Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze began his professional career as a dancer with the Disney Theatrical Group in Disney on Parade. In 1974, he appeared in The Music Man at Paper Mill Playhouse as an ensemble member. He made his Broadway debut in 1975 in Goodtime Charley as a dancer and servant. In 1977, he appeared as Riff in West Side Story at Northstage Theatre Restaurant and played Danny Zuko in the Broadway production of Grease.

Swayze made his television debut in the television movie The Comeback Kid in 1980, playing Chuck. In 1979, he made his film debut as Ace Johnson in Skatetown, U.S.A. In 1981, he appeared as Private Gary Sturgis in the M*A*S*H episode "Blood Brothers" and as K.C. Barnes in the television movie Return of the Rebels. He also appeared in Toto's music video for "Rosanna." In 1983, he played Bandit in the television series The Renegades and Darrel "Darry" Curtis in The Outsiders. He also appeared as Kevin Scott in Uncommon Valor. In 1984, he played Ernie "Slam" Webster in Grandview, U.S.A. and Jed Eckert in Red Dawn, and appeared as Doug Zimmer in the television movie Pigs vs. Freaks.

In 1985, Swayze played Orry Main in the television miniseries North and South, which continued through 1986, and appeared as Eric David Peterson in the Amazing Stories episode "Life on Death Row." He played Derek Sutton in Youngblood in 1986. In 1987, he starred as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing and as Nomad in Steel Dawn. In 1988, he played Chuck "Tiger" Warsaw in Tiger Warsaw. In 1989, he starred as James Dalton in Road House and Truman Gates in Next of Kin. He also received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in Dirty Dancing. For Dirty Dancing, he co-wrote and performed "She's Like the Wind" for the soundtrack.

In 1990, Swayze starred as Sam Wheat in Ghost and hosted Saturday Night Live, appearing as himself in the episode "Patrick Swayze/Mariah Carey." In 1991, he played Bodhi in Point Break. In 1992, he appeared as himself in The Player, although his scene was deleted, and starred as Max Lowe in City of Joy. In 1993, he played Jack Charles in Father Hood. In 1995, he appeared as Pecos Bill in Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill, Vida Boheme in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, and Jack McCloud in Three Wishes.

In 1998, Swayze starred as Jack Crews in Black Dog and Race Darnell in Letters from a Killer. In 2000, he played Ben Clifton in Forever Lulu. In 2001, he appeared as Gunner Sergeant Jim Lance in Green Dragon and Jim Cunningham in Donnie Darko. In 2002, he starred as Roy Kirkendall in Waking Up in Reno.

In 2003, Swayze co-produced and starred as Travis MacPhearson in One Last Dance. He also appeared as Frank in 11:14 and played Billy Flynn in the US tour of Chicago, following his stage appearance as the character in 2003. In 2004, he made a cameo appearance as a dance class instructor in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights and played Garth in George and the Dragon. He also appeared as Allan Quartermain in the two-episode television miniseries King Solomon's Mines and as Tony in the Whoopi episode "One Last Dance." In 2005, he played Lance in Keeping Mum and Jason Monk in the television movie Icon.

In 2006, Swayze provided the voice of Cash in The Fox and the Hound 2 and made his West End debut as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, appearing in the production from July 27 through November 25. In 2007, he played Wayne Saunders in Christmas in Wonderland and Richard Pressburger in Jump!. In 2009, he appeared as Velvet Larry in Powder Blue and starred as FBI agent Charles Barker, also known as Apache, in the television series The Beast. The Beast premiered in January 2009, ran for one season and 13 episodes, and was his final acting role. Powder Blue was his final film role.

In 2009, Swayze died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 57.