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Swayze Tribute Done Right on Dancing with the Stars

Sara Harowitz — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:06:18 +0000

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While celebrity deaths sprout emotional tributes left, right, and center, they do not always end up as tasteful and special as they set out to be. However, in the case of the late actor Patrick Swayze and ABC’s show Dancing with the Stars, the dance tribute was dirty, and that was perfect, according to E! Online.

The results that eliminated the first two contestants from Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday night were put on the backburner as some of the show’s professional dancers took to the stage in a dancing Swayze tribute.

The late actor, known for his emotional role in the movie “Ghost” but also for his hearthrob performance in “Dirty Dancing,” would have been proud.

The tribute began with Chelsie Hightower and Dmitry Chaplin, both from So You Think You Can Dance fame, doing a romantic piece to “She’s Like the Wind.” This was followed by real-life husband and wife duo Jonathan Roberts and Anna Trebunskaya waltzing to “Unchained Melody.” It was then that “Dirty Dancing” was really brought to life, with Tony Dovolani and Cheryl Burke dancing to the Oscar-winning song,”Time Of My Life,” and ending with the famous lift where Swayze hoisted Jennifer Grey into the air at the end of the movie. The tribute was received warmly by those who watched it.

When all the tears had been shed and the hearts had been melted, it was time to get back to the business of the show. Voting results revealed that singer Macy Gray and actor Ashley Hamilton were eliminated. Both told E! Online they had a great time and were sad to leave.

The remaining celebrities on the show include Kelly Osbourne, Mya, Donny Osmond, Melissa Joan Hart, and Aaron Carter. All 14 contestants will perform again next monday.

Swayze died of pancreatic cancer last monday in Los Angeles. He was 57. The three-time Golden Globe nominee was most recently starring on the U.S. TV show “The Beast,” which ran 13 episodes this year but was not picked up for a second season. Fans and colleagues alike continue to mourn the loss of the great actor.

Patrick Swayze Dead At 57

Jeremy Singer — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:50:08 +0000

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In a year littered with celebrity passings, one more soul was added to the list today as Houston-born actor Patrick Swayze died- after a nearly two year battle with pancreatic cancer.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the 57-year-old Dirty Dancing star passed away with family at his side.

“Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months,” said a statement released Monday evening in Los Angeles by his publicist, Annett Wolf. No other details were given.

Swayze first came forward about his diagnosis in spring 2008, but decided to undergo treatments at the Stanford University Medical Center and still continue working at the same time-most recently on A&E’s now cancelled series The Beast. The actor was told he had Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN), a rare stage IV pancreatic cancer.

After he was treated with Cyberknife radiotherapy cancer treatment in 2008, Swayze appreared to be healthy -appearing on the ABC, NBC and CBS Simulcast of Standup to Cancer- but on January 9 2009, the actor was hospitilized with Pneumonia.

Swayze checked out a week later, but was then told in April 2009 that the cancer had attacked his liver. The actor admitted that his chain smoking “may had haved something to do with it,” but continued to smoke regardless.

Story Developing…

Larry Gilliard Jr. Talks About Working with Patrick Swayze on The Beast

Jeremy Singer — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:50:15 +0000

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Larry Gilliard Jr. is a hustler.

But don’t get him confused with the Baltimore drug dealer he played on HBO’s “The Wire.” Instead, think of a guy who makes the most of every opportunity he’s given, does his homework, and as a result, comes out on top.

“I’m very focused when it comes to work,” Gilliard Jr. told andPOP. “When I get into my character, I tend to lock in. I just go with my own tried and true method of doing my research, and getting the job done.”

Those hard-nosed techniques which have stalked up an impressive resume so far, have now landed him a spot working with Patrick Swayze on A&E’s latest bad-boy “The Beast.”

“He was a major reason that drew me to the show,” Gilliard Jr. said of Swayze, who is battling pancreatic cancer. “I respect him as an actor and person. He’s a perfectionist, and one of those guys you run into who simply love what they do, and that passion rubs off on everyone else.

“Sometimes you run into people like that, and when they’re creating on the set, they’re like kids playing on a playground. They love it so much, and you see how excited it is for them.”

“The Beast,” which premiered on January 15, centers around deep undercover FBI agents- the veteran Charles Barker (Patrick Swayze), and his young apprentice Ellis Dove (Travis Fimmel). However, when an FBI Internal Affairs team – led by an agent named Ray Beaumont (Gilliard Jr.)- feels that Barker may have gone rogue, they try to enlist Dove as a double-agent in the bureau’s investigation of his mentor.

With the new role on the new show, Gilliard Jr. says it feels good to be on the other side of the law, character-wise that is.

“I never had a chance to play this kind of person, an FBI agent, so when the opportunity came up, I jumped on it,” said Gilliard Jr. “I had to go in and audition like everyone else, and so far it’s definitely been a fun change. I’ve played drug dealers and gang leaders in the past, so it’s nice to do something different.”

“But as actors, that’s what we’re trained to do,” continues Gilliard Jr. “We take on different people with different lives, and I take pride in that.”

And with a background studying at the Juilliard School, the Baltimore School for the Arts, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and The Acting Studio Inc., Gilliard Jr. hopes have the opportunity to showcase more of his hard-work in the series.

“I don’t know the direction of the character in the long run, but I hope to see it turn into a more pivotal role, something stronger. I’m excited,” says Gilliard Jr.

Hopefully the “suits” at A&E will give him the green light.

Patrick Swayze Says His Recovery is a ‘Miracle’

Irene Ogrodnik — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:05:02 +0000

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Patrick Swayze was spotted at LAX looking healthy and happy, reports People magazine.

“I’m a miracle dude … I don’t know why,” Swayze told photographers and fans as he the left Los Angeles Airport on Sunday.

Back in March, Swayze began chemotherapy after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Later in April, the 55-year-old actor and his wife, Lisa, released a statement saying they were “thrilled” with his response to treatment.

“We can’t help but feel that all the prayers, meditations and good thoughts sent his way by everyone has made a difference. Thank you!” the couple said.

The actor was out flying to Chicago to film his new TV series for A & E, ‘The Beast.’

Patrick Swayze to Film New TV Series

Irene Ogrodnik — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:11:24 +0000

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Patrick Swayze is set to star in the A&E drama “The Beast.”

“I have searched for quite a long time to find a character that is this multi-layered, unpredictable and downright entertaining, as well as a project this current and cutting edged,” said Swayze in a statement from the network.

Production on the show is set to begin this summer and will film on location in Chicago. In the show, Swayze will play veteran FBI agent Charles Baker who is assigned to teach his rookie partner his eccentric undercover crime-solving methods.

The show is scheduled to premiere early 2009. The “Dirty Dancing” star is said to be responding well to treatment for pancreatic cancer and is currently undergoing care at Stanford University Medical Center.