TV&Media Hunk of the Week 12/4/08: Patrick Swayze

[auntiehill]

(thanks to Aragorn for the suggestion)
Patrick Wayne Swayze (born August 18, 1952) is a three-time Golden Globe nominated American dancer, actor, and songwriter. Swayze was born in Houston, Texas, United States, North America, the son of Patricia "Patsy" Yvonne Helen (née Karnes) — a choreographer, dance instructor, and dancer — and Jesse Wayne Swayze, an engineering drafter. Although the surname "Swayze" is Welsh, he is of mainly Irish descent, as well as some Apache ancestry. His brother, Don Swayze, is also an actor.

Swayze's first professional appearance was as a dancer for Disney on Parade. He starred as "Danny Zuko" in the Broadway production of Grease before his debut film role as "Ace" in Skatetown, U.S.A. (1979). He also appeared as Pvt. Sturgis in the "M*A*S*H" episode "Blood Brothers". Swayze became known to the filming industry after appearing in The Outsiders (1983), as the older brother of C. Thomas Howell and Rob Lowe. Swayze, Howell, and Howell's friend Darren Dalton reunited in Red Dawn the next year, and Lowe and Swayze reunited in Youngblood, where he was considered a member of the Brat Pack, but his first major success was in the 1985 television miniseries "North and South", which was set during the American Civil War.

His real breakthrough to stardom came with his performance as the dance instructor in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, alongside his Red Dawn costar, Jennifer Grey. His earlier ballet experience came to good use in this film. Dirty Dancing was a low-budget project that was intended to be shown in theaters for one weekend only and then go straight to video, but it became a surprise hit and achieved massive international success. Swayze received a Golden Globe Award nomination for the role and also sang one of the songs on the soundtrack, "She's Like the Wind", which he had originally cowritten with Stacy Widelitz for the film Grandview, U.S.A. The song became a top ten hit.

Swayze found himself heavily typecast as beefcake and appeared in several flops, of which Road House (1989) was the most successful. His biggest hit came in 1990, when he starred in Ghost with Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. In 1991, he starred alongside Youngblood castmate Keanu Reeves in another major action hit, Point Break, and was also chosen by People magazine as that year's "Sexiest Man Alive".

Swayze was seriously injured in 1996 while filming HBO's Letters from a Killer, when he fell from a horse and hit a tree. Both of his legs were broken and he suffered four detached tendons in his shoulder. Filming was suspended for two months, but the film aired in 1999. Swayze recovered from his injuries, but had trouble resuming his career until 2000, when he costarred in Waking Up in Reno, with Billy Bob Thornton and Charlize Theron, and in Forever Lulu, with Melanie Griffith.

In 2001, he appeared in Donnie Darko, where he played a motivational speaker and closet pedophile, and in 2004, he played Allan Quatermain in King Solomon's Mines. He also had a cameo appearance in the Dirty Dancing sequel, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004) as an unnamed dance instructor.

He made his London stage debut in the musical "Guys and Dolls" as Nathan Detroit on July 27, 2006 alongside Neil Jerzak, and remained in the role until November 25, 2006. His previous appearances on the Broadway stage had included productions of "Goodtime Charley" (1975) and "Chicago" (2003).

Swayze's latest starring role was in the film Christmas in Wonderland (2007). In August 2007, Swayze played an aging rock star in the upcoming film Powder Blue (slated for 2008 release), costarring his younger brother Don in their first film together. Patrick recently wrapped taping on an A&E pilot/FBI drama "The Beast," filming in Chicago in summer 2008; he will play FBI Agent Charles Barker. "The Beast" is scheduled to air in early 2009.

Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in late January 2008, and has been undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments at the Stanford University Medical Center. Swayze appeared on the ABC, NBC, and CBS simulcast of "Stand Up to Cancer" in September 2008, to appeal to the general public for donations for the initiative. Swayze said to a standing ovation, "I dream that the word 'cure' will no longer be followed by the words 'it's impossible'. Together we can make a world where cancer no longer means living with fear, without hope, or worse." (wiki)

The Outsiders


Uncommon Valor


Red Dawn


"North and South" miniseries


Youngblood


Dirty Dancing


Road House



Ghost


Point Break


City of Joy


To Wong Fu, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar


Donnie Darko


Waking Up in Reno


Publicity Shots

[Trippy]

A big thumbs up!

I fell in love with him during The Outsiders and he hasn't dissapointed me yet

[RJDiogenes]

I think the only thing I've seen him in is Ghost.

I'll have to go with Sideways. He's pretty well built, but kind of funny looking.

[Miss Chicken]

Thumbs down. I just don't find him attractive but he is OK as an actor.

[Aragorn]

Next week's hunk of the week... Don Swayze.

[DAK]

Meh, sideways. That last picture is just goofy.

[Sakrysta]

When he gets old, he's going to have HUGE grandpa ears!

Thumbs down. I liked him in Dirty Dancing, but I don't find him at all attractive.

[Orac Zen]

He's never done a thing for me. Meh.

[WillsBabe]

To be fair I haven't seen that many Swayzee films, but he gets a massive thumbs up from me. He's lovely. I think I fell in love with him in Dirty Dancing and the 80s, and frankly, I don't seem to have fallen out of love with him since. Maybe it's an age thing.

ETA: Just had another look at him in the wetsuit. I knew there was a reason I love the suferdudes so.

[auntiehill]

I was very much in love with him when I was a kid. But he made several films I just couldn't STAND, and got a bit tired of him. So, I guess my overall reaction is just a "Meh."

Still, I was very sad to hear about his health problems. My Aunt died of pancreatic cancer in 2005. What the disease did her was terrible; I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I hate that the press is already putting him on his deathbed, when he very well may several good years left.

[Trippy]

Oh, just reviewing the North/South pic...oh I so loved Orry!

[Turbo]

He's decent enough, but he never really stands out in a crowd. Thumbs sideways.

Here's hoping that he recovers from his cancer.