The Patrick Swayze Role That Got Away: His Biggest Career Regret

Some actors are lucky enough to land a single role that cements their place in pop culture, but Patrick Swayze managed to do it several times over. With films like Dirty Dancing and Ghost, he became a household name, and even his other work—think The Outsiders, Road House, and Donnie Darko—has stood the test of time. You’d reckon a bloke with that sort of track record wouldn’t have much to regret about his career.

But for Swayze, there was one part that slipped through his fingers early on, and it stung for years. The film was Urban Cowboy, released in 1980, telling the story of a young Texan living in Houston who’s mad about dancing. For Swayze, who grew up in Houston and started ballet as a kid, it felt like the role was written with him in mind.

Missed Chances and Familiar Faces

At the time, Swayze was tied up in Los Angeles filming Skatetown, USA, a roller disco flick that’s about as ‘70s as it gets. Meanwhile, the lead in Urban Cowboy went to John Travolta, who’d just come off the back of Grease and was riding high at the box office. The twist? Swayze had just finished playing Danny Zuko in the Broadway version of Grease, so the overlap with Travolta’s career was hard to ignore.

Missing out on Urban Cowboy was a double blow. Not only did Swayze lose a role that matched his background to a tee, but he also watched as Travolta, who’d already pipped him to the post with Grease, took centre stage again. It was a tough pill to swallow, especially since Swayze felt he could have brought something special to the character.

Family Ties and Personal Frustrations

What made things even more difficult was the family connection. Swayze’s mum, Patsy, was the choