How old patrick swayze in dirty dancing


How Old Baby & Johnny Are In Dirty Dancing

By Quinn Hough

Updated

Dirty Dancing features an iconic pairing in Patrick Swayze's Johnny and Jennifer Grey's Baby, but their characters are far from the same age.

Dirty Dancing features an iconic pairing in Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, but how old is Jennifer Grey, how big is their age gap, and does it make the movie problematic? Dirty Dancing is somewhat autobiographical for screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein, as it's based on her own teenage experiences. This fact only brings the question of Baby and Johnny's age difference further into the light. While the movie doesn't explicitly state the two protagonists' ages, there's enough evidence to suggest that the years between them borders on creepy.

Johnny and Baby's ages in Dirty Dancing (of which Patrick Swayze hates the best line) come into question simply by looking at Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray. The two don't even look like they're in the same age group, and the movie takes no strides to explain any part of it. While this could be a product of the time it was made, Dirty Dancing might not hold up well under today's magnifying glass in terms of its more problematic areas. So, how old is Jennifer Grey? Here's exactly how old Baby and Johnny are in Dirty Dancing, and whether their age is far too wide.

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How Old Are Baby And Johnny

How old is Jennifer Grey? Well, clues in Dirty Dancing place Johnny's age at 25 years old and Baby’s age at 17. At the beginning of Dirty Dancing on HBO, Baby's narration references the "summer of '63." Early dialogue reveals that she's planning to attend Mount Holyoke (an all-female private college in Massachusetts) to study the economics of underdeveloped countries. In the politically charged Dirty Dancing, Baby also states that she plans to join the Peace Corps shortly before laying eyes on Johnny for the first time. Some reports have suggested that Baby is supposed to be 18 or even 19 years old. However, based on iMDB's trivia notes and a 2017 interview with Grey (via Closer Weekly), it seems that Baby was presumably born in 1946 and is supposed to be 17 years old. The character doesn't actually reveal her age in Dirty Dancing, nor does Johnny ask on-camera. If Baby is indeed a minor, that would explain her father's confrontational attitude toward Mr. Castle throughout most of the film.

In Dirty Dancing, Johnny's 1938 birthdate makes him 25 years old. The character initially questions why Baby gained access to a private dancing area, but then invites her to boogie and subsequently teaches her some moves. Johnny and Baby/Frances slowly become friends while dealing with Penny's medical procedures (Jake Houseman provides the appropriate assistance), and they eventually become romantic partners. Dirty Dancing on HBO never addresses the eight-year age difference between the two characters, which makes the film somewhat controversial – both then and now – because Baby is indeed a minor. In 1963 America, though, it wasn't uncommon for men and women to commit at a young age. The focal Dirty Dancing relationship may not be appropriate, but the age gap isn't enough to make Baby's father concerned during the climactic performance. In fact, Jake Houseman essentially apologizes to Johnny.

How Old Were Patrick Swayze And Jennifer Grey During Dirty Dancing?

The late Swayze was approximately seven years older than Grey in real life. When Dirty Dancing premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1987, Roadhouse star Patrick Swayze was 34 years old and was best known for portraying Darrel "Darry" Curtis in The Outsiders and Jed Eckert in Red Dawn. As for Grey, she had just turned 27 and had previously portrayed Jeanie Bueller in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. She also appeared alongside Swayze in Red Dawn as Toni Mason. In 2010, Grey won Dancing with the Stars season 11, just over a year after her Dirty Dancing co-star, Swayze, passed away at age 57 from pancreatic cancer.

Johnny And Baby’s Age Gap In Dirty Dancing Is Questionable At Best

Johnny and Baby's ages in Dirty Dancing are certainly problematic. And worse still, if she was 17 years old, and he was 25, then New York state law would deem nothing wrong with their relationship. This is a problem, as the age gap is discomforting to think about, technically legal, and would definitely raise concerned discussions were a movie to feature it today. Despite this, age gaps like in Patrick Swayze's Dirty Dancing are unfortunately too common. Movies like Licorice Pizza can get away with extensive lovers' age differences, and people seem to be forgiving of its inclusion. After all, Dirty Dancing is still a beloved and critically acclaimed movie when it comes down to it. The film is so prolific that it got a (pretty terrible) TV remake in 2017. Dirty Dancing remains popular, but when put up to today's standards, the age gap between Johnny and Baby wouldn't fly unquestioned were a script to include it today.

