Patrick Swayze Loses Battle with Cancer, Dies at Age 57… RIP
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on September 14, 2009
Patrick Swayze, rest in peace
From NY Times Alert:
The New York Times
Mon, September 14, 2009 — 8:08 PM ET
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Patrick Swayze, Who Starred in ‘Dirty Dancing,’ Is Dead at 57, A.P. Reports
Patrick Swayze, the balletically athletic actor who rose to stardom in the films “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost” and whose 15-month battle with advanced pancreatic cancer drew wide attention, died on Monday, The Associated Press reported. He was 57 and lived near Los Angeles.
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Nice commentary by Linda Holmes, Patrick Swayze was the ultimate romantic lead… here’s a portion:
…Then, in 1985, in the first sign of what was to come, he played a gallant, romantic southerner in the miniseries “North And South.” They don’t make this kind of massive six-part television event anymore, but at one time, it was a legitimate way to become a leading man. It set the table for the very big year he was about to have.
And the reason he moved up from supporting player to giant star really comes from his ability to convincingly play down his powerfully athletic physicality and be, for lack of a better phrase, a little soft. Swayze was good-looking, of course — and sexy in a way that felt earned, since he had a dancer’s body and not just one built strictly in the gym. But he wasn’t quite as delicately pretty as a lot of similarly positioned stars. Eyes maybe a tiny bit too small, kind of a square head … it could fool the eye, just for a fleeting, foolish second, into believing he was a guy you might actually meet in the wild.
At the time Swayze made “Dirty Dancing” in 1987, the model for crush-worthy young actors was Tom Cruise — after all, “Dirty Dancing” came out the year after “Top Gun.” But Swayze didn’t quite have Cruise’s toothy, ingratiating brand of smoothness. His presence was a little quieter and it was much, much more vulnerable…
Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in 'Dirty Dancing'
Another nice commentary from John Nolte, Big Hollywood: Patrick Swayze Died Today:
Time is what creates the classic film, not critics or box office, and time has made clear that Swayze made a mark on cinema few might have expected twenty years ago. “Road House,” “Point Break,” “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost” live endlessly on cable television and DVD players everywhere. They are a immortal part of our culture and … they are Patrick Swayze movies.
We don’t know a whole lot about Swayze’s personal life, which was another big reason to like him, but he was married to the same woman, Lisa Niemi, for 34 years. In the real world what that says about the character of a man is impressive. In Hollywood, it says everything…
From NY Times:
Patrick Swayze has died after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
Swayze’s publicist Annett Wolf says the 57-year-old “Dirty Dancing” actor died Monday with family at his side. He came forward about his illness last spring, but continued working as he underwent treatments.
It was 1987 when Swayze became a star with his performance in “Dirty Dancing,” a coming-of-age story set in a Catskills resort. The 1990 film “Ghost” cemented his status as a screen favorite.
Swayze played a murdered man trying to communicate with his fiancee through a spirit played by Whoopi Goldberg.
He kept on working even after it was disclosed in March 2008 that he had a particularly deadly form of cancer. He starred in “The Beast,” an A&E drama series, and said he and his wife were working on a memoir.
From Chicago Now, The Kyles Files: Goodbye, Patrick Swayze:
I have long admired Swayze, not just because of his amazing dancing skill, but of his ability to be that Everyman actor that you root for in film after film. Whether he was fighting in “Roadhouse,” gliding in “Dirty Dancing,” or just pulling your heartstrings in “Ghost,” he always came across as a likeable, friendly guy. You really get that vibe as you watch him gamely dance-off against Chris Farley in a throwback “SNL” skit.
Additional reading:
Tim Graham, NewsBusters: WaPo Patrick Swayze Obit Gets to His Drag-Queen Movie Before ‘Red Dawn’
Sister Toldjah: RIP, Patrick Swayze
AZ Resident: RIP Patrick Swayze
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