When she wasn’t playing her Emmy Award-winning character Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan on the classic TV series M*A*S*H, the late actress Loretta Swit took on a wide range of roles in other projects.
Swit, who died Friday in her home in New York City, used each opportunity to stretch her talents beyond the iconic show that made her a household name.
One of the movies Swit made during her time on M*A*S*H was the 1975 horror-thriller Race with the Devil, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this month. Filmed in San Antonio and surrounding towns, the movie centers on two couples whose road trip takes a terrifying turn when they witness a human sacrifice while camping in rural Texas, attracting the attention of a Satanic cult.
We interviewed Swit over the phone on April 14. During our interview, the 87-year-old actress discussed the challenges of shooting the film in Texas, her memorable scenes and the Race with the Devil‘s cult status.
This interview originally ran at the San Antonio Current.
Does it feel like 50 years ago that you made Race with the Devil?
I’m not good at [remembering] how many years ago something happened. I would say, vaguely, it was a long time ago. I remember … I was already doing M*A*S*H. It was a long running [series]. It began in 1972 and became such a phenomenon. I have those dates in my head. You know, we ended [M*A*S*H] in 1983. We had 11 seasons, so I kind of know those numbers. I was shooting Race [with the Devil] while I was in M*A*S*H. I guess it’s been a long while.
What do you remember most about shooting the film? I know you were in San Antonio for a while. You also shot in Bandera and Castroville and that area.
It was a touring shoot. We kept moving. We didn’t have a place where we shot from. So, we were all over Texas, which was, of course, pleasant. It was a difficult shoot because of that. One of the reasons we kept moving like that [was because] we were always in the RV. The vehicle became [the place] where we took turns to put on wardrobe or makeup. We used it for everything.
At the beginning of the film, we see you driving the RV through downtown San Antonio. Were you really driving?
I was indeed! Let me tell you how scary that [was]. The fellas (co-stars Peter Fonda and Warren Oates) would be yelling, “Brake, Loretta, brake!” (Laughs). But, yes, I actually did drive. And the snakes were real too. Everything was pretty real. Maybe that’s why it scared people sufficiently to be memorable.
You know, one of the rumors was that director Jack Starrett actually hired real satanists for the film. Was that true?
(Laughs.) No, there were no little satanists running around Texas. That’s probably not true. But all those Texans can be little devils.
Speaking of Jack, he replaced the original director, Lee Frost. What was happening there from your perspective?
Lee Frost didn’t seem to have a handle on how to direct the movie. I’m not big on just walking up and saying, “Mr. Man, you don’t know what you’re doing.” [20th Century] Fox was not happy with Lee too. We had a little conference, and they said it wasn’t working out. They saw the dailies and weren’t happy with them, so they let him go. Jack had a handle on what he wanted to do with the movie.
The film was such a staple in 1975 at the drive-in theater. How do you feel, 50 years later, that there are so few drive-ins left in America?
My memories of the drive-in were during my high school days. They were for younger kids, a younger generation, with popcorn and soda pop and sitting in a car. The whole concept was great, but [drive-ins] were aimed at a younger audience, which I think accounts for their disappearance. Our youngsters today are a lot different than the teenyboppers I grew up with. I think they’re more adult than we were.
So, let’s talk about the snake scene. Were the snakes defanged? How did you get through that?
They weren’t defanged. They were not hurt in any way. Their poison was milked. I saw them do it. It was quite something. At first, [working with the snakes] was scary. But after a while, it wasn’t. They had personalities. After a while, you could develop a relationship with them. They have a terrible reputation, but [those snakes] were harmless. They did a wonderful acting job. They were just like fellow actors.
Have you ever had to scream more in your career than you did in this movie?
I don’t think so. I think that’s probably the most screaming I’ve done. It’s the most scared I think I’ve ever [been for a role]. It was the only [horror movie] that I’ve ever done, which is crazy [because] as an audience, I love [horror]. That’s my favorite genre. I love a good scare.
The genre has changed so much in the last half century, don’t you think?
Of course, as the industry has developed technically, sure. It’s grown tremendously. Honestly, I would say that one of my favorite actors of all time is Boris Karloff. He was a lovely gentleman [and] a wonderful man. Look how brilliant he was in those films – The Mummy and Frankenstein. He was a wonderful actor. He thrilled us and scared us.
The final scene in Race with the Devil is left open-ended. What do you think happens to your character at the end of the film?
I think that’s what set the film apart. That’s why we’re still celebrating anniversaries. We don’t know [what happens]. I think they look pretty doomed. That was the first time a movie of that nature left you hanging on a cliff. [The main characters] think everything’s over, they’re taking deep breaths, and suddenly there’s a circle of fire around the vehicle. You know what’s going to happen. They’re not prepared. The satanists are more prepared. What was so interesting about the film [was] that it would end on that note. It just worked.
Would you be for or against a remake of Race with the Devil?
You’d have to have a good script. I was thinking more of a sequel. Go further with it [and] open [the movie] with that ring of fire and then decide where you go from there. Does it consume the vehicle? Do their families go to find out what happened to them? Let’s assume they were devoured by the fire and the satanists. Now, there’s an investigation into what happened. Then, it becomes an interesting sequel; more interesting than a remake.
Do you ever think about your legacy?
What’s to think about? I’m living it! That’s the most honest answer I can give you.