“Dirty Dancing” is THE cult film of the 80s and is still shown on TV today. This Easter Monday, Vox is also focusing on the film in prime time, which made Patrick Swayze († 57) and Jennifer Gray (64) into world stars overnight as dancing lovers.
Almost nothing would have come of the film. According to producer Linda Gottlieb, there were 43 rejections for the “Dirty Dancing” script, which features unforgettable quote gems like “I wore a watermelon” and “Go play with your dolls, baby!”
“We were like oil and water.” This is how Jennifer Gray described working with Patrick Swayze in an interview in 2022
Foto: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
So 43 film producers are likely to bite themselves in the ass today…
The inexpensively produced film grossed over $200 million, plus several million more for video exploitation and repeats on TV.
This also brings in hefty royalties for the actors. A small satisfaction for Jennifer Gray, who only received $50,000 in 1987 for her leading role as Frances “Baby” Houseman.
In 2020, Gray won sole rights to her “Dirty Dancing” royalties following her divorce from Clark Gregg. The amount is likely to be in the millions
Photo: WireImage
Gray can probably use the annual check for replay rights. Because after “Dirty Dancing” there were no big film offers. The reason for this is said to have been her nose correction, after which she was no longer recognizable as the baby from “Dirty Dancing”.
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How much co-star Swayze earned for “Dirty Dancing” is not officially known. However, the star, who died in 2009, revealed that with the song “She’s Like the Wind”, which he wrote and sang for the film, received more than for the shoot itself.
In his private life, Patrick Swayze danced into happiness with his wife Lisa Niemi. That fell apart when the star succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2009
Photo: WireImage
The actor then started with the blockbusters “Ghost” and “Dangerous Surf”. In 2004, five million dollars went into his account just for a guest appearance in the sequel “Dirty Dancing 2 – Hot Nights in Cuba”.
That’s the same as the entire 1987 “Dirty Dancing” movie cost.