American actor Patrick Wayne Swayze (/ˈsweɪzi/; August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009) was an American actor, dancer, singer, and songwriter. Gaining fame with appearances in films during the 1980s, he became popular for playing tough and romantic male leads, giving him a wide fan base with female audiences and a status as a sex symbol. He was named by People magazine as its Sexiest Man Alive in 1991. During his career, Swayze received three Golden Globe Award nominations, for Dirty Dancing (1987), Ghost (1990), and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995). He wrote and recorded the popular song "She's Like the Wind" and was posthumously awarded the Rolex Dance Award in 2009. Swayze died in 2009 from cancer. He was 57 years old.