Patrick Swayze wants you to be nice

Here's a theory you might not agree with: Patrick Swayze is perhaps the most underrated actor of the 80s.

Swayze, who turns 55 years old today, appeared in 11 movies, six TV shows and two mini-series during the decade. And yet he's best known for perhaps his least impressive role -- dance instructor "Johnny Castle" (worst ... name ... ever) in 1987's "Dirty Dancing."

I say "least impressive" not because of Swayze's performance. He makes the most of the slop the screenwriters served up to him. "OK, Mr. Swayze, we want you to play a tough-guy dance instructor. ... Stop laughing, Patrick. ... Yes, we're serious. But here's the twist: You turn into a total crybaby wuss when you fall in love -- for no good reason -- with a daddy's girl named 'Baby' who isn't half as attractive as anybody you've dated before! Sound good? OK, well, do it for us anyway. Please? OK, we'll let you sing that ridiculous 'She's Like The Wind' song that they rejected in your 'Grandview USA' movie. Deal? Great!"

So forget Dirty Dancing now. We've come to praise Patrick Swayze, not to mock him.

5 reasons nobody puts Patrick Swayze in a corner:

5. Roadhouse (1989): "I want you to be nice until it's time to not be nice."

4. Grandview, USA (1984): "Boy, you just discovered the oldest sexual position in the book. ... the Foolish position."

3. The Outsiders (1983): "You just don't stop living because you lose somebody. I thought you knew that."

2. Red Dawn (1984): "It's kind of strange, isn't it? How the mountains pay us no attention at all. You laugh or you cry... The wind just keeps on blowing."

1. Youngblood (1986): "Thank God there is a sport for middle-sized white boys."

Sadly, his best movie -- Point Break -- was in 1991, but I'll tip my hat to him anyway. And of course, let's not forget this classic clip from Saturday Night Live. Enjoy.

Comments

[Max]

I think my favorite two PS movies are: "Too Wong Foo" and "Donnie Darko." They even bring back Katherine Ross! :-)

[Cathy in Seattle]

Steve-

Did you ever think that Patrick Swayze's character fell for "Baby" because she was kind and compassionate and actually had a brain, unlike the "twice as attractive" girls he dated before?

Roadhouse??? Give me a break!

I know it's not from the '80s but I loved Swayze in Donnie Darko.

P.S. Six, thanks for the song!!

[Six]

I miss Cathy.

[Big Tex]

Patrick's mug shot on this post is giving me nightmares!!!

WOLVERINES!

[80sfan]

I was just looking through his list of credits and noticed that he was one of the dancers in Staying Alive. Who knew!?! I'll have to watch that one again and see if I can spot him in the background.

I have always wanted to see Skatetown U.S.A. but I have never been able to find it available on video or DVD.

BTW I happen to like She's Like the Wind. But I enjoyed the song long before I knew Swayze was the singer.

[Spears]

We have a strict "no-Ghost" rule here in this blog. It's the moment in history where Demi Moore's career whent from promising to pathetic.

[Eric S]

I have always liked Patrick Swayze. In college one of my frat brothers had a shirt made up with classic Swayzisms like "Pain don't hurt".

Loved Roadhouse. One of my favorite movies with Swayze. Had everything a guy would want in a movie-good fist fights, classic lines by Swayze, an appearance by Sam Elliot and female nudity.

The Outsiders and Red Dawn were also good back in the day. And of course you can't go wrong with Point Break. I wouldn't necessarily say that his role in Dirty Dancing was his most famous. I would think some people would say Ghost was a more famous role for him. It is close.

[Al]

Saw the Outsiders on today, for the 1st time ever......underrated film. The chick in it had an eerie resemblance to Mandy Moore, though.

[Christina]

Patrick Swayze? Underrated? I think the heat's starting to get to you!