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Mint
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
MASH actor Loretta Swit dies at 87: Who was she?
Actor Loretta Swit, best known for playing Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the hit TV show MASH, died at the age of 87, reported The Hollywood Reporter citing her publicist. Her death, at her home in Manhattan, was announced by her publicist, who said she was believed to have died of natural causes. Loretta Swit's publicist, Harlan Boll, said the actress passed away just after midnight on Friday at her home in New York City. The cause is believed to be natural, according to a police report. Born Loretta Jane Szwed on November 4, 1937, in Passaic, New Jersey, she studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She moved to Los Angeles in 1970, where she began landing television roles. In her later years, she focused on animal rights and returned to the screen in 2019 in a faith-based film Play the Flute. She was married to actor Dennis Holahan, whom she met on MASH*, from 1983 to 1995. Actress Loretta Swit attends the 2018 Farm Sanctuary on the Hudson Gala at Pier 60 on October 4, 2018 in New York City. Swit was a key part of the seminal Korean War comedy series "M*A*S*H" from the beginning to the end, appearing in 240 out of 251 episodes during its sensational 11-season run. For her role, Swit was nominated for an Emmy 10 times and won twice. Only Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye Pierce, shared the honour of appearing in both the pilot and the final episode of the series. The show sprang from an Oscar-winning 1970 film. It was aired initially in 1972 and was a hit until it finished in 1983. The comedy was set in a field hospital for the US Army during the Korean War, and starred Alan Alda as Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce. According to Reuters, the series tackled a range of issues from the tragic to the light-hearted, and was sometimes seen as a satire on US involvement in Vietnam -- a war that was still happening when it first began airing. Loretta Swit presents a tribute to "Mr. Rogers" at the 45th annual Daytime Emmy Awards on April 29, 2018, in Pasadena, Calif. The finale episode of MASH, which was aired on February 28, 1983, remains one of the most-watched television episodes in history, with nearly 106 million viewers. A kiss between Swit and Alda during that episode is often called the most expensive in TV history, due to how much ad space cost during the broadcast, as per The Hollywood Reporter. Loretta Swit also worked in films like Freebie and the Bean (1974), Race With the Devil (1975), and S.O.B. (1981). She was also known for her work on stage, including performances in The Odd Couple, Any Wednesday, and Same Time, Next Year on Broadway. Swit played a lead role in the original Cagney & Lacey pilot in 1981. However, because of her MASH* contract, she could not continue in the role when the series was picked up by CBS, as per the publication. Other movies during Swit's career included "Race With the Devil," a 1975 horror starring Peter Fonda, and 1972's "Stand Up and Be Counted" with Jacqueline Bisset.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Les Binks, Former Judas Priest Drummer, Dies at 73
Former Judas Priest drummer Les Binks, who held the spot in the metal band's lineup for a few crucial years in the late 1970s, had died at 73. The group members announced their bandmate's death on Tuesday morning (April 15), writing on Instagram, 'We are deeply saddened about the passing of Les and send our love to his family, friends and fans. The acclaimed drumming he provided was first class – demonstrating his unique techniques, flair, style and precision – Thank you Les – your acclaim will live on…..' More from Billboard Gone But Not Forgotten: Musicians We Lost in 2025 Katy Perry Posts Video of Her Blue Origin Flight Featuring Outer Space Reveal of Tour Setlist Lil Nas X Reveals Partial Paralysis of Right Side of His Face: 'I Can't Even Laugh Right' Born in Portadown, Northern Ireland, on Aug. 8, 1951, Binks (born James Leslie Binks), spent time drumming with Eric Burdon and the Animals and War, as well as the pop group Fancy before joining Judas Priest in 1977. The band formed in Birmingham, England, in 1969 and fronted by leather-loving singer Rob Halford released its debut album, Rocka Rolla, in 1974, followed by 1996's Sad Wings of Destiny. Binks made his first appearance with group in time for 1977's Sin After Sin, the band's major label debut. The sessions saw the exit of early drummer Alan Moore, who was replaced by Simon Phillips for the recording. But, with Moore unavailable to tour, Binks was tapped to hit the road with the band after bringing his signature double-bass barrage to the bonus track cover of The Gun's 'Race With the Devil.' The drummer made his biggest mark on 1978's Stained Class, where his massive, double kick drum sound and blitzkrieg style is a standout from the very first seconds of opening track 'Exciter,' one of the songs that set the stage for the speed and thrash metal of the 1980s. The album, considered by many fans to be one of the group's finest efforts, featured a rare co-songwriting credit for Binks on the ominous prog-metal shouter 'Beyond the Realms of Death.' Binks also appeared on the follow-up, 1978's Killing Machine (which was released as Hell Bent for Leather in the U.S.), the most commercially oriented collection to date from the Priest, and the LP that would also mark his swan song with the group. Anchored by meaty rock anthems such as 'Rock Forever' and the raucous 'Hell Bent For Leather,' the album set the stage for what would become the band's commercial breakthrough on 1980s British Steel, which featured the hits 'Living After Midnight' and Beavis and Butt-Head favorite 'Breaking the Law'; Binks was replaced on that album by former Trapeze drummer Dave Holland. Binks' final record with Judas Priest would be the band's 1979 Unleashed in the East live album recorded in Tokyo earlier that year, after which he split following a reported dispute with band manager Mike Dolan over compensation for the live LP. The drummer played with a series of other bands throughout the 1980s and '90s (Lionhearted, Tytan) and formed the all-star Priest cover band Les Binks' Priesthood, in 2017. In a testament to the crucial role he played in the development of Judas Priest's sound, Binks was on stage with the rest of Priest in 2022 when the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and performed as part of their three-song set in one of his final public appearances before his death. Check out their performance at the RRHOF ceremony below. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
