Patrick Swayze

Biography

Early life

Swayze was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Jesse Wayne Swayze and choreographer and ballet school owner Patricia Yvonne Helen "Patsy" Karnes Swayze. Patrick's brother, Don Swayze, is also an actor. Swayze attended Oak Forest Elementary School, Black Middle School, and Waltrip High School in Houston. There, he also lived in the Oak Forest area most of his life. Swayze formally trained at the Harkness and Joffrey Ballet Schools in New York City.

Career

His first professional appearance was as a dancer for Disney on Parade, then in the Broadway production of Grease, before his debut film role as Ace in Skatetown, U.S.A. (1979). He also appeared in the M*A*S*H episode "Blood Brothers" (Episode 9.18, 6 April 1981).

He is probably most memorable for his roles in the popular films Dirty Dancing (1987), Ghost (1990), and Point Break (1991). He also appeared in Red Dawn (1984), Road House (1989), Black Dog (1998), and Donnie Darko (2001). He is also famous for the North and South miniseries. Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004), a quasi-sequel to Dirty Dancing, had Swayze cast as a dance instructor in a cameo.

Swayze received Golden Globe Award nominations for his roles in Dirty Dancing, Ghost and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995). Additionally he wrote and composed the hit song "She's Like the Wind" for Dirty Dancing. He is currently starring as Nathan Detroit in the London production of Guys and Dolls.

Personal life

Patrick Swayze has been married to Lisa Niemi since 1975. The couple has been together since Lisa, at 15, began dance lessons with Patsy Swayze, Patrick's mother. Patrick and Lisa own a five-acre ranch in California called Rancho Bizarro.

His father died of alcohol-related issues, and Swayze attended a clinic to overcome his own alcoholism after his sister Vicky committed suicide in 1994 using painkillers. After initial recovery, he retreated to his ranches in California and New Mexico to breed Arabian horses. His best-known horse was the late Tammen, a chestnut Arabian stallion. He also became very spiritual, and is known for his faith in the healing power of crystals - his favorite colors include blue, teal, burgundy, earthtones and faded black. Brought up Roman Catholic, is also a former Baptist, Buddhist, and Scientologist.

A qualified pilot, in 2000 he was flying solo in his twin-engine Cessna from California to Las Vegas when it developed a mechanical problem. Swayze made a precautionary landing on a dirt road near a housing complex in Prescott Valley in northern Arizona. When local fire department and sheriff's department officials arrived they said the plane had a damaged wing, and they could find no one. It later emerged that Swayze had hitched a ride from a passing vehicle and was taken to a nearby house, where he telephoned the authorities.

Selected filmography

Trivia