ATALE DT

★ LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD ★
Perhaps best known for
her work as Major Margaret
Houlihan on the popular television
series M*A*S*H from
1972 to 1983, actress Loretta
Swit is equally at home playing
comedy or drama on
stage, screen or television.
Born in New Jersey, Ms. Swit
studied acting with Gene
Frankel in Manhattan and
trained at the American Academy
of Dramatic Arts.
Her Broadway debut was in
Same Time, Next Year opposite
Ted Bessell and later opposite
former FLIFF guest
Don Murray. She returned to
Broadway to replace Cleo
Laine in the musical The Mystery
of Edwin Drood. Some of
her additional theatrical work
includes touring in the national
company of the comedy
Any Wednesday with
Gardner McKay and as one
of the Pigeon sisters opposite
former FLIFF honoree Ernest
Borgnine and Don Rickles in
the Los Angeles production of
The Odd Couple. She appeared with two companies of the legendary
musical Mame, one with Susan Hayward and one with
former FLIFF honoree Celeste Holm and later played the title
role herself. She has appeared in over 1,000 performances of
Shirley Valentine and received the Sarah Siddons Award,
Chicago’s most prestigious theatre honor, for her work in this
production. In 2010, she appeared for three months in a Canadian
production of Shirley Valentine. Among her other stage
credits are Love Letters with Anthony Franciosa, the musical
spoof Song of Singapore and The Vagina Monologues in New
York, Chicago and London’s West End, the national tour of 42nd
Street, Doubt, Cactus Flower and Love, Loss and What I Wore.
Ms. Swit made her feature film debut in Stand Up and be
Counted with former FLIFF honoree Jacqueline Bisset and has
also appeared in such movies as Freebie and the Bean with FLIFF
honoree James Caan and Alan Arkin, Race with the Devil with
LORETTA SWIT
Peter Fonda, Beer with Rip
Torn, S.O.B. with Julie Andrews
and William Holden,
Whoops Apocalypse with
Peter Cook and Herbert Lom,
Forest Warrior with Chuck
Norris and Boardheads with
Bronson Pinchot.
She has appeared in over 25
television movies including the
original Cagney and Lacey in
which she created the role of
Chris Cagney, Games Mother
Never Taught You with Sam
Waterston, Hell Hath No Fury
with Barbara Eden, The Execution
with Sandy Dennis and
Rip Torn, Dreams of Gold with
Cliff Robertson and A Killer
Among Friends with Patty
Duke, which was the highest
rated television movie of that
year. In addition to appearing
on The Muppet Show, Ms.
Swit has appeared in such
highly popular holiday television
films as The Best Christmas
Pageant Ever, Miracle at
Moreaux and A Christmas
Calendar.
In addition to the Sarah Siddons Award, Ms. Swit has received
such honors as the People’s Choice Award, the Genie Award,
the Silver Satellite Award, the Jean Golden Halo Award, the Pacific
Broadcasters Award and two Emmy Awards. She has been
nominated for ten Emmy Awards and six Golden Globe Awards
and was named Woman of the Year by both the Animal Protection
Institute and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
As impassioned about animals as she is about acting, Ms.
Swit is 1st Vice President of Actors and Others for Animals, an
honorary board member of The Wildlife Waystation, chairperson
for the Hooved Animal Rescue Protection Society and has acted
as spokesperson for The Farm Sanctuary and the Humane Society
of the U.S. Her wildlife series, Those Incredible Animals,
was seen twice weekly for five years on the Discovery Channel
and has been aired in over 30 countries. The program was also
featured on Animal Planet.
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Ms. Swit will receive the FLIFF Lifetime achievement award on
wednesday, November 11 prior to the screening of NeveR THe SaMe
at Cinema Paradiso – Lauderdale.