Patrick Swayze passed away

Actor Patrick Swayze passed away yesterday at the age of 57. He had been suffering from pancreatic cancer. Swayze was catapulted to fame in the movie Dirty Dancing in 1987. The movie spawned a cultural phenomenon with traveling revues and Dirty Dancing parties all over the world. He followed that up with another smash hit film, Ghost, also starring Whoopi Goldberg and Demi Moore. Whoopi credits Swayze for helping her earn her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the film. His other films include "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar," which also starred Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo--all of them in drag--Point Break, Red Dawn, and Roadhouse. My favorite Patrick Swayze role was one of his lesser-know films, 1983's The Outsiders, an adaptation of an S.E. Hinton novel. The movie also starred rising young stars Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, and Tom Cruise.

After many years out of the spotlight, Swayze came back to star in the critically-acclaimed television series The Beast. The show would air for only one season as Swayze's health failed. All the while his family and friends hoped for a remission. In an op-ed piece in the Washington Post, Swayze addressed Congress on behalf of cancer supporters and asked for NIH funding for cancer research as part of the economic stimulus package. Swayze is survived by his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi.