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M*A*S*H character guide

Who is Margaret Houlihan in M*A*S*H?

The tough, by-the-book head nurse of the 4077th, nicknamed "Hot Lips," who starts as Frank Burns's ally against the surgeons and grows into one of the camp's most respected officers.

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Margaret Houlihan's Sitcomdle clue card

The five clues the game shows when Margaret Houlihan is the answer or a guess.

Show
M*A*S*H
Debut
1972
Network
CBS
Role
Main
Gender
Female

Margaret Houlihan has not been a daily answer yet. Play today's Sitcomdle.

Show
M*A*S*H
Played by
Loretta Swit
First episode
“Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1, aired September 17, 1972
Role
Main cast
Network
CBS
Occupation
Head nurse, 4077th MASH
Show run
1972 to 1983
Also known as
Hot Lips, Hot Lips Houlihan, Major Houlihan, Margaret Penobscott

Major Margaret Houlihan runs the nurses of the 4077th with Regular Army discipline and a fierce temper. Played by Loretta Swit for all eleven seasons of M*A*S*H, she changes more than almost anyone else at the camp.

On M*A*S*H, Margaret Houlihan's story runs through Frank Burns (Ex-lover), Hawkeye Pierce (Rival turned Friend), Sherman Potter (Commanding Officer), Charles Winchester (Colleague), and Maxwell Klinger (Corporal).

Margaret Houlihan from M*A*S*H: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Margaret Houlihan?

Margaret is the head nurse of the 4077th MASH and the highest-ranking woman in the unit. She is a career officer and an Army brat, the daughter of a hard-charging colonel nicknamed "Howitzer Al," and she has moved from base to base her whole life. She believes in regulations, inspections, and doing things the Army way.

She is also an excellent surgical nurse. However much she disapproves of Hawkeye and his friends off duty, she respects their skill in the operating room, and she defends her nurses fiercely. Under the armor is a lonely woman who has never really had a hometown or many close friends.

Personality and comedy

In the early seasons Margaret is half of a comic duo with Frank Burns. The two carry on a not-so-secret affair while scheming to report the unmilitary doctors, and Hawkeye and Trapper make them frequent targets. Her nickname, "Hot Lips," is used to tease her passionate side, and her outbursts and slammed doors are a big part of the show's early humor.

As the series goes on, the writers give her more depth. She drops her stiffest edges, joins in some of the camp's fun, and becomes a trusted colleague to the surgeons she once fought. The nickname fades out in later seasons as the characters start calling her Margaret.

Key storylines

Margaret's affair with Frank ends when she realizes he will never leave his wife. In season five she gets engaged to Lieutenant Colonel Donald Penobscott, and she marries him in the season finale, which also turns out to be Frank's final episode. The marriage falls apart from a distance, and she divorces Donald in season seven.

Other turning points show her humanity. In "The Nurses" she breaks down in front of the nurses who resent her, and in "Comrades in Arms" she and Hawkeye are stranded under artillery fire and finally see each other clearly. In the finale she shares a long farewell kiss with Hawkeye before heading home to a new Army hospital post.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Loretta Swit played Margaret in every season of the TV series, after Sally Kellerman originated the role in the 1970 film. Swit won two Emmy Awards for the part, in 1980 and 1982, and she pushed the writers to develop Margaret's engagement storyline.

Margaret is often cited as one of the great character arcs of 1970s television. She begins as a punchline and ends as a capable, complicated officer the whole camp respects, without ever losing her fire.

Key Margaret Houlihan episodes

  1. “Hot Lips and Empty Arms”Season 2, Episode 14News of an old friend's happy life makes Margaret question her own and request a transfer.
  2. “Margaret's Engagement”Season 5, Episode 3Margaret comes back from Tokyo engaged to Donald Penobscott, leaving Frank reeling.
  3. “The Nurses”Season 5, Episode 6A feud with her nurses ends with Margaret admitting how isolated she feels.
  4. “Margaret's Marriage”Season 5, Episode 25Deciding eight months is long enough to be engaged, Margaret marries Donald right away.
  5. “Comrades in Arms: Part 1”Season 6, Episode 13Margaret and Hawkeye are lost in enemy territory and forced to rely on each other.
  6. “Hot Lips is Back in Town”Season 7, Episode 20Margaret's divorce from Donald becomes final.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Margaret Houlihan: frequently asked questions

Who plays Margaret Houlihan in M*A*S*H?

Loretta Swit plays Margaret in the TV series from 1972 to 1983 and won two Emmys for the role. Sally Kellerman played her in the 1970 film.

Why is Margaret called Hot Lips?

It comes from the original novel and the 1970 film, where it is tied to her affair with Frank Burns. The TV series never explains it on screen, and the nickname fades out in later seasons.

Who does Margaret Houlihan marry?

She marries Lieutenant Colonel Donald Penobscott in "Margaret's Marriage," the season five finale. They divorce in season seven.

Do Hawkeye and Margaret ever get together?

Not romantically for long, but after years of feuding they become close, and they share a long, emotional goodbye kiss in the series finale.

What happens to Margaret at the end of M*A*S*H?

When the war ends she accepts a position at an Army hospital back in the United States.

Test yourself: Margaret Houlihan quiz

5 questions about Margaret Houlihan. Think of your answer, then open the reveal to check it.

  1. Question 1

    What is Major Margaret Houlihan's famous nickname?

    1. Iron Maiden
    2. Sweet Pea
    3. Hot Lips
    4. Major Trouble
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Hot Lips

    The nickname teases Margaret's passionate side during the early seasons. It fades as the writers deepen her character and others start calling her Margaret.

    See question 5 in the full quiz

  2. Question 2

    Whom does Margaret Houlihan marry in the season five finale?

    1. Frank Burns
    2. Sam Flagg
    3. Hawkeye Pierce
    4. Donald Penobscott
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. Donald Penobscott

    Margaret decides a long engagement is long enough and weds Donald in "Margaret's Marriage." It is also Larry Linville's final episode as Frank Burns.

    See question 13 in the full quiz

  3. Question 3

    Who plays Margaret Houlihan in M*A*S*H?

    1. Jason Sudeikis
    2. Loretta Swit
    3. Yvette Nicole Brown
    4. Eugene Levy
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Loretta Swit

    Loretta Swit plays Margaret Houlihan.

  4. Question 4

    In what year did Margaret Houlihan first appear on M*A*S*H?

    1. 1976
    2. 1970
    3. 1972
    4. 1966
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. 1972

    Margaret Houlihan debuted in 1972, in "Pilot" (Season 1, Episode 1). That year is the Debut clue in the game.

  5. Question 5

    Which episode was Margaret Houlihan's first?

    1. "The Contest"
    2. "Gay Witch Hunt"
    3. "Pilot"
    4. "Goodbye, Toby"
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. "Pilot"

    Margaret Houlihan first appeared in "Pilot," Season 1, Episode 1.

Take the full M*A*S*H quiz (20 questions)

Sources and corrections

Reference pages used for this guide, including character, cast, and episode details.

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