Born in Passaic, New Jersey, to Polish-American parents, Swit was once a self-described “fat little kid with braces who was very, very shy.”
But from the moment she first sat in a darkened theater with her mother, watching double features and dreaming of the big screen, Swit’s path was set.
In her early years, access to wellness programs and mental health support—topics rarely discussed back then—might have played a role in helping her overcome childhood anxiety and find her voice.
“I always wanted to be an actress,” she told PEOPLE in a 1979 cover story, her eyes bright with the passion that would define her life. “Luckily, my mother loved movies and we would go to double features and sit through both films twice.”
Her early years were marked by determination and grit. Swit trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, took odd jobs to pay the bills, and never lost sight of her dream. At a time when student medical coverage and affordable insurance for performing artists were rare, she pushed forward with unshakable resolve.
