Biography
Patrick Swayze was a Texas-born movie actor whose background in ballet and gymnastics ironically gave him a physique well-suited for his roles as hunky love interest or macho action film hero. His early roles as the only slightly older patriarchal figure of his onscreen teenage families in films like "The Outsiders" (1983) and "Red Dawn" (1984) helped put the heartthrob on the map and on the cover of many a Tiger Beat fan magazine in the early …
Patrick Swayze SlideShow
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Career Milestones
| Began career as dancer, touring as Prince Charming in "Disney on Parade" | ||
| Co-founded, with Lisa Niemi, Troph productions | ||
| Danced as a guest artist with Buffalo Ballet Company before studying with the Harkness Ballet | ||
| Performed as skater at Galleria Ice Skating Pavilion in Houston | ||
| Performed briefly as a principal dancer with the Feld Ballet; left because of aggravated knee injury from high school football | ||
| Performed with and wrote material for six bands | ||
1975 | Broadway debut as dancer in "Goodtime Charley" | |
1979 | Film debut, "Skatetown USA" | |
1983 | Returned to features films with roles in "The Outsiders" and "Uncommon Valor" | |
1983 | TV series debut, "Renegades" | |
1984 | Played first feature lead in the war drama, "Red Dawn"; first film with Jennifer Grey | |
1985 | First success TV mini-series, "North and South" set during the Civil War | |
1986 | Co-starred with Rob Lowe and Keanu Reeves in the hockey-themed feature, "Youngblood" | |
1987 | Breakthrough role as dance instructor, Johnny Castle in "Dirty Dancing" co-starring Jennifer Grey; earned a Golden Globe nomination for the role; also sang one of the songs on the soundtrack, "She's Like the Wind" | |
1989 | Starred in "Road House" as a bouncer at a seedy roadside bar | |
1990 | Became co-owner (with Bobby Ochs) of Mulholland Drive Cafe; restaurant closed in 1996 | |
1990 | Co-starred with Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg in the successful romantic fantasy-thriller, "Ghost" | |
1991 | Re-teamed with actor Keanu Reeves in the action hit, "Point Break" | |
1995 | With Ochs, opened second restaurant, Bobby O's City Bites | |
1997 | Broke right leg and fractured left leg in riding accident during filming of "Letters From a Killer" | |
1997 | Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (August 18) | |
2001 | Acted in the Vietnam-set "The Green Dragon"; screened at Sundance | |
2001 | Co-starred in "Without a Word" a film co-written and directed by Lisa Niemi | |
2002 | Co-starred in "Waking Up in Reno" with Billy Bob Thornton and Charlize Theron | |
2003 | Appeared on Broadway as slick lawyer Billy Flynn in the Tony Award winning musical "Chicago" | |
2004 | Had a cameo appearance as a dance instructor in "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights | |
2004 | Played a choreographer in the NBC sitcom "Whoopi" | |
2006 | Made London stage debut in the musical "Guys and Dolls" as Nathan Detroit | |
2006 | Played Kristin Scott-Thomas' golf teacher in the British comedy "Keeping Mum" | |
2009 | Co-starred as an aging rock star, opposite younger brother Don, in the film "Powder Blue" (released straight to DVD) | |
2009 | Played FBI Agent Charles Barker in the A&E drama, "The Beast" | |
Awards
1987 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Dirty Dancing |
1990 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Ghost |
1992 | MTV Movie Award for Most Desirable Male in Point Break |
1995 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar |