Patrick Swayze would have been 70
Seven exciting facts that not everyone knows
Patrick Swayze died far too early from cancer.
© imago images/ZUMA Wire/Armando Gallo
Actor Patrick Swayze would have turned 70 on August 18. To mark the occasion, here are seven facts about the actor.
On September 14, 2009, the world stood still for a moment: Hollywood star Patrick Swayze died at the age of only 57. A few months earlier, the actor was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The US actor would have celebrated his 70th birthday on August 18th. Thanks to cult films like “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost – Message from Sam” Swayze remains unforgotten to this day. But there are exciting facts about the life of the actor that not everyone knows.
He couldn’t stand his co-star
Patrick Swayze danced his way into the hearts of the audience as Johnny Castle in “Dirty Dancing” in 1987. He plays a dance teacher at a resort where Frances “Baby” Houseman, played by Jennifer Gray (62), spends the summer with her family. While there is a lot of crackling between the characters in the film, it looked very different on the set.
Swayze described in his biography that he did not get along well with his colleague. Gray later admitted not having had a good experience with the actor. The two were already in front of the camera together in the film “Die rote Flut” (1984). On the show “The View”, Johnny Depp’s ex-fiancé (59) said that she saw him as a “macho” who played pranks on her. In fact, she never wanted to work with him again after that. But during the test recordings for “Dirty Dancing” he apologized to her.
Not a fan of a famous phrase
“My baby belongs to me, is that clear?” is one of the most famous lines of “Dirty Dancing”. But lead actor Patrick Swayze wasn’t a big fan of the line. At the end of the film, Johnny returns to dance with Baby. He opposes her father and says in the original version: “Nobody puts baby in a corner.”
Screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein (84) the Huffington Post once said: “I don’t think anyone thought it was too great a sentence.” Swayze didn’t want to say it. “But I just said, ‘Well, just say it once and then next time, just go up and do the speech and maybe we won’t use it.’ But we decided to use it.” The makers definitely made the right decision.
Wanted to be a professional dancer
In “Dirty Dancing” Swayze was able to prove his talent for dancing. It’s no coincidence either. The US actor actually wanted to be a professional dancer. His mother was already a ballet dancer and a sought-after choreographer. Swayze trained from an early age, later moving to New York and training as a ballet dancer. But due to a knee injury, he eventually had to throw in the towel – and turned to acting.
Music career in mind
But Swayze also had a lot to offer musically. For the film “Dirty Dancing” he not only stood in front of the camera, but also at the microphone. He contributed the track “She’s Like the Wind” to the soundtrack. He sang the song with Wendy Fraser, which reached number three on the US charts. In the years that followed, Swayze could also be heard as a singer in his films. Among other things, “Raising Heaven” and “Cliff’s Edge” for the strip “Roadhouse” (1989) came from him. However, “She’s Like the Wind” was to remain his only major success in the music world.
Special award
In addition to three Golden Globe nominations, Swayze took home a special award. In 1991 he was named the “Sexiest Man Alive” by the US American “People” magazine. The year before, Tom Cruise (60) was happy about the award, in 1992 it was Nick Nolte’s (81) turn. Swayze melted many women’s hearts, but had been happily married to Lisa Niemi (66) since 1975. The marriage lasted until his death.
Hard blows of fate
Even stars have to deal with setbacks from time to time in life. So did Patrick Swayze, who lost his father. He died in 1982 after a heart attack. The actor found it difficult to cope with this loss. He fell into a dark hole and reached for the bottle more and more often. Then another shock twelve years later: his sister Vickie Lynn took her own life. Swayze then decided to go into rehab – three years later he made his screen comeback with “Black Dog” (1998).
Get a worthy successor
The strip “Road House” is still a classic today. Now a remake is planned and a leading actor has already been found. As Amazon announced, US star Jake Gyllenhaal (41) will slip into the role of the former professional fighter (UFC), who protects a bar in the Florida Keys from the mafia as a bouncer and makes powerful enemies in the process. The cult film “Dirty Dancing” is also getting a sequel. Jennifer Gray will once again play Frances “Baby” Houseman. Other cast members have yet to be announced.