1952-2009
After a long battle with pancreatic cancer, Patrick Swayze, 57, has died due to complications stemming from his illness. Recently, he starred in the hit A&E series "The Beast," which earned him rave reviews, but the show got canceled on June 15, 2009 because he was too sick to continue.
Although he's had many quality roles during the course of his career, none approached the magnitude of "Dirty Dancing." The cult following surrounding that movie turned him into an icon of American pop culture. He could have retired immediately after the movie was released, and have nothing left to prove for the rest of his career. Fans of the movie adored him no matter how many movies he starred in, or how good they were.
Many would say "Dirty Dancing" spelled the end of his career because he was typecast in similar roles up until his death. This, however, isn't true. "Dirty Dancing" allowed Swayze to act in the movies he wanted to act in. It gave him freedom in his career.
He leaves behind his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi. They had no children. He will be missed.
Check out my newest article...
Annie Le, Raymond Clark, and Workplace Violence
Comments