Known for his romantic, tough, and comedic roles in blockbusters and cult films, Swayze was nominated for three Golden Globes and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997.

Outside of acting, Swayze co-wrote and recorded the song "She's Like the Wind" for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack album, which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

During this time, he pursued multiple artistic and athletic skills, such as ice skating, classical ballet, and acting in school plays.

In the same year, Swayze played a Marine Corps trainer in Vietnam rescue film Uncommon Valor with Gene Hackman.

Swayze's first major dramatic success was in the 1985 television miniseries North and South, set during the American Civil War.

After Dirty Dancing, Swayze found himself in great demand and appeared in several films, including Road House in 1989 with Sam Elliott, Ben Gazzara, and Kelly Lynch.

In the supernatural romantic thriller Ghost (1990), Swayze starred as Sam Wheat opposite Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, and Tony Goldwyn.

[19][20] In the following year, he starred alongside Youngblood castmate Keanu Reeves in another major action hit, Point Break, and People magazine named him the "Sexiest Man Alive.

The film aired in 1998, and Swayze slowly recovered from his injuries, but he had trouble resuming his career until 2000, when he co-starred in Forever Lulu, with Melanie Griffith.

Julie Newmar, starring alongside Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo as three drag queens whose car breaks down on a cross-country trip, leaving them stranded in a small town.

Swayze made his debut in London's West End in the musical Guys and Dolls as Nathan Detroit on July 27, 2006,[26][27][28] alongside Neil Jerzak and Jordan McGhee, and remained in the role until November 25, 2006.

[30] Swayze also provided the voice for Cash the country music band dog in The Fox and the Hound 2 (2006), and in 2007 he starred in the film Christmas in Wonderland.

[32] Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer shortly after filming the pilot episode, but continued working on the show while receiving treatment.

He entered rehabilitation in the 1990s, and after recovery, Swayze temporarily withdrew from show business, staying on his ranches in California and Las Vegas, to breed Arabian horses.

[37] Swayze, who was an FAA-licensed pilot with an instrument rating, made the news on June 1, 2000, while flying with his dogs in his twin-engined Cessna 414 N414PS, from Van Nuys, California, to Las Vegas, New Mexico.

His plane developed a pressurization problem, causing Swayze to make a precautionary landing on a dirt road in a housing complex in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

According to the police report, witnesses said that Swayze appeared to be extremely intoxicated and asked for help to remove evidence from the crash site, namely an open bottle of wine and a 30-pack of beer.

It was later determined that the alcohol in question was not in the cabin, but stored in external storage compartments inaccessible in flight, and the probable cause of the accident was Swayze's physical impairment due to the cumulative effects of carbon monoxide from engine exhaust byproducts, carbon monoxide from heavy tobacco use, and the loss of an undetermined amount of cabin pressurization, resulting in hypoxia.

[39] On December 27, 2006, Swayze and Niemi, who was also a licensed pilot, experienced a second incident while flying the Cessna 414 together en route to their New Mexico ranch.

[40] After this second incident, the couple decided to sell it in favor of a Beechcraft Super King Air, N400KW, which they purchased through their company Prop Jocks Inc. in June 2007.

[41][42] In late December 2007, just after filming the pilot episode for The Beast, Swayze began to suffer a burning feeling in his stomach caused by a blockage of his bile ducts.

He traveled to the Stanford University Medical Center for chemotherapy and treatment with the experimental drug vatalanib, which doctors hoped would cut off the blood supply to the tumor.

"[45] Swayze's doctor confirmed that the actor was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but insisted he was not as close to death as reports suggested.

[46] In early May 2008, a number of tabloids reported that Swayze underwent surgery to remove part of his stomach after the cancer had spread.

"[50][51] Swayze appeared on the ABC, NBC, and CBS simulcast of Stand Up to Cancer in September 2008 to appeal to the general public for donations for the initiative.

During his film career he received three Golden Globe award nominations for Best Lead Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for his roles in Dirty Dancing, Ghost and To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything!, Julie Newmar.