Top 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsMost Popular Video GamesMost Popular Music VideosMost Popular Podcasts
    Release CalendarBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Patrick Swayze(1952-2009)

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 5,00018
Patrick Swayze
The Beast: Series Premiere 2
Play trailer0:15
Two Choices (2009)
61 Videos
99+ Photos
Patrick Wayne Swayze was born on August 18, 1952 in Houston, Texas, to Patsy Swayze (née Yvonne Helen Karnes), a choreographer, and Jesse Wayne Swayze, a chemical plant engineer draftsman. His mother owned a dance school in Houston, where Patrick was also a student. His father passed away in 1982. He graduated from Waltrip High School in Houston, and attended San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas. He married actress/dancer Lisa Niemi on June 12, 1975, whom he had known when she was 15 and a student at his mother's dance school. His New York City dance training included the Harkness Ballet School and Joffrey Ballet School. He first danced professionally as "Prince Charming" in "Disney on Parade". After a stint as "Danny Zuko" in the original Broadway production of "Grease", he made his film debut with a small role in Skatetown U.S.A. (1979). He made his television debut in 1981 on M*A*S*H (1972), as a soldier diagnosed with leukemia.

After many supporting roles in films and a lead role in the TV mini-series North & South: Book 1, North & South (1985), he landed his breakthrough role as dance instructor "Johnny Castle" in the hit film Dirty Dancing (1987), for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. He received a second nomination for his portrayal of "Sam Wheat" in the blockbuster Ghost (1990). Ghost (1990) was the highest-grossing film of 1990, and at one point, the fourth highest-grossing film of all time. Unfortunately, he did not capitalize on its success. His subsequent films like City of Joy (1992), Tall Tale (1995), Black Dog (1998), and Waking Up in Reno (2002) did not fare well with critics or audiences. In December 2003, he returned to Broadway as a replacement for the lead role of "Billy Flynn" in the acclaimed revival of John Kander & Fred Ebb's musical, "Chicago". The production also went on tour in several cities of the United States, including Los Angeles. In January 2008, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He fought the illness for well over a year and was able to continue working, but died on September 14, 2009.
BornAugust 18, 1952
DiedSeptember 14, 2009(57)
BornAugust 18, 1952
DiedSeptember 14, 2009(57)
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 5,00018
  • Awards

Photos387

Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Whoopi Goldberg, Demi Moore, and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Whoopi Goldberg and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze, and Tony Goldwyn in Ghost (1990)
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)

Known for

Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing (1987)
Dirty Dancing
7.0
  • Johnny Castle
  • 1987
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost (1990)
Ghost
7.1
  • Sam Wheat
  • 1990
Patrick Swayze and Kelly Lynch in Road House (1989)
Road House
6.6
  • Dalton
  • 1989
Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze, James Le Gros, and John Philbin in Point Break (1991)
Point Break
7.2
  • Bodhi
  • 1991

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Ray Liotta, Forest Whitaker, Jessica Biel, and Eddie Redmayne in Powder Blue (2009)
    Powder Blue
  • Patrick Swayze and Travis Fimmel in The Beast (2009)
    The Beast
  • Jump! (2007)
    Jump!
  • Keeping Mum: Funnies (2006)
    Keeping Mum: Funnies
  • Keeping Mum: Deleted Scenes (2006)
    Keeping Mum: Deleted Scenes
  • The Fox and the Hound 2 (2006)
    The Fox and the Hound 2
    • (voice)
  • Christmas in Wonderland (2006)
    Christmas in Wonderland
  • Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Patrick Swayze, and Maggie Smith in Keeping Mum (2005)
    Keeping Mum
  • Patrick Swayze in Icon (2005)
    Icon
  • King Solomon's Mines (2004)
    King Solomon's Mines
  • George and the Dragon (2004)
    George and the Dragon
  • Romola Garai and Diego Luna in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)
    Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
  • Whoopi Goldberg, Wren T. Brown, Omid Djalili, and Elizabeth Regen in Whoopi (2003)
    Whoopi
  • Ja Rule in Ja Rule: Murder Reigns (2003)
    Ja Rule: Murder Reigns
    • (uncredited)
  • 11:14 (2003)
    11:14

Producer

  • Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi in One Last Dance (2003)
    One Last Dance

Additional Crew

  • Jamie Lee Curtis, Patrick Swayze, and C. Thomas Howell in Grandview, U.S.A. (1984)
    Grandview, U.S.A.

Videos61

'Point Break' | Anniversary Mashup
Clip 1:25
'Point Break' | Anniversary Mashup
Donnie Darko: 15th Anniversary
Clip 0:52
Donnie Darko: 15th Anniversary
Dirty Dancing: 30th Anniversary Edition
Clip 1:50
Dirty Dancing: 30th Anniversary Edition
Dirty Dancing: 30th Anniversary Edition
Clip 2:01
Dirty Dancing: 30th Anniversary Edition
Dirty Dancing: 30th Anniversary Edition
Clip 2:02
Dirty Dancing: 30th Anniversary Edition
Dirty Dancing
Clip 0:15
Dirty Dancing
The Fox and the Hound 2: Special Edition
Clip 0:45
The Fox and the Hound 2: Special Edition
The Fox and the Hound 2: Special Edition
Clip 1:07
The Fox and the Hound 2: Special Edition
The Fox and the Hound 2: Special Edition
Clip 1:21
The Fox and the Hound 2: Special Edition
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill
Clip 1:06
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill
Clip 2:11
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill
Keeping Mum
Clip 0:45
Keeping Mum

Personal details

Edit
    • Official Patrick Swayze International Fan Club
    • August 18, 1952
    • Houston, Texas, USA
    • September 14, 2009
    • Los Angeles, California, USA(pancreatic cancer)
    • Lisa NiemiJune 12, 1975 - September 14, 2009 (his death)
    • Don Swayze(Sibling)
  • Other works
    (1970s) TV commercial: Burger King restaurant chain.
  • Publicity listings
    • 3 Print Biographies
    • 2 Portrayals
    • 6 Interviews
    • 34 Articles
    • 14 Pictorials
    • 15 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Began his career as a dancer appearing in Disneyland's parades as Prince Charming from Cinderella (1950). One of the many Cinderellas he danced with was Michelle Pfeiffer.
  • Quotes
    Good-looking people turn me off. Myself included.
    • His half salute
    • Ghost
      (1990)
      $2,000,000

Related news

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More to explore

Recently viewed

Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
Get the IMDb App
  • Get the IMDb App
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • IMDb Developer
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.