"Dirty Dancing"
The 1987 rom-com "Dirty Dancing" made stars out of Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, who boogied their way into fans' hearts. The movie was nominated for a Golden Globe for best comedy or musical, and its stars also got nods from the Hollywood Foreign Press. But not all entertainment journalists were in step with the film. As Desson Howe wrote in the
Washington Post, "'Dancing' is rather lightweight -- coming off like those TV dramas where some kid learns that making the team or being popular ain't everything."
So imagine how an actual TV drama based on the coming-of-age-in-the-Catskills story would fare. Still, CBS gave the concept a whirl in 1988. This time, Patrick Cassidy took on the Swayze role of Johnny Castle, and Melora Hardin tackled the part of Frances "Baby" Kellerman. But the show hit a sour note, and audiences very quickly put Baby in the corner. The series was canceled after just 11 episodes.
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