Sally Kellerman, the actress know for her portrayals of Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in the movie “M*A*S*H” and the Rodney Dangerfield’s love interest in “Back to School,” died Thursday at age 84, the Hollywood Reporter says.
Her son, Jack Krane, told the site she died at an assisted care facility in Woodland Hills, California, after a battle with dementia.
Kellerman was Oscar-nominated for her performance in Robert Altman’s “M*A*S*H” (1970) as the head nurse of a U.S. mobile medical unit during the Korean War. A by-the book Army vet, she has an affair with the equally officious head surgeon (Robert Duvall) and is targeted for pranks by rebellious doctors.
On the long-running CBS spinoff series, the role was assumed by Loretta Swit.
“I never wanted it,” Kellerman told the Sun-Times in 2013. “At that time, I was trying so hard to get out of television and do movies and, of course, tour singing with my band and making music. …
“When ‘M*A*S*H’ was into its 11th season, I thought, ‘What have I done?! They’re all rich!’ … But no, I seriously have never regretted not doing it.”
In 1986’s “Back to School,” Kellerman won a new generation of fans as a college English professor who catches the eye of a wealthy freshman played by Dangerfield.
“I really did fall in love with him,” Kellerman said in a Sun-Times interview then. “He’s a sweet, very funny man. So it was easy. And the director was very sensitive. But it’s just like real life. When you get interested in someone, you start by hanging out with them. When you really get along and you really like them, romantic things follow. It was the same way here.”
At the time, Kellerman was landing roles in other high-profile films including Henry Jaglom’s “Valentine” and Blake Edwards’ “That’s Life.”
“Usually, I’m thought of as some kind of kook or flake,” Kellerman said then. “From ‘Hot Lips’ on, I’ve had this kooky image. But now I think I’m getting some very good roles. Some very human roles.”
