You know those movies that have been by seemingly everyone, regardless of age?

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Remember this guy?

Sure you do, it’s Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing. Born to a choreographer mom and chemical plant engineer draftsman dad, Patrick clearly took after his mother in the talent department. He had ample opportunity to perfect his craft since mom owned a dance school in Houston where Patrick was also a student. Additional training was done at the Harkness Ballet School and the prestigious Joffrey Ballet School. He married a fellow dancer, Lisa Niemi, in 1975, and they were together until his untimely death from pancreatic cancer in 2009.

Patrick was the original “Danny Zuko” in the original Broadway production of “Grease,” but later made movie appearances in Skatetown U.S.A,  M*A*S*H (he played the soldier diagnosed with leukemia), and the mini-series, North & South, but his breakthrough role was as the dance instructor, “Johnny Castle” in Dirty Dancing for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. He got a second nomination for his portrayal of “Sam Wheat” in the blockbuster movie, Ghost.

Patrick was a purebred dog owner, and in 2009, he posed with his wife, Lisa, their Poodle, Lucas, and their Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy, Kumasai (aka “Kuma”)  at their ranch in New Mexico. A year after the actor’s death, Patrick’s wife found comfort in their dogs (a new one was added, a Border Collie mix named “Murphy) and their horses.

Image: Patrick Swayze talking to fans after “Guys and Dolls” in 2006
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