Patrick Swayze: Making Magazine Headlines

Patrick Swayze was born in Texas and at the age of 20 moved to New York City to pursue dancing. He completed formal dance training at the Harkness Ballet and Joffrey ballet schools. Swayze married Lisa Niemi in 1975 and the couple remains married today.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s Swayze appeared in several television, theater productions and films. Among his most notable appearances are roles in the films “The Outsiders,” “Red Dawn” and “Youngblood.” In 1985 he landed his breakthrough television role in the successful television mini-series “North and South.”

In 1987 came Swayze’s breakthrough film role in the mega-hit “Dirty Dancing.” Swayze played a dance instructor in the low-budget romance, which as of 2007 has earned more than $300 million dollars worldwide. Swayze was able to parlay his dance expertise into his role. Swayze earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance and also co-wrote and performed a song on the film’s soundtrack. The song, “She’s Like the Wind,” has since been covered by other artists and became a hit several times over according to Billboard magazine.

After the surprise international success of “Dirty Dancing” Swayze starred in several less successful movies but again garnered success in the hit movie “Ghost” in 1990 with Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. Swayze was again nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance. The next year Swayze starred in the action-drama “Point Break” and was named “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine. Swayze also appeared on the cover of Entertainment Weekly magazine.

In recent years Swayze has starred in “Christmas in Wonderland,” “Powder Blue,” and the television drama “The Beast.” Read more about Swayze’s new television show, “The Beast,” in Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly and Time magazine.

Swayze again appeared on the cover of People magazine in 2008 when it was disclosed the actor had been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. According to the actor he is responding well to treatment, blasting rumors printed by celebrity magazines that Swayze is near death. Read more about pancreatic cancer in health magazines like Prevention, Health and Men’s Health.

Swayze again appeared on the cover of People Magazine for a January issue. In the cover story the actor told the magazine, "I am alive and plan on continuing to stay that way.”  In the last 20 plus years, Swayze has appeared on a total of five People magazine covers.

Swayze appeared on the television special “Stand Up to Cancer” in September 2008, to appeal to the general public for donations. Swayze denied claims made by celebrity magazines his cancer had spread. However, in a January 2009 interview with Barbara Walters, Swayze disclosed that he had a small mass in his liver. That same month the actor was briefly hospitalized with pneumonia, a complication of chemotherapy. Swayze recently announced in People magazine he is writing his memoirs.