Patrick Swayze Biography

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This Patrick Swayze biography illustrates the life of an actor who is also talented in other arts, such as dancing, singing and song writing. He has appeared in numerous Hollywood blockbuster movies, and taken on several roles in Broadway shows.

Patrick Swayze Biography - How He Got his Start

Patrick Swayze
Born As:	Patrick Wayne Swayze
Birthdate:	August 18, 1952
Best Known As:	Actor
Website:	Patrick Swayze Fan Club

Patrick Swayze was born in Houston, Texas, on August 18, 1952. His mother, Patsy, was a successful dancer and choreographer and his father, Jesse, was an engineer. His younger brother, Don, is also an actor.

Swayze grew up near Houston and studied classical dance and ballet throughout his childhood and teen years. He also took lessons in figure skating, acting, and gymnastics. In 1972, he moved to New York to continue his dance training.

After a brief stint as a dancer with the Disney on Parade production, Swayze played the lead role of Danny Zuko in Grease on Broadway, and took a role in the movie Skatetown USA. He had a few guest roles on television, including a small part in an episode of M*A*S*H, before his first truly memorable movie parts came along.

The Road to Hollywood Superstardom

Patrick Swayze accepted the role of Darrel Curtis in the film The Outsiders, in 1983. He starred opposite Rob Lowe and C. Thomas Howell in the movie and the part brought him a lot of fan attention. His next few films solidified his membership in the "Brat Pack," a group of young Hollywood actors that included Demi Moore, Tom Cruise and Molly Ringwald.

A string of hit movies and television series' followed, and cemented Swayze's talent as an actor. These include:

Red Dawn (1984)
North and South (television, 1985)
Youngblood (1996)
North and South, Book 2 (television, 1986)

Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing and Ghost

No Patrick Swayze biography would be complete without the two roles that placed him firmly on the A-list in Hollywood. The first was the movie Dirty Dancing, which capitalized not only on Swayze's acting ability, but also on his excellent dancing skills. He also provided music for the film's soundtrack, and his song She's Like the Wind became an instant hit on the Billboard charts. Dirty Dancing became the first movie to sell over one million copies on home video.

After Dirty Dancing, Swayze appeared in a couple of other productions, including Road House, before landing his second blockbuster leading role.

Ghost was a romantic drama in which Swayze played Sam Wheat, a man who is killed during a mugging-gone-bad. Sam's spirit becomes a ghost, who realizes that his girlfriend Molly (played by Demi Moore) is now in danger, as the robbery was linked to a money laundering scheme in which Sam held the computer password to access the cash. Swayze earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of a ghost who must help his girlfriend while struggling to deal with his own death and limited means of interaction.

Other Roles

Patrick Swayze has an impressive list of further film and television credits on his resume. Here are some of the more memorable ones:

Point Break (1991)
Father Hood (1993)
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995)
Letters From a Killer (television, 1998)
Donnie Darko (2001)
King Solomon's Mines (television, 2004)

In 2008, Swayze began working on a series for A&E called The Beast, which premiered on January 15, 2009. He has also filmed a movie with his brother Don, called Powder Blue, which is scheduled to be released sometime in 2009.

Personal Life and the Battle Against Cancer

Swayze married Lisa Niemi in 1975, and they have been happily married ever since. He has battled with alcohol addiction in the past and is now a recovering alcoholic.

In March of 2008, Patrick Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He has undergone extensive treatment in the form of chemotherapy, radiology and surgery. Despite these treatments, he has admitted that he may have less than two years to live, although some reports suggest that his remaining time is much shorter.

No matter what his prognosis is, Swayze continues to work and deliver excellent performances, while campaigning to raise funds and awareness for cancer treatment.

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