Patrick Swayze Had The Time Of His Life

4 months ago 19th Sep 08:15

It was the news many women around the globe had been dreading - Patrick Swayze, who was once the ultimate Hollywood heartthrob, had died at the age of 57 after losing his battle with pancreatic cancer.

The actor passed away at his family home on Monday (14.09.09) with his beloved wife Lisa at his side.

For a man not always comfortable in the spotlight, it seemed the perfect way for him to depart the world.

His publicist Annett Wolf said: "Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months."

Although his cancer battle was well-publicised and the outcome was all but inevitable - only four per cent of people who have pancreatic cancer survive over a year - it doesn't stop the world grieving for a man who wowed audiences with his acting talent and impressive dance moves.

When his diagnosis was first revealed in March 2008, his strong and loyal fan base were left devastated and legions of girls who grew up with a schoolgirl crush on Patrick couldn't believe their favourite star's days were numbered.

Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months.

So how did this ballet-loving man from Texas with a dream of becoming a professional dancer, become such an iconic figure and receive the adoration reserved for only for a few?

Although Swayze had appeared in many TV and movie roles, his big break came in 1987, with arguably his most famous film, 'Dirty Dancing'.

He played dance instructor Johnny Castle, who fell in love with Jennifer Grey's teenage character Frances 'Baby' Houseman.

Johnny taught 17-year-old Baby to dance as well as become a woman and young girls across the world fell for Swayze.

When he uttered the movie's most famous line, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner", Swayze became a cult icon and it's a phrase he was never able to forget.

He once said: "Wherever I go, people always go to me, 'Say it, say it.' That's all they want to hear, 'Nobody puts Baby in a corner.' I'll never be able to live it down!"

A recent poll revealed 'Dirty Dancing' was women's number one most watched film - beating 'Pretty Woman', 'Grease' and 'The Sound of Music' - and there's hardly a female in the world who didn't take the movie to their heart.

As well as the movie's main song, '(I've Had) The Time of My Life', being a worldwide smash, Swayze also had his own pop success with his song from the film, 'She's Like The Wind'.

'Dirty Dancing' had turned Swayze into a global superstar but he needed another big hit to sustain his status.

However, he found himself typecast and starred in a string of flops until his role as a bouncer in 1989's 'Roadhouse'.

But it was his portrayal of Sam Wheat in 1990's 'Ghost' which saw him become Hollywood's ultimate leading man.

He starred alongside Demi Moore as a murdered man whose spirit refused to go to heaven until he had finished everything he needed to on Earth.

It was a role that saw him communicating with Demi through a medium played by Whoopi Goldberg.

In the film's most famous scene, Swayze and Moore make love to The Righteous Brothers' 'Unchained Melody' after getting carried away on the pottery wheel - a moment which was seen many imitations and is one of the most memorable love scenes in movie history.