'We really became deeply associate with each other's lives,' he explained. 'And you know over time we watched many of our comrades pass.'
The actor portrayed Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on the long-running TV series from 1975 to 1983 while Swit appeared on the show as Major Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan for all but 11 episodes of the 11 seasons; pictured October 2018 in New York City
He said she was 'sweet' and 'demure' off-camera, but as soon as she walked onto the set, she would instantly become her fiery character Hot Lips; pictured August 1976 in series still
About seeing his longtime friends and former co-stars 'slipping away one by one,' he said: 'It's been very difficult.'
He said that the four members of the crew carrying on the legacy of their show are himself as well as Alan Alda, Jamie Farr and Gary Burghoff.
'She was a trooper,' Farrell said while remembering Swit before adding that they liked to call her that nickname.
According to the outlet, he also addressed their longtime supporters and told them to not feel sad as she 'is probably thrilled to be with Harry Morgan, whom she was very fond of' as well as their other cast members who have passed.
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