Related: Why Road House Is Patrick Swayze's Most Misunderstood Movie

Dirty Dancing's Problematic Age Gap Isn't Alone

While the age gap in Dirty Dancing is certainly creepy, it's not the only movie to feature a problematic age gap between the two leads. Whether it's the ages of the actors themselves or the characters they play, Hollywood has pumped out plenty of iconic films that showcase uncomfortable age differences between romantic partners. Take, for example, any Woody Allen film. The romance between Colin Firth and Emma Stone in Allen's 2014 rom-com Magic in the Moonlight is a more modern example. The age gap between the two actors is 28 years, with Firth being 53 at the time and Stone being 25. While legal, the knowledge Firth was 28 when Stone was born made many viewers uncomfortable.

A more overt example of narrative enabling uncomfortable, and also illegal, age gaps is 90s classic American Beauty. American Beauty shows a 42-year-old Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey, then 39) falling in love with his teenage daughter's 16-year-old friend Angela (Mena Suvari, then 19). The 1980 Martin Scorsese drama Raging Bull shows an adult Robert de Niro fall for a 15-year-old character played by a 17-year-old actress. Finally, Entrapment, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sean Connery, showed sparks fly between the two characters, but did nothing to explain Sean Connery and Zeta-Jones' nearly 40-year age gap. The age difference in Dirty Dancing may be problematic, but it doesn't exist in a vacuum. In the end, the movie isn't alone in its depiction, and it's far from the worst offender.

Next: What Happened To Dirty Dancing's Jennifer Grey

How Old Was Patrick Swayze In ‘Dirty Dancing’?

Ahh, Dirty Dancing, such an ‘80s classic. It’s won two Academy Awards, a Grammy, and a loyal following that’s lasted decades. But what do we know about the age difference between the two lead stars?

Patrick Swayze was 35 years old when the cult classic Dirty Dancing was released in the United States, although he may have been 34 years old when they filmed. His costar, Jennifer Grey, was in her late 20s. 

Let’s take a closer look at how Patrick landed the role, including a background on his career before and after the film.

Starting Out

Swayze was athletic from a young age, participating in ice skating and ballet at 20 years old. A football career could have been on the cards, but he suffered from a knee injury that ultimately ended that dream.

Instead, he made the move to New York City, where he finished formal dance training at Joffrey Ballet School and Harkness Ballet school.

His debut professional dance career began at the Disney Theatrical Group, which was followed by a main role as Danny Zuko in the Broadway production of Grease. The first film he starred in was called Skatetown, U.S.A., where he played a character called Ace.

While his first big break was arguable in North and South, a miniseries on TV in 1985, Swayze really cemented his place in the movie industry with Dirty Dancing. The film was actually a low-budget project and was planned to be released for only one week.

A Life-Changing Role

As well as showing off his dancing chops, Swayze co-composed and performed “She’s Like the Wind”, a song that was featured on the film’s soundtrack. 

Considering the fact that he was born in 1952 on the 18th of August, Swayze was 35 years old at the time that the film was released, which was on August 21st, 1987 in the US.

Jennifer Grey, who portrayed Frances “Baby” Houseman, was 27 years old at the time. She was supposed to be portraying a 17-year-old, and Swayze was meant to be 25 years of age in the film.

Funnily enough, Swayze and Grey weren’t the original picks for the roles. Instead, the character of Johnny Castle was offered to Val Kilmer, and Baby was auditioned for by Sharon Stone and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Following the coming of age film, Swayze was bombarded with tons of new acting opportunities. He had roles in Steel Dawn (1987), Road House (1989), Next of Kin (1989), and of course his other massive hit, Ghost (1990) with Demi Moore.

In 1991 at 39 years old, he appeared in Point Break alongside Keanu Reeves, and the following year was nominated for an MTV Movie Award in the “Most Desirable Male” category.

Working With Grey

Despite what the beloved film portrays at its climax, the ‘80s lovebirds apparently weren’t too keen on each other in real life. A lot of the tension seen between the characters in the film is, in fact, real.

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Grey and Swayze had worked together previously on Red Dawn, and things began feeling tense even then.

Since Grey was almost a decade younger than her seasoned costar, she had a different approach when it came to acting. 

Linda Gottlieb, a producer on the set of Dirty Dancing, once shared a glimpse into the dynamics between the two:

“He felt like she was a wimp. She was genuine, naïve; you would do a take eight times and Jennifer would do it differently every time.”

She added, “Patrick was a pro; he would deliver the same thing again and again. She would cry easily, she was emotional and he sort of made fun of her. He was a macho guy.” 

Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter in 2016, Grey reminisced on her time working with Swayze, emphasizing her youth at the time of filming:

“He smelled really good, his skin was really nice. He was really strong and he was very protective and his heart was very much in it,” she said. “It was our second movie we’d done together within a short time — we did Red Dawn first and then Dirty Dancing.  

She continued, “He was a great dancer and he was fearless. His fearlessness with my fearfulness — like his lack of Jewishness and my super Jewishness — together was like a marriage where you have two opposites. He’d do anything and I’d be scared to do anything.”

In the video below, watch Swayze share his experience with Grey before he sadly died in 2009 of pancreatic cancer. 

Dirty Dancing star Patrick Swayze died of cancer 10 years ago

Dirty Dancing star Patrick Swayze passed away exactly ten years ago, on September 14, 2009. "Gazeta.Ru" tells about the career and fate of an actor who clung to life with all his might, fighting cancer.

American actor, dancer, singer and songwriter Patrick Swayze was born in Texas and has been involved in sports and art since childhood. He simultaneously trained in figure skating, ballet, and also acted in school plays and the football team. At the same time, the versatile child was fond of martial arts - wushu, taekwondo and aikido. However, a knee injury prompted Swayze to leave serious sports, and he turned his attention to creativity. At 19In 72, the future artist moved to New York, where he studied at the Harkness Ballet and Joffrey Ballet ballet schools.

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Still from The Ghost (1990) 1985 Jennifer Gray and Patrick Swayze. Still from the film "Dirty Dancing" (1987) Still from the film "Ghost" (1990) Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze. A still from the film "Point Break" (1991)

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View photo professions. He made his film debut at 19.79, starring in the movie Skatetown. In parallel with the development of acting courses, despite the injury, Swayze was the lead dancer in the prestigious Elliot Feld Dance Company. His next film work was Red Dawn by John Millius in 1984.

The actor became famous thanks to his roles in such films as "Dirty Dancing" , "Ghost" , "Road House" , "Point Break" and others. In addition, Swayze acted as a producer and composer in several tapes.

The actor has appeared in dozens of films and TV series and played a large number of theatrical roles, but he is best known for his role as dance instructor Johnny Castle in the film Dirty Dancing.

The film, about a 1960s romance between a couple at a resort, was a hit, contrary to what critics had predicted, earning both actors Golden Globe nominations. For the soundtrack to the tape, Swayze performed the song "She's Like the Wind", and his famous phrase "No one will corner Baby" was included in the hundred most famous lines in the history of American cinema.

It is curious that the actor himself was not satisfied with the ending of the picture, which he considered illogical.

"I always felt that Johnny should end up with dancer Penny, because they are from the same circle, and such a union is more realistic than Johnny and Baby," Swayze believed.

Two decades later, Dirty Dancing, which also featured the Oscar-winning song "The Time of My Life," remains very popular and is shown frequently on television in the US.

The second truly stellar role for Swayze was the role in the melodrama "Ghost", where he played with Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. The film was a huge box office success, as well as an Oscar nomination in the Best Picture category.

“Patrick had to work hard to be taken seriously in Hollywood. There was something very rough about him, but at the same time - a beautiful, gentle, sensual manner of playing, ”said Moore after the death of the actor.

In Point Break, Swayze shared the set with Keanu Reeves. After this film, the actor's popularity began to fall: for many, he remained a hostage to one role - Johnny Castle. In 2004, the actor played a cameo role in the film Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights, for which he received a record fee of $5 million.

The only love in Swayze's life was his ballet classmate Lisa Niemi. In the future, she became the wife and main muse of the artist, to whom he dedicated the song "She's Like The Wind", which became the soundtrack of "Dirty Dancing".

In 1990 Niemi suffered a miscarriage resulting in infertility. The actor supported his wife, saying that together they will cope with all the failures. To drown out the worries, the couple began to breed horses on their own ranch. However, the idyll did not last long: upset by the failures in several projects, Swayze became addicted to alcohol. Being in a state of intoxication, he ceased to be like himself. Later, relatives were able to convince the uncontrollable actor to undergo treatment in a rehabilitation clinic.

“There is no perfect relationship, you just don't give up. And of course there are bad times. But I would be with Patrick a million more times if I could,” said Swayze’s wife.

However, the 55-year-old actor was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Upon learning of the diagnosis, Swayze began to work actively: he wrote memoirs and starred in many projects.

