Remembering Patrick Swayze

Members of the Review Fix staff share their feelings on the loss of Patrick Swayze.

Being born in the early to mid ’80s and sharing the same first name and having blonde hair, Patrick Swayze and his films were a huge part of my childhood. Having a mother that was infatuated with him only exacerbated matters more. However, it wasn’t a bad thing as I always dug Swayze in films like “Dirty Dancing,” “Ghost” and “Red Dawn” because he was able to be both tough as nails and sensitive at the same time, something I myself aspired to be when I was older.

However, my favorite film of Swayze’s will always be “Youngblood.” Playing the role of high-scoring center Derek Sutton, Swayze is talented, tough and equally as hilarious. As a life-long hockey fan, I loved how the film mirrored the lives of minor league hockey players. As I got older and became a sports writer, the realism of the film has become even more apparent to me and made me appreciate Swayze’s performance there even more. He may not be have been A list for the last 15-years of his career, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t in our hearts the whole time.

-Patrick Hickey Jr.

Singer, dancer, tough guy, entertainer – with the soulful baby blues of an angel and the firm, steely resolve of a champion.

For decades, Patrick Swayze used his astounding ability to reconcile these seemingly contradictory qualities with a grace so inherent that juxtaposing a boy from the wrong-side-of-the-tracks with remarkable ballroom dancing abilities seemed as natural as breathing.

Possessing a horde of publically-latent abilities, this seemingly superhuman man stole the screen. For instance, few knew of his pilot license; the man had an instrument rating, to boot.

And yet, he was a good man. Unlike many of his Hollywood contemporaries, he maintained an admirable lifelong commitment to his wife, Lisa Niemi.

On September 14 2009, the 57-year-old body of the entertainment legend was put to rest after a rigorous bout with pancreatic cancer. In the distantly-surreal days following his death, one easily falls to the last moment of what was arguably his greatest role – that of Sam Wheat in “Ghost.” At the end, he gently reminds his girlfriend, Molly, must cherish the love within her and take with her all throughout life.
Words to live by.

Ditto, Mr. Swayze. Ditto.

-Olga Privman

Every once in a while, an actor comes along who makes his/her audience fall in love with not only who they are on screen, but also the person behind the persona. Patrick Swayze was one such man, who audiences saw as sincere in his personality and passionate in his performances. He is also noted for having a deep, loving, and long lasting relationship with his wife which is rare in society as a whole, but even rarer within the Hollywood community. Swayze and his wife Lisa seemed to have a connection like Paul and Linda McCartney, deep enough for people to notice and admire as a very special thing in this world.

I grew up with films like “Dirty Dancing,” “Ghost” and “Point Break” and still watch and enjoy them today, because they are solidly written films with great performances. Being a fan of the show “The Beast,” I was amazed at the power it must have took for him to get up everyday not feeling well, and perform with everything he had. I think the one season we were given of that show was the last gift Swayze gave to his fans, and will be cherished.

I hope Lisa Swayze could take comfort that her husband gave entertainment and joy to his audiences, who are now sharing in her loss of a good actor, and a good man.

-Cynthia Spataro

Patrick Swayze will be remembered for much more than his toughness and grit. His passion for acting alone showed his pure talent. Able to connect with the audience with every character he played, whether it be Sam Wheat in “Ghost” or Johnny Castle in “Dirty Dancing.” The bottom line is that Swayze will always hold a special place in our hearts.  He will not be forgotten. His smile alone lit up the screen and made us feel good about watching his films. It was a joy to watch him perform. His battle with cancer alone shows that he is a tough guy, and his willingness to not give up and fight makes him a brave soul.

– Nick Valente

October 1990, New York City, Patrick Swayze, fresh off from starring in the most successful film of his career, “Ghost,” guest hosts that most famous of American television shows, a live action comedic temple of sorts, “Saturday Night Live.” His earnest and completely straight faced appearance, playing the perfect foil for the considerably physical and zany performance of SNL cast member, Chris Farley, in the now legendary Chippendales sketch will forever be remembered as must see tv.

Naturally athletic, Swayze studied gymnastics, classical ballet and even ice-skating, before concentrating on acting as his profession. Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 film, “The Outsiders,” filled with Hollywood’s future Brat Packers, was his big break. In next few decades, he starred in films like “Red Dawn,” “Dirty Dancing,” “Ghost,” “Point Break,” “City Of Joy” and “Donnie Darko,” though the not all were successful, he had emerged as a star.

His accomplishments even included a top 10 Billboard hit with the song, “She’s like the wind” from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. He also had success on the small screen with the critically acclaimed mini-series, “North and South” and recently, “The Beast,” just before losing his long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Not always given the critical acclaim, he and his successful films and TV shows might have deserved, Swayze, sadly, acted in many forgettable films which did not do his acting and dancing talents, any favors. Given the title of ‘Sexiest Man Alive” at the height of his popularity, he had to overcome many personal challenges like the death of his sister and father, a plane crash and alcoholism in his later years as a forgotten star.

In the end, even cancer could not take away his grace and defiance in living life on his own terms, qualities which drew his countless fans from around the world to him.

-Kaushik Majumdar

There is no doubt that Patrick Swayze was an incredible entertainer and because of that he has been a part of pop culture for nearly three decades. However, my favorite work from Swayze is the miniseries North and South. Filmed over 20 years ago this over-the-top show was based on a series of novels by John Jakes. Swayze played Orry Main, a southerner who has a lifelong friendship with a northern man. They meet at West Point and go through a series of adventures together; their loyalty to each other is tested when the civil war breaks out. What made this show entertaining was Swayze. He oozed sex-appeal even in the absurd costumes he was forced to wear. He was able to emphasize his Texas accent and surprisingly use his dancing background to pull off the part. He also acted the hell out of it. That miniseries had a cast that had actors ranging from Lesly-Ann Down to Robert Mitchum and even Gene Kelly, but it was Swayze who shined. He will definitely be missed.

-Donna-Lyn Washington