Patrick Swayze, the dancer-turned-actor whose good looks and physical grace made him a popular lead in both romances and action films in the late 1980s and early ’90s, died today at age 57 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Swayze was one of several young stars-to-be whom Francis Ford Coppola introduced to the public in 1983’s The Outsiders. But he became one of movie fans’ most beloved leading men with his starring role as a resort dance instructor who sweeps Jennifer Grey off her feet in 1987’s Dirty Dancing, an independent film that became an enormous hit and spawned a popular soundtrack that featured a song sung by Swayze, “She’s Like the Wind.” He cemented his status as a romantic icon with his lead role in 1990’s smash Ghost, as the specter who tries to protect bereaved girlfriend Demi Moore from his killer. At the same time, he became a two-fisted action star in movies like Road House and Point Break.
Swayze’s career waned in the late ’90s; for a long time, his most notable screen appearance was in the 2001 cult favorite Donnie Darko. In March 2008, he announced he had pancreatic cancer. Nonetheless, by July of that year, he was in sufficiently good health to begin working 12-hour days (while still undergoing chemotherapy) on a TV series, starring as a world-weary undercover FBI agent in the A&E crime drama The Beast, which premiered in January to 2.4 million viewers. The show ran for 13 episodes, but the cable network chose not to renew it for a second season. Early this year, Swayze told ABC’s Barbara Walters that he hoped to live long enough “until they find a cure,” but he was “not going to chase [the idea of] staying alive….I’ll be here, or I won’t.” —Gary Susman
More Patrick Swayze:
Patrick Swayze photo gallery
Patrick Swayze: Friends, colleagues pay tribute
Photo Credit: Malcolm Ali/WireImage.com
Comments (1-15) of 145 Add your comment
Wow. It’s been a bad year for celebrities. Mr. Swayze will be missed.
He was a great actor and will be missed.
Watch this tribute video and remember a lost hero.
Oh, no. Such sad news. My deepest sympathy to his lovely wife and family. Nobody else could have made those movies so memorable.
Aaw RIP Patrick, you were so courageous and you fought every day to live, never giving up hope entirely. I still don’t know how you managed to cope with filming the series Beast while you were so obviously weak (off screen) from the treatments you were receiving and the debilitating effects of the cancer itself! You were amazing, dignified and stubborn throughout and you will be so sorely missed – a family man who’s undying love for his beautiful wife was so very, very refreshing in these celeb heated divorce days!
North and South was a true epic and while I still enjoyed most films I’m soppy at heart, Dirty Dancing and Ghost are definitely my next favourites!!
My deepest sympathy to all the Swayze family, but especially to his wife Lisa who’s lost her soulmate – if only for now, I’m sure he will be watching over you always until you meet again.
I first fell in love with Patrick in North & South… Rest In Peace
Me too!
So did I. That was so long ago.
Yes, Mr. Orry Main…I was hooked. Nothing like Patrick to swoon you. My sympathies to his family. You are in our thoughts and prayers
Orry Main will always be my favorite character as played by the fabulous Mr. Swayze. God rest you.
Rest in peace. You will be missed.
Peace be with him.
I CAN’T BELIEVE HE DIED! MY HEART & PRAYER’S GO OUT TO HIS WIFE LISA & HIS FAMILY BIG TIME.I’LL MIS SYOU PATRICK SWAYZE!
He always carried himself as a class act and a gentleman. RIP, Patrick Swayze.
Why do they good guys always leave this earth before their time. He will be greatly missed. His memory will live on through his movies. I;m going to go watch Dirty Dancing now and have a good cry.
My prayers go out to LISA, Patrick’s loving wife. And also to the entire Swayze family. PATRICK will be missed by his many fans and now, everytime I hear “Unchained Melody” sung by Bobby Hatfield of The Righteous Bros., I will be thinking of PATRICK. He was a great actor & starred in two of the greatest movies of this era – DIRTY DANCING & GHOST. And who will ever forget his Chippendales try-out with CHRIS FARLEY on SNL. God has a “dancing angel” (aka PATRICK SWAYZE) in heaven tonight. May you rest in peace, PATRICK. No more suffering.
OH NO. This is a celebrity death, i feel. God bless Patrick. I know you’re resting in peace. You were always such a class act.
I am so very sorry to hear of his passing. He fought so valiantly for his life.
My thoughts & prayers are with his wife & family.
This is one of the biggest celeb death years since 1997 … just like I knew Farrah wouldn’t make it through the cancer, Patrick didn’t either. Both will be missed by me.
Truly one of the good guys. RIP.
Patrick Swayze had an awesome career and will definately be missed. The bit with Chris Farley on SNL was priceless. My favorite movies of his are Point Blank and Red Dawn. WOLVERINES!!!
*Point Break, excuse me
Via con Dios, Bhodi.