After suffering pneumonia in January 2009, metastases were found in Swayze's liver. He passed away in Los Angeles on September 14, 2009.th.

“I thought that during the 22 months of my husband's illness, I had time to get used to the idea that I would lose him. But when I really got to that point, I realized it's not the same at all," Niemi said.

She was married to her husband for 34 years and fell into a deep depression after his death. For a long time, the actor's widow thought that she would not be able to marry a second time, but in 2014 she met a new lover.

Patrick Swayze - biography, photo, personal life, wife, children, height, cause of death

Biography of Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze - a man whose personality, talent and charisma to this day does not leave people indifferent. A stunningly harmonious actor who gave the world "Ghost", a graceful and plastic dancer who left the memory of this facet of talent in "Dirty Dancing", the author and performer of songs in several famous Hollywood films. Nominee for Golden Globe and Saturn awards. He passed away in the fall of 2009 after a twenty-month battle with cancer.

Pictured: Patrick Swayze

Childhood and youth: Houston - New York

The second child, born in the summer of 1952 in Houston, was named Patrick by the Swayze family. Patrick's older sister was Vicki Lynn, and after him two more boys were born - Don and Sean Kyle. Later, Jesse Vane and Patsy Swayze adopted a girl named Bora (Bambi).

Patrick Swayze with his parents, older sister and brother Donnie

The ancestors of the clan were British, Irish, Apaches. Speaking in an interview about his father, Patrick said that he was a foreman at the largest in the world, the Royal Ranch, where at one time he worked as a shepherd:
He introduced me to this life from an early age. My father was a truly harmonious person, completely earthly. He was one of those in whom the energy of love boiled. Kind and affectionate by nature, but just try to argue with him. A real southerner, if you lose his favor, you better run. His tone changed abruptly.
As the actor explained, it was his father who taught him a lot that seems hackneyed and banal in the modern world: honesty, strong feelings in his work. Patrick lived in accordance with the principles that his father instilled in him in early childhood. It was his image that the actor later embodied on the screen, playing Allan Quatermain in King Solomon's Mines. Dad became a design engineer so that he could turn many of his ideas to improve life on the ranch into reality.

Patrick Swayze as a child

From his mother, the legendary choreographer, according to Patrick, he got a certain inner tension, passion, the belief that everything can be conveyed through art. Drive and the desire to always be the best - this side of the character from the mother, who at one time led the young man down an inclined path. Nevertheless, Swayze thought that his parents were an amazing couple. Under my mother's strict guidance, it was Patrick who, of all the children, was engaged in choreography and music from an early age, especially since Patsy had her own ballet school.

Patrick Swayze at school

The boy was the most talented of all the students, distinguished by his diligence in his studies, for which he earned the nickname "sissy" from his classmates. Little Patrick, good-natured and obedient, often resorted to Patsy in tears, complaining that he had again got from the boys. Mom decided that he needed to be taught the ability to stand up for himself and placed her son in a school of martial arts. Only six months of classes and Patrick was unrecognizable. They began to treat him with respect, because he no longer allowed himself to be offended.

1978 Inside the Patsy Swayze Dance Studio

He graduated from school with honors, after which he went to New York to polish his ballet skills. After graduating from two ballet schools, Harkness and Joffrey, Swayze joined the renowned Elliot Feld Dance Company. The audience immediately noticed the graceful and handsome dancer in the musical "Brilliantine", which was on Broadway. The talent of the leading young dancer of the troupe was noted by the famous Mikhail Baryshnikov, with whom Patrick performed on the same stage.

In his youth, Patrick Swayze trained professionally in ballet

For the time being, no one knew what pain Swayze endured during performances, until one day the doctors insisted on an urgent surgical operation and forbade the artist to practice ballet if he did not want to remain disabled. The career of a professional ballet dancer did not take place. All the fault was knees injured in childhood, when Patrick enthusiastically played football. The mother again helped to survive the shock of what had happened, advising her son to try his hand at acting. And he began to study acting.

Acting career

Swayze was almost thirty years old when he, a former dancer, made his debut in the film Skatetown, USA. Roller skating disco fashion was in full swing. Patrick as Ace Johnson immediately became a teen idol. But he was not going to linger in this image.

Patrick Swayze's first role (Skatetown)

When the opportunity arose to work in Francis Ford Coppola's crime drama The Outcasts, he gladly agreed. In addition to him, Coppola selected completely unknown actors Tom Cruise and Matt Dillon for filming. Then Patrick was invited to the main role of Jed Eckert in the anti-Soviet film "Red Dawn" (1984).

On the set of The Outcasts

Popularity came to the actor after filming in the small series "North and South" (1985). He was immediately invited to play the lead role of Johnny Castle in Emil Ardolino's melodrama Dirty Dancing. This is where Swayze's talent was fully revealed, not only as a ballet dancer, but also as a dramatic actor.

Frame from the series "North and South"

Together with co-star Jennifer Grey, Patrick was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. The first year of the film's release brought in more than one hundred and seventy million dollars. Gray later recalled that the actor was fearless and aggressively doing all of the film's stunts on his own:
“Patrick had a rare combination of raw masculinity and amazing subtlety. He was beautiful and strong, a real cowboy with a tender heart, ”said Jennifer.
The success of the picture contributed to the next proposals, and every year Swayze appeared in new projects. In the fantastic Steel Dawn, he played the nomad Nomad, in the drama Warsow the Tiger, former drug addict Chuck Varso, in the thriller Road House, the legendary bouncer James Dalton, and in Next of Kin, police officer Truman Dalton. The eighties were fruitful in terms of work, and Patrick gave himself to her with all the passion of his restless nature.

Dirty Dancing. Fragment

The nineties brought the actor, perhaps, the most unforgettable role - Sam White in Jerry Zucker's dramatic film "Ghost". Together with Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg, Swayze created an unforgettable love story on the screen.

Great cast of "Ghosts"

The actor admitted that this story shocked him so much that, while reading the script, he could not hold back his tears several times. Whoopi received an Oscar for her supporting role, but said that she might not have received this award if it were not for Patrick, who inspires her on the set.

Ghost. Fragment

And Swayze has literally plunged into the role of Bodhi, starring in the thriller Kathryn Bigelow "Point Break". In the film, he is a surfer and bank robber who is trying to catch an ambitious FBI agent, brilliantly played by Keanu Reeves. The film did not have such a box office success as "Ghost", but the audience will forever remember the freedom-loving and fearless Bodhi, who preferred to die, catching his ideal wave, than to surrender to justice.

Patrick Swayze in Point Break

In the nineties, Patrick starred exclusively in leading roles, embodying both positive and negative characters on the screen. But even the most inveterate villains in his performance do not look so unambiguous thanks to the charm and talent of the actor.

In almost all films, Swayze himself performed all the stunts, which sometimes ended in failure. The script of one of the paintings suggested that the main character rides a horse without a saddle and bridle through the forest. The stubborn Patrick drove the horse on his own, but at some point the animal jumped out of the clearing into a huge tree, and the actor landed on the ground, crippled so that his legs were gone.

Swayze did all the tricks himself

The loss of a finger on his hand and a dislocated shoulder were “little things” compared to the spinal injury, after which the actor underwent a long treatment and rehabilitation. But as soon as he got to his feet, he sat back in the saddle:
There are little devils inside of me. If I try to suppress them, they will kill me, they must be given free rein from time to time. That's why I skydive and ride horses.
He bought a ranch in Northern California, where he bred horses, took part in the races. He visited competitions in the United Arab Emirates, where he became the only American to reach the finish line after a four-hour race through the desert. In the eyes of the Arab rivals, he looked like a hero, because he managed to overcome a difficult distance, despite the fact that he came to the finish line only thirty-fifth.

Horses have always been his passion

The 2000s were not so brilliant in terms of roles, but even the episodic role of a dance teacher in the prequel Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights brought Swayze a fee of five million dollars.

Dirty Dancing sequel released in 2004

Fans of the actor's talent were delighted with his role as a fearless cowboy in King Solomon's Mines, and then with the completely opposite character of the lawyer Richard Pressburger in the biographical drama Jump directed by Joshua Sinclair. He also played the comedic role of Lance in Niell Johnson's crime film "Keep Quiet".

A still from the film "King Solomon's Mines"

Patrick Swayze's private life

Patrick Swayze's lifelong woman was Lisa Niemi, whom he first saw at his mom's dance school. The first thing eighteen-year-old Patrick did when he saw a beautiful 14-year-old girl was to pinch her. And then he got a resounding slap in the face.

Young Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi

He was hooked that she, unlike other girls, paid almost no attention to him, as he then thought. And the girl was afraid to admit even to herself that she fell in love with a charming young man almost at first sight, so she chose this manner of behavior.
Lisa was different from the girls I'm used to. If I started to show off and play Casanova, she would just leave. My wife is the smartest woman I have ever met. It was after meeting her that I realized that smart girls are incredibly attractive.
Patrick admitted that if not for his wife, some of his problems could drag him down the slope. At one time, fame and crowds of lovers in love turned his head, but the sobering help of his wife did not allow him to get sick with a "star" disease. In addition, although he made Lisa jealous by flirting with partners in the paintings, Patrick remained a faithful husband.

Despite fame, Patrick Swayze was a faithful husband

The only thing that saddened the actor was the absence of children in their family. Having survived two miscarriages, the wife was never able to have them again.

Patrick Swayze with his wife

When Swayze found out about his terrible diagnosis, he decided to take Lisa down the aisle again, just like back in 1975. He arrived at the ceremony on a white horse, trying to impress his wife.

Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi Dance (1994)

According to the recollections of friends who knew Patrick well, he repeated all his life that his Lisa was the most beautiful woman in the world, best friend and faithful partner. Shortly before his death, in a long interview with the famous American TV presenter Barbara Walters, the actor admitted that without Lisa, his life would be incomplete.

They were together until the last moment

Last years and death

The whole life of this unique actor is risk and overcoming. Racing car rallies, skydiving, airplane flights, desert racing. Swayze seemed to be trying to prove to himself and to everyone that he could achieve anything he wanted.

Patrick's freedom-loving nature knew no barriers

With the same confidence in victory, he accepted the diagnosis that the oncologists gave him in March 2008: inoperable pancreatic cancer of the fourth degree. He joked that he would certainly live until the moment when a panacea for cancer was invented and continued to act in films. His wife, a licensed pilot, drove him to treatment on her own.

Lisa took Patrick to the hospital on plane

His most recent role is undercover operative FBI officer Charles Barker in the drama series The Beast. The actor sometimes worked up to twelve hours a day, not accepting pity. He wanted the viewer to see him full of energy, as before. At the same time, Patrick refused to take painkillers, because the side effect of them slowed down his consciousness and interfered with the game.

In a recent interview, the actor admitted that the pain of filming made him "inner fury". During the five months of filming, Swayze missed only a day, although in order to go to the set every day, he had to gather strength for two to three hours.

The last role of Patrick Swayze ("The Beast")

On weekends, he went to a California hospital, where he underwent aggressive chemotherapy. Swayze also relied on a new method of radiosurgery, tested an experimental drug on himself. For a while, there was an improvement, as Patrick informed his fans. But in January 2009years, the actor was hospitalized with pneumonia, and a couple of months later, liver metastases were found.

Patrick Swayze in his last year

While Swayze was in a hurry to finish his memoirs with his wife, not particularly sensitive journalists from one of the Florida radio stations posted a message on Twitter about his death. Patrick, with unpleasant surprise, found that Wikipedia even has the date of death - May 20. After that, his representative Annette Wolfe issued a refutation of speculation and rumors, stating that the actor is "alive, feeling well, enjoying his life and continues to be treated."

To stop speculation about his health, Swayze gave an interview on television, where he honestly told how he was struggling with the disease and how he hoped for a miraculous cure. But he immediately noticed that he was not going to cling to life at any cost just to maintain existence.

Am I dying? Have I given up? Am I on my deathbed? I say goodbye? Never! Patrick stated. “I keep dreaming about the future, about a long and healthy life that will not be overshadowed by the shadow of cancer.
Swayze did not succeed in defeating the disease. He passed away on September 14, 2009 in Los Angeles. Part of the expenses for the funeral and cremation was covered by Mikhail Baryshnikov. The ashes of the actor were scattered at his favorite ranch "Happy Days" in New Mexico.

Shortly before death

Memory and legacy

On October 5, 2009, a memorial to Patrick Swayze was opened on the territory of the Sony film studio. The monument is made in the shape of a white horse, the actor's favorite animal. Lisa Swayze found family happiness with jeweler Albert De Prisco in 2014. In 2019In the same year, she published the book “It was worth fighting for”, in which she talked about the last two years of her life together with Patrick.

Lisa Niemi married five years later

In 2017, Swayze's relatives criticized Lisa's desire to sell all the personal belongings of the deceased under the hammer (things, documents, old toys, keys, wallets, etc.), and send part of the proceeds to the cancer fund. She had previously denied them a ransom for Patrick's ranch, even though the actor's family were going to turn it into a museum. It was reported that Lisa kicked her brother Patrick and his niece off the ranch, although they helped her take care of the sick man in his last year and kept the house in order afterward.

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