Actor Sally Kellerman Dies February 24
Sally Kellerman, the actor best known for her Oscar-nominated portrayal of “Hot Lips” Houlihan in the film “M*A*S*H,” died on February 24, 2022. She was 84.
Fans will remember that “Hot Lips” Houlihan was a main character in the TV version of “M*A*S*H” as well, but Kellerman was replaced by Loretta Swit.
Kellerman was born in Long Beach, California, and she attended Hollywood High School where she felt excluded by cliques. She took acting classes and joined the Actors Studio West in the 1950s. She said, “I was too chicken to go to New York, which in my day was the only way for an actress to get any respect. I worked as an elevator operator, a waitress in a beatnik coffeeshop on Sunset Strip. All actresses start out as waitresses.”
“M*A*S*H,” directed by Robert Altman, was released in 1970. Kellerman appeared in several other Altman projects, including “The Player,” “Ready to Wear,” “Brewster McCloud,” and Welcome to “L.A.” Regarding Altman, Kellerman once said, “Well, there was a lot of chauvinism there, sure. I loved Bob but he was a real male chauvinist, probably the worst. I’m kidding. Sort of kidding.”
Known for her distinctive throaty voice, Kellerman was cast in dozens of movies, television shows, and commercials, both on-screen and as a voice actor. She observed, “I’ve been so lucky to have a voice that people seem to enjoy listening to. Since the ‘60s, I’ve been doing voiceovers, a very successful career with that.”
In 2011, in the movie “Night Club,” Kellerman portrayed a woman with dementia. She herself was later diagnosed with the same condition.
Sally Kellerman died in Woodland Hills, California. She is survived by one son and one daughter.
To learn more about her in her own words, read her memoir “Read My Lips: Stories of a Hollywood Life.”
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SOURCES
Alsup, Dave. “Sally Kellerman, ‘M*A*S*H’ film star and Oscar nominee, has died at 84.” CNN, February 25, 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/24/entertainment/sally-kellerman-oscar-nominated-mash-star-death/index.html.
Dagan, Carmel. “Sally Kellerman, Oscar-Nominated as ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan in ‘MASH,’ Dies at 84.” Variety, February 24, 2022, https://variety.com/2022/film/news/sally-kellerman-dead-mash-1235189810/.
Ebert, Robert. “Interview with Sally Kellerman.” RogerEbert.com, April 13, 1980, https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/interview-with-sally-kellerman.
Freeman, Paul. “Sally Kellerman: Hotter Than Ever!” Pop Culture Classics, May 2010, http://www.popcultureclassics.com/sally_kellerman.html.
Hughes, William. “R.I.P. M*A*S*H star Sally Kellerman.” AV Club, February 24, 2022, https://www.avclub.com/r-i-p-m-a-s-h-star-sally-kellerman-1848591996.
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