Patrick Swayze: Making Magazine Headlines

Patrick Swayze wasborn in Texas and at the age of 20 moved to New York City to pursue dancing. Hecompleted formal dance training at the Harkness Ballet and Joffrey balletschools. Swayzemarried Lisa Niemi in 1975 and the couple remains married today.

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

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

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

In recent years Swayzehas starred in “Christmas in Wonderland,” “Powder Blue,” and the televisiondrama “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 Peoplemagazine in 2008 when it was disclosed the actor had been diagnosed with stagefour pancreatic cancer. According to the actor he is responding well totreatment, blasting rumors printed by celebrity magazines that Swayze is neardeath. Read more about pancreatic cancer in health magazines like Prevention,Health and Men’s Health.

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

Swayze appeared on thetelevision special “Stand Up to Cancer”in September 2008, to appeal to the general public for donations. Swayze deniedclaims made by celebrity magazines his cancer had spread. However, in a January2009 interview with Barbara Walters, Swayze disclosed that he had a small massin his liver. That same month the actor was briefly hospitalized withpneumonia, a complication of chemotherapy. Swayze recently announced in Peoplemagazine he is writing his memoirs.