"The Time Of My Life"

Today we honor a GHOST who had the time of his life DIRTY DANCING at THE ROAD HOUSE.

Patrick Swayze was born on August 18, 1952 in Houston, Texas, the eldest child of Patsy Yvonne Helen (née Karnes; b. 1927), a choreographer, dance instructor, and dancer, and Jessie Wayne Swayze (1925–1982), an engineering draftsman. He had two younger brothers, actor Don (born 1958) and Sean Kyle (born 1962), and two sisters, Vicky Lynn (1949–1994) and Bambi, who were adopted into the family.

During school he pursued multiple artistic and athletic skills, such as ice skating, classical ballet, and acting in school plays. He studied gymnastics in college. In 1972, he moved to New York City to complete his formal dance training at the Harkness Ballet and Joffrey ballet schools

Swayze's first professional appearance was as a dancer for Disney On Parade. He made his film début in Skatetown, U.S.A. He appeared as Pvt. Sturgis in the M*A*S*H episode "Blood Brothers" and had a brief stint in 1982 on a short lived TV series The Renegades playing a gang leader named Bandit. Swayze became known to the film industry after appearing in The Outsiders as the older brother of C. Thomas Howell and Rob Lowe. His first major success was in the 1985 television miniseries North and South.

Swayze's breakthrough role came with his performance as dance instructor Johnny Castle in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, alongside co-star, Jennifer Grey. Dirty Dancing was a low-budget project that was intended to be shown in theaters for one weekend only and then go straight to video. Instead it became a hit that to date has earned over three hundred million dollars. It was the first film to sell one million copies on video. Swayze received a Golden Globe Award nomination for the role and sang one of the songs on the soundtrack, "She's Like the Wind," which he had originally co-written with Stacy Widelitz for the film Grandview, U.S.A. The song became a top ten hit.

He was a licensed pilot. One June 1, 2000 he made news landing on a dirt road in a housing complex in Prescott, Arizona after the plane developed pressurization problems.

Swayze is survived by his wife, Lisa Niemi, who he was married to from June 12, 1975 until his death. They had no children. His sister, Vickie, committed suicide. His dad also died at the age of 57.

"Now I've had the time of my life
No I never felt like this before
Yes I swear it's the truth
and I owe it all to you
'Cause I've had the time of my life
and I owe it all to you."

OK, everyone in honor of the star we have just lost, fess up and confess right here on the blog if you have ever dirty danced? Would your moves make Swayze Proud? I will confess that as someone that looks like an out of control chicken when he dances that I have never had the guts to try dirty dancing. Have you?

TODAY'S TRIVIA

Yesterday's answers: Farmers, glass,. Blue roadster, Baha’i, and Warren G. Harding.

Today is a Who Am I?

Although they really, really liked my gal Sal there was a time when a lot of the big bosses didn't much like me. I was born in 1941 and died of brain cancer on a day when America celebrated a great tragedy. I was the 13th recipient of the Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award. The honor was named after a 1963 encyclical letter, Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth), by Pope John XXIII, that calls upon all people of good will to secure peace among all nations. A New York Times reporter referred to me as a Woman Of Inheritance. In 1988 I took nursing classes at Alamance Community College in North Carolina, where my papers and memorabilia are deposited. I became famous when I rebelled at making $2.65 an hour folding towels and was fired for trying to improve working conditions. Who Am I?