Patrick Swayze, the star of classic films in the 1980s, died on Sep. 14, 2009, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Patrick Swayze made dozens of films during his career, most notably Dirty Dancing, Ghost, and Road House.

A native of Houston and a classicly trained dancer, Patrick Swayze first appeared on the big screen in the early 80s in films such as The Outsiders, Red Dawn, and Youngblood. Swayze's big break came in the 1987 hit Dirty Dancing. Swayze played dance instructor Johnny Castle. The film allowed Swayze to show off his dancing ability and made him an international star.

Her next big film was Ghost with Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. The 1990 film was a massive hit and considered one of the most successful romantic films of its era.

While Swayze's career waned in the 90s, he made something of a comeback in the 21st century. He appeared in films like Donnie Darko as well as the TV series The Beast.