“The Beast” was the last TV show Patrick Swayze starred in before he died. The A&E crime drama follows Swayze’s character, FBI agent Charles Barker, as he takes down bad guys through questionable methods. Roles of this ilk require actors to get physical, but the demanding project was a welcome distraction for the “Dirty Dancing” star.
“I do find myself, at the end of the day, riding home sort of catching myself with a smile on my face,” he told The New York Times while filming the series. “I’m proud of what I’m doing.” The actor claimed that he enjoyed working despite being diagnosed with a disease with a 5% survival rate at the time, and his efforts led to the show completing its only season.
Swayze also appeared on “Stand Up to Cancer” in 2008, discussing his experience with the life-threatening illness. During the simulcast, the actor spoke about dreaming of a world where a cure for cancer didn’t seem like a pipe dream. That notion might not be a reality yet, but Swayze remained hopeful of it becoming one down the line.
For more information on the actor’s life and career, read all about Patrick Swayze’s final movie.
