Throughout the series, Margaret Houlihan progressed from a borderline antagonist on M*A*S*H to an integral member of the 4077th. It's a well-documented journey that speaks to the talent of actor Loretta Swit.

According to an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Swit seemed to be aware of her character's shortcomings.

"Hot Lips is obnoxious at times," she said. "But I always look for something amusing about her so audiences will laugh instead of just being angry with her. She's a career woman and sticks by Army regulations. She also happens to fall apart over Major Burns in the show."

But as dramatic as M*A*S*H can feel at times, Swit said that she made an effort to keep Houlihan grounded. "I work hard at making Hot Lips understandable," she said. "As an Army nurse, she lives by the book except in her private life. Most of the time she is the antagonist who puts the story in motion. Naturally, it's not all acting. Part of Hot Lips is me. Physically we are the same person."

While Hot Lips is mainly known for her good looks. However, Swit admitted that playing such a character did take a toll on her. "It's difficult to play an attractive woman who plays the heavy week after week," she said. "I can't be too heavy because, after all, it is a comedy. But I have to put down the men and lay them out as often as possible."

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Of course, Swit was supported by her costars, who were every bit as dedicated as she was. "We've only been on the air a year, but the family feeling of this cast is just about the best-known story in Hollywood," she said. "When we got together this month to start the new season it was like a reunion of school kids - all the hugging, laughing, and screaming. We're extraordinarily close because we're all from the theater and live on the East Coast. So we have a similar approach to our work. We help one another and criticize ourselves to make the show better."

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