Why M*A*S*H Legend Loretta Swit Had To Turn Down A Classic Cop Drama

"M*A*S*H" might have made an icon out of Loretta Swit, but her obligation to the show also caused her to miss out on the "Cagney & Lacey" series. "Cagney & Lacey" began as a TV movie, and Loretta Swit portrayed Christine Cagney, with Tyne Daly starring as Mary Beth Lacey. It was a massive success, and this prompted CBS to order six episodes.

However, Swit was unable to star in the show because she was overruled by executives who enforced her "M*A*S*H" contract and had her continue playing the role of Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan. In a Yahoo Entertainment interview, Loretta Swit revealed how she wanted to continue playing Cagney in the greenlit show. "I loved that character, and I was tempted to be on my own show as opposed to being part of an incredible ensemble where the show was the star," she said. Swit recalls 20th Century Fox telling her to "forget it" and that she would not be going anywhere.

Although she missed out on an opportunity that she was very excited about, the late Loretta Swit nonetheless spoke about "M*A*S*H" with great affection. Regarding the series finale, she revealed to Smashing Interviews Magazine that because of the massive viewership it generated, she would have "regretted not being a part of that." Furthermore, she was honored by the number of letters she received from women who became nurses because of Margaret: "To have contributed to someone's life like that is remarkable."