Patrick Swayze Pictures and Biography 2012

March 12, 2012

Patrick Swayze Born Patrick Wayne Swayze on August 18th, 1952, in Houston, Texas. Swayze and his four siblings were raised by their parents Patsy and Jesse Swayze. Swayze's mother, director of the Houston Jazz Ballet Company, introduced her son to dance at an early age. In 1976, he redirected his efforts toward stage acting, and made his Broadway debut in Goodtime Charley. He later appeared in West Side Story, and in 1978, he won the leading role in the musical Grease. Swayze's high-profile performance as Danny Zuko led to many television and movie offers.In 1981, Swayze added television to his repertoire with a notable portrayal of a leukemia patient on the series M*A*S*H. He is also credited for his work in the 1985 miniseries North and South along with the 1986 sequel. During the mid-80s, Swayze appeared in a few forgettable films, including Red Dawn and Grandview, U.S.A. (1984). However, the release of the surprise hit Dirty Dancing (1987) brought Swayze instant celebrity and established him as Hollywood's newest heartthrob. The film featured him as the misunderstood dance instructor Johnny Castle, a role that earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

Dirty Dancing also allowed Swayze to pursue a singing career. Inspired by his relationship with his wife, Lisa, Swayze penned the song "She's Like the Wind" for the film's soundtrack. "I had been meeting girls with names like Mimi and Angel. And for a long time I didn't feel like I deserved her," Swayze told People magazine. "I just felt at that time that I'm very, very lucky to have a woman who thinks I hung the moon." The song resonated with music fans, and the single catapulted to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.