Patrick Swayze Memories: Hollywood Actor, Dancer & Martial Artist

Patrick Swayze passed away at 57, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. The actor is best known for several blockbuster movies like the romantic fantasy, Ghost, the romantic musical, Dirty Dancing, and the wild comedy which saw him perform in drag, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar.

Although he appeared in movies before Dirty Dancing, it was this romantic musical co-starring Jennifer Grey that made him a true househould name. The movie resonated with many different groups, on so many levels, and the joyous soundtrack became a real musical classic. In Ghost, he was the brutally murdered stockbroker Sam Wheat, opposite Demi Moore as his beloved Molly. The movie earned co-star Whoopi Goldberg a Best Supporting Oscar and catapulted Swayze to a global fame that few actors ever experience in Hollywood.

Swayze demonstrated an elegant physicality which is rarely seen showcased in even the most fit actors. Indeed, his formative background trained him in a host of physical disciplines, besides dancing, which his mother encouraged him to pursue. From CNN's obituary on him, "She led her son into the dancing world, which wasn't always easy for a Texas male. Indeed, the young Swayze played football, practiced martial arts and was an accomplished diver and track star while growing up, though he was good enough at dance to earn a college scholarship.

One film some Swayze fans may not find appealing or as family friendly as say Ghost, is Roadhouse. Often cited as corny or cheesy, there's still a humongous cult following around the film. I count myself as a fan of the flick, and its gritty, surreal charm and cartoon like world of bar violence only grows on me each time I view the movie. It provides a very basic cathartic thrill, an always fun and even artistic canvas as we watch Swayze nobly kick the behinds of dozens of drunk hooligans. His tough as nails character is Dalton, a bouncer. When he espouses his complex bouncer philosophy, he's a cross between a Shaolin monk, and a long haired Yoda. Swayze's martial artist background was augmented by training in Hung Kar Kung-Fu for the movie's fantastic fights.

As we remember Patrick Swayze and watch his respected, more mainstream films, take a chance and rent Roadhouse. Action fans will love it, and even those who would never consider a fight flick may find themselves falling under its spell. Patrick Swayze wasn't the most famous or celebrated martial artist, but by utilizing his supremely graceful dancer's body, he's arguably one of the most elegant to ever fight on film.

Sources
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/09/14/patrick.swayze/index.html
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070918091954AAyrSjN