Swayze's charm, on and off screen, made him well-liked in Hollywood.
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Patrick Swayze, a star whose roles in such films as "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost"  made him one of Hollywood's most iconic actors, died Monday. He was 57.

Swayze learned he had pancreatic cancer early in 2008, and despite going through chemotherapy treatments and using an experimental drug to fight the disease, he continued working on the television series "The Beast," which was eventually canceled due to his illness.

Swayze did not hesitate to talk about his feelings about the disease, telling Barbara Walters in an interview, "There's a lot of fear here. Yeah, I'm scared. Yeah, I'm angry. Yeah, I'm [asking], 'Why me?'"

Constant speculation in the media about his condition wore on Swayze throughout his illness. He said the reports claiming he was on his deathbed amounted to "emotional cruelty."

Pictures of Swayze looking gaunt that surfaced last spring once again fueled rumors that he was close to death.

"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 by his publicist, Annett Wolf.