Patrick Swayze Net Worth and Salary: Patrick Swayze was an American actor who had a net worth of $40 million at the time of his death in 2009. During his lifetime, Swayze was one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. He made a name for himself with the 80s classic ‘Dirty Dancing’ and later appeared in 90s films such as ‘Point Break’ and ‘Ghost’. Swayze’s career continued into the 2000s. Sadly, he died at the relatively young age of 57 in 2009.
Throughout his career, Swayze developed a reputation as a multi-talented artist. Not only was he comfortable in front of the camera, but he was just as comfortable on the Broadway stage. In addition, Swayze was a talented singer and dancer. Due to his frequent role as the lead in romantic films, he also developed a reputation as a sex symbol.
Early Life: Patrick Wayne Swayze was born on August 18, 1952 in Houston, Texas. His mother was a choreographer and dance instructor. He was raised with four siblings in the Oak Forest neighborhood of Houston. During his youth, he became an avid dancer, ice skater, athlete and martial artist. Patrick was hoping to get a football scholarship before a knee injury ended his career. In 1972, 20-year-old Swayze moved to New York to receive formal dance training. She attended the Harness Ballet School and the Joffrey Ballet School.
Career: Patrick Swayze began his entertainment career as a dancer, performing with the Disney Theatrical Group in “Disney on Parade.” A Broadway role as Danny Zuko in “Grease” soon followed, and Patrick then made his film debut in “Skatetown, USA.” Swayze followed up with his first major TV role in “M*A*S*H*.” Strangely, his character discovers that he has terminal cancer in this episode.
A series of TV roles followed before Swayze appeared in ‘The Outsiders’, a landmark 1980s film. Although his acting career progressed over the next few years with shows like “Red Dawn” and movies like “Youngblood,” he didn’t hit his breakthrough until 1987 with “Dirty Dancing.” The low-budget film was initially planned for a limited release but became a smash hit. In addition to starring, Patrick contributed a song to the soundtrack: “She’s Like the Wind”.
After “Dirty Dancing,” roles came easily to Swayze. In the 90s, he appeared in notable films such as ‘Ghost’ and ‘Point Break’. He started the 2000s with a memorable role in the cult classic “Donnie Darko”. During the rest of the decade, Swayze appeared in films such as Waking Up in Reno and One Last Dance. He also continued his stage acting career with a London production of “Guys and Dolls”.
Relations: Swayze married Lisa Niemi in 1975 and they remained together until his death. The couple first met in 1970, when Lisa was just 14 (Swayze was 18).
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)
Substance Abuse: Patrick suffered from alcoholism throughout the 90s and eventually recovered after attending rehab. After receiving treatment, Swayze took a hiatus from the entertainment industry and focused on raising horses on his ranches in California and New Mexico. One particularly notable incident occurred when Patrick was forced to make an emergency landing while flying a plane with his dogs. During landing, the plane hit a light pole.
Although Swayze was unharmed, numerous witnesses stated that he appeared to be highly intoxicated. Some witnesses even claimed that Patrick called for help while trying to hide a bottle of wine and a package of 30s from the wreckage. However, Swayze never faced criminal charges. It was determined that the alcohol was stored in a compartment that was inaccessible during the flight, and the cause of his intoxication was largely carbon monoxide poisoning from the plane’s engine and excessive cigarette smoking.
Health problems: In 2007, Swayze began complaining of stomach pains. Just three weeks later, he was officially diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Faced with this diagnosis, Patrick immediately went to Stanford University Medical Center, where he was given chemotherapy and experimental anti-cancer drugs. By 2008, Swayze was reported to be responding well to treatment. He then continued his acting career, underwent surgery for a first cancerous part of his stomach and made several public appearances.
Unfortunately, the cancer would later reappear in the liver. Despite initially denying reports confirming the spread, Patrick eventually admitted he had a “small” cancerous growth in his liver. By 2009, his condition worsened again. Earlier in the year, he was hospitalized with a case of pneumonia – a complication of his chemotherapy treatments. Amazingly, Patrick continued to smoke cigarettes while receiving treatment for his cancer. At one point in his life, Swayze had smoked three packs a day.
Pass: On September 14, 2009, Patrick Swayze passed away. He survived for 20 months after being initially diagnosed with cancer. His publicist later confirmed that his official cause of death was pancreatic cancer.
Real Estate: In 2015, it was reported that Swayze’s San Fernando Valley property had sold, fetching $2.9 million in an off-market transaction. The proceeds from the sale reportedly went to Patrick’s wife, Lisa Niemi. The 3,000 square foot residence sits on 4.5 acres of land and has a paddock, horse corral, hot walker and a number of outbuildings on the grounds.
