Patrick Swayze catapulted to fame in 1987 with Dirty Dancing becoming a sex symbol for his era. Starring roles in Ghost and Point Break proved his status as a leading man adept at both action and romance. Yet behind the movie-star exterior was a man plagued by demons, scarred by regret and driven to the brink of self-destruction. The private struggles and public successes of Patrick Swayze are revealed through the words of those who knew him best. Patrick’s first girlfriend Nikki D’Amico and childhood friend Rick Odums chart his remarkable upbringing in Texas, as the son of a laidback cowboy and a perfectionist ballet teacher who instilled an extraordinary drive. He ascended to the top of the ballet world in New York before his career was cruelly destroyed by injury. Colleagues including his first manager Kate Edwards and casting director Jane Jenkins chart his rapid rise in Hollywood and typecasting fears, as well as the devastating impact of his father’ s early death. Dirty Dancing Producer Linda Gottlieb and actor Lonny Price share behind-the-scenes stories on set, including a particular feud between Patrick and co-star Jennifer Grey that resulted in movie magic. And Ghost director Jerry Zucker tells how he was turned from a Swayze sceptic to a superfan after just one audition. After suffering a string of personal and professional setbacks, Patrick ultimately found peace in his fifties before losing a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
