Information courtesy of www.wikipedia.org

Patrick Wayne Swayze (August 18, 1952 - September 14, 2009) was an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter. He was best-known for his roles as romantic leading men in the films Dirty Dancing and Ghost and as Orry Main in the North and South television miniseries. He was named by People magazine as its "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1991.

Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early 2008. He continued acting until 2009, when he became too ill to do so. Later the same year he died from the disease.