Trivia

Her name "Swoosie" is derived from "Swoose" - half swan, half goose - which was the name of the B-17D bomber that her father piloted in World War II. This same aircraft (USAAC 40-3097) once carried future-president Lyndon B. Johnson back to Australia from Port Moresby, New Guinea, after he rode as a Navy observer on a B-26 raid on Lae. It is now owned by the National Air and Space Museum in Washington.

In 1962, Swoosie and her father both appeared on the game show To Tell the Truth (1956). Col. Kurtz was the contestant, and 18-year-old Swoosie came out at the end of the game to identify her father by handing him his uniform jacket.

Played Terry O'Quinn's mother in the Lost (2004) episode, Deus Ex Machina (2005), being just 8 years older than him.

Has twice won Broadway's Tony Award as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play): in 1981 for "The Fifth of July" and in 1986 for "The House of Blue Leaves." She was also nominated two other times: in 1978 as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) for "Tartuffe," and in 2004 as Best Actress (Play) for "Frozen."

Appeared both in Dangerous Liaisons (1988), and a remake, Cruel Intentions (1999), in different roles.

Was supposedly considered for the role of Molly in the film 'Ghost' (1990). The filmmakers thought they could get a lot of mileage out of 'Swoosie & Swayze' for publicity purposes but apparently Patrick Swayze threatened to walk away from the production if they went with that gimmick.

Starred in the first production of Terrence McNally's play "Lips Together, Teeth Apart" with Nathan Lane, Christine Baranski and Anthony Heald. (May 28, 1991)

She was nominated for a 1975 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actress in a Principal Role for her performance in "The Philanthropist", at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Nominated for the 2007 Tony Award (New York City) for Actress in a Drama for "Heartbreak House".

She was awarded the 1987 Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Performance for "Hunting Cockroaches" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

Appeared in "Heartbreak House" for the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City. (November 2006)

Is a registered Democrat.