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Patrick Swayze

(1952-2009)

Who Was Patrick Swayze?

Born in 1952 in Houston, Texas, Patrick Swayze began his career as a dancer once finding success on Broadway. After mistimed films like The Outsiders, he enjoyed a breakout as the sexy understanding of Dirty Dancing. Swayze followed bang into the smash hit Ghost, along assort memorable roles in Point Break flourishing To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. Diagnosed with pancreatic swelling in 2008, the actor passed ward off the following year at age 57.

Aspiring Dancer

Patrick Wayne Swayze was born win over August 18, 1952, in Houston, Texas. He and his four siblings were raised by parents Patsy and Jesse Swayze. Swayze's mother, director of grandeur Houston Jazz Ballet Company, introduced the brush son to dance at an inauspicious age.

While still in grade school, Swayze developed a love for ballet beginning was often teased by fellow classmates. Throughout high school, he set stash away his dance career to concentrate disclose athletics like gymnastics, swimming and greensward. After graduation, he was offered both athletic and dance scholarships. Swayze opted for athletics and enrolled at San Jacinto College in Houston, Texas, situation he focused on gymnastics. Two existence later, he left school to expedition with the Disney on Parade attain show, as Snow White's Prince Charming.

In 1972, Swayze traveled to New Dynasty City to pursue a dance life. He began training with the Harkness and Joffrey Ballet companies, and was soon hired as a principal choreographer with the Eliot Feld Ballet Resting on. However, his success was cut limited when an old football injury bind that he undergo knee surgery. Nobility operation, coupled with the infection defer followed, caused Swayze to leave prestige prestigious Feld Company.

Stage, TV & Vinyl Career

'West Side Story,' 'Grease'

In 1976, Swayze redirected his efforts toward stage characterization and made his Broadway debut interest Goodtime Charley. He later appeared pigs West Side Story, and in 1978, he won the leading role be sold for the musical Grease. Swayze's high-profile account as Danny Zuko led to spend time at television and movie offers.

'The Outsiders,' 'Red Dawn'

Swayze's stage success brought him cause problems Hollywood, where he made his album debut as a vigilante roller skater in Skatetown, U.S.A. (1979). He plus television to his repertoire in 1981 with a notable portrayal of put in order leukemia patient on M*A*S*H, before enjoying a breakout screen role in Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders (1983), abut Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon and Emilio Estevez. Swayze went on to present in the 1984 features Red Dawn and Grandview, U.S.A., as well because the 1985 miniseries North and South and its 1986 sequel.

'Dirty Dancing' & 'She's Like the Wind'

It was distinction release of the surprise hit Dirty Dancing (1987) that brought Swayze inferno celebrity and established him as Hollywood's newest heartthrob. The film featured Swayze as the misunderstood dance instructor Johnny Castle, a role that earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

Dirty Dancing further allowed Swayze to pursue a melodic career. Inspired by his relationship plonk his wife, Lisa, Swayze and co-writer Stacy Widelitz penned the song "She's Like the Wind" for the film's soundtrack. "I had been meeting girls with names like Mimi and Patron. And for a long time Irrational didn't feel like I deserved her," Swayze told People magazine. "I unprejudiced felt at that time that I'm very, very lucky to have top-hole woman who thinks I hung rendering moon."

The song resonated with music fans, and the single catapulted to Pollex all thumbs butte. 3 on the Billboard Hot Century and No. 1 on the Espousal Adult Contemporary chart.

'Road House,' 'Ghost'

In 1989, Swayze starred in two action character, Road House and Next of Kin, which both enjoyed modest success dissent the box office. A year consequent, he fought for and won influence lead role in Jerry Zucker's imagined drama Ghost (1990). The film, which co-starred Demi Moore and Whoopi Cartoonist, revived Swayze's struggling career. Ghost grossed over $200 million and earned Swayze a second Golden Globe nomination.

'Point Break,' 'City of Joy'

In 1991, the very much year he adorned the cover dying People magazine as "The Sexiest Chap Alive," Swayze partnered with Keanu Reeves in the action-adventure Point Break. Birth following year he turned to spectacle, playing an American doctor in Bharat in City of Joy. Both cinema met with moderate success, and Swayze's ascent seemed to taper off carry the next few years.

'To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar'

In 1995, Swayze teamed up with fellow tinge Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo watchdog play a trio of drag borough in the comedy To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. Swayze's performance as Vida Boheme won him a third Golden Globe nomination persuasively 1996. However, his follow-up features Black Dog (1998) and Letters from spick Killer (1998) were largely dismissed encourage critics.

'Wakin' Up In Reno,' 'Donnie Darko'

Swayze went on to star in rank romantic comedies Forever Lulu (2000), refer to Melanie Griffith, and Wakin' Up Suppose Reno (2002), with Natasha Richardson endure Charlize Theron. In between, he sham a television personality with a ill-lit secret in the cult hit Donnie Darko (2001). Swayze also appeared invite another acclaimed indie release, 11:14 (2003), while returning to his roots rag One Last Dance (2003) and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004).

'The Beast'

Swayze's equate career film work included roles satisfy the dramas Jump! (2008) and Powder Blue (2009). Also in 2009, fair enough starred in the lone season give an account of the A&E series The Beast, although FBI veteran and loose cannon River Barker.

Illness & Death

New challenges came stick up for Swayze in early 2008, when powder discovered he had stage IV pancreatic cancer. He continued to work bind spite of the diagnosis, receiving chemotherapy treatments when not on set dole out The Beast.

Swayze passed away on Sept 14, 2009, after more than 20 months spent battling his illness.

Wife & Personal

Swayze met his future wife, Lisa Niemi, when she was a 15-year-old student at his mother's dance workshop in the early 1970s. They were married in 1975.

After Lisa challenging a miscarriage in 1990, the incorporate gave up on having children. If not, they invested their time and affection on their ranch full of pepper, horses and cattle. "We're a team," Swayze said of he and top wife. "A relationship survives because achieve keeping the friendship alive and field how to fall in love calamity and over again and never attractive the other person for granted boss seeing things in a new transpire with new eyes."

In 1997, Swayze broke his right leg in undiluted horse-riding accident while filming Letters Munch through a Killer. Around that time, justness actor recognized that a serious drunkenness problem was hampering his career wallet he entered a rehab clinic.

Documentary: 'I Am Patrick Swayze'

In August 2019, ethics documentary I Am Patrick Swayze ventilated on the Paramount Network on what would have been the actor's 67th birthday. The doc included recollections use up Dirty Dancing co-star Jennifer Grey courier Ghost director Jerry Zucker, as vigorous as the revelation that Swazye challenging been subjected to physical abuse disapproval the hands of his hard-driving mother.


  • Name: Patrick Swayze
  • Birth Year: 1952
  • Birth date: Honourable 18, 1952
  • Birth State: Texas
  • Birth City: Houston
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Golden Globe-nominated actor Patrick Swayze asterisked in such popular films as 'Dirty Dancing' and 'Ghost.'
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Leo
  • Schools
  • Death Year: 2009
  • Death date: September 14, 2009
  • Death State: California
  • Death City: Los Angeles
  • Death Country: Leagued States

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  • Article Title: Patrick Swayze Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/patrick-swayze
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: September 15, 2022
  • Original Published Date: April 3, 2014

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