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Dirty Dancing star Patrick Swayze dies after cancer battle
Ross Lydall and David Gardner in Los Angeles15 Sep 2009
Patrick Swayze's two leading ladies today led tributes to the Dirty Dancing and Ghost star, who has died after a 20-month battle with cancer.
Jennifer Gray said he was a “real cowboy with a tender heart” while Demi Moore used her Twitter page to say: “Patrick you are loved by so many and your light will forever shine in all of our lives.”
Referring to the roles they played in Ghost, Moore added: “And in the words of Sam to Molly: It's amazing Molly. The love inside, you take it with you.' I love and will miss you Patrick.”
Swayze, who died yesterday aged 57, will be forever remembered to generations of women as dance instructor Johny Castle in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing. Originally conceived as a low-budget movie expected to transfer quickly to video, Swayze ignored his manager's advice and accepted the part.
Gallery: Patrick Swayze - life and times
Video: Classic Patrick Swayze moments
He said the movie, which featured the line “Nobody puts baby in a corner”, became a “phenomenon” that took his life “into insanity”. Many women joined the “100-plus” club marking the number of times they had seen the film. Swayze said: “That is the movie that sent my life and world into hyperspace.”
His co-star Jennifer Grey said in a statement: “Patrick was a rare and beautiful combination of raw masculinity and amazing grace. Gorgeous and strong, he was a real cowboy with a tender heart.
“He was fearless and insisted on always doing his own stunts, so it was not surprising to me that the war he waged on his cancer was so courageous and dignified.”
Other celebrities paid tributes on Twitter. Cheers star Kirtie Alley said: “I will always cherish my amazing memories of Patrick... we had so much fun together... come back soon Patrick, we need you here on earth.” Ricky Martin said: “Patrick Swayze R.I.P.” Boy George said: “R.I.P Patrick Swayze. Sad, sad news.”
Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer early last year but continued to work, writing his memoirs and starring in a TV series called The Beast.
He received chemotherapy but opted not to use painkiller drugs because he feared they would take the edge of his gritty performance as an undercover FBI agent.
His wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi, said she and his brother, Donny, were at his bedside when he died yesterday at his ranch in Los Angeles. He had fought a public battle against the disease but his condition had deteriorated dramatically in recent weeks.
Swayze, a smoker for decades, continued his habit even as he was being treated. He missed just one day of work while filming the show. How do you nurture a positive attitude when all the statistics say you're a dead man? You go to work,' he said.
He told American interviewer Barbara Walters: “One thing I am not going to do is chase staying alive. You spend so much time chasing staying alive, you won't live.”
Born in Houston, Texas, Swayze was a classically-trained dancer who turned to acting after being injured. He appeared on Broadway as Danny Zuko in Grease. His first film break was starring alongside Rob Lowe in The Outsiders.
He earned a Golden Globe nomination for Dirty Dancing, and the song he sang from the soundtrack, She's Like the Wind, went to No3 in the US Billboard charts.
A second massive success followed in 1990 with Ghost, in which he played a murdered man coming back from the dead to protect his fiancée, with whom he communicated via a psychic played by Whoopi Goldberg. Goldberg, who won an Oscar for best supporting actress, said today: “I believe in Ghost's message, so he'll always be near.”
Swayze also won Golden Globes for Ghost and 1995's To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar,
But other films such as Road House and Point Break were less successful. The death of his father and his sister's suicide saw him fight a long battle with alcoholism. He later had a minor part in the cult classic Donnie Darko and appeared on the London stage in 2006 in Guys and Dolls.
Gallery: Patrick Swayze - life and times
Video: Classic Patrick Swayze moments
Reader views (17)
Patrick, RIP.
You did not get the credit you deserve as a talented actor.
- Paul, Blackburn, 16/09/2009 00:13
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Its a shame that anyone should contract any cancer. But Swayze will remembered primarily for his looks and as the star of a couple of big box-office hits, not for any acting ability that he had...and as he had none, its probably just as well.
- Richard, London UK, 15/09/2009 16:58
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RIP Patrick, one of the coolest movie stars of his time. Point Break and Road House - such great action films.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 15/09/2009 16:12
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To Louise and others: I quite understand that Swayze had pancreatic cancer, but that - along with lung cancer - is also far more common amongst smokers. I don't need to "walk in anyone's shoes" - or indeed need any other folksy pseudo wisdom - to observe that it's rather contradictory to have treatment for a disease while continuing to indulge in the practice that most probably caused it.
- Croyboy, Croydon, 15/09/2009 13:45
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Patrick Swayze/ Keith Floyd RIP.
They had they time/ thyme of their life.
- Jc, London, 15/09/2009 11:21
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Sad to hear this, especially after he put up such a fight.
Patrick Swayze was a great actor and not just in Dirty Dancing and Ghost.
- Flo, London, UK, 15/09/2009 11:20
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This is sad news indeed. Patrick Swayze has been a favourite actor of mine since "Ghost" and "North and South". The last pictures I saw of him were taken in July and he actually seemed to be winning this battle. I feel very sad that he finally lost it. RIP Patrick Swayze.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 15/09/2009 11:12
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A real loss. I shed more than 1 tear this morning.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 15/09/2009 11:11
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A sad loss,but don't judge him because he smoked during his treatment,he knew he was going to die,so he continued with what ever pleased him.Can you blame him?
- David Nigel Braham, Milan Italy, 15/09/2009 11:04
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Croyboy, my father suffered the same cancer with the same prognosis he died after 8 weeks, he asked his doctors about smoking - they said to go ahead; quitting was not a battle he needed to fight. Give it a rest, and try the old adage - never judge a man til you've walked a mile in his shoes. RIP Patrick
- Sarah, London, 15/09/2009 10:51
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Croyboy, he had pancreatic cancer, not lung cancer, why shouldn't he ...ok its not best way to go about it, but if it brought him comfort who are we to judge?
- Louise, Essex, 15/09/2009 10:02
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As an ex smoker I have some sympathy with the views of Croyboy, but walk past the front door of NHS Hospital and you will see patients in their dressing coats, some with drips, puffing away. That said, however, if you have smoked all your life and someone tells you that you have a few months to live do you really expect someone to suddenly give up what is a very addictive drug at probably the lowest point in your life. Just bear in mind Patrick was probably paying his doctors a fortune so it's not quite the same argument as receiving NHS treatment.
- Delboy, Esher, Surrey, 15/09/2009 09:35
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"This guy was photographed smoking while he was receiving treatment for cancer."
I would have thought a diagnosis of terminal cancer was a green light for doing whatever unhealthy but pleasurable thing you feel like doing - let's face it, how can it do any more damage?
- Michael, London, 15/09/2009 09:23
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I'm not a fan but I admired the way he fought with a bloody mindedness that actually made me admire him for the first time, it's just a shame that he like so many others lost.
- Bob, Cheam, 15/09/2009 09:22
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This is so sad. I have been a fan since the North and South days, and obviously Dirty Dancing is the biggest ever chic flick, which I absolutely love. RIP Patrick.
- E Sullivan, London, 15/09/2009 08:42
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This guy was photographed smoking while he was receiving treatment for cancer.
...Can you BELIEVE it?!
- Croyboy, Croydon, 15/09/2009 08:14
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So, so sad. Thoughts go out to his family.
- Louie, London, SE, 15/09/2009 07:19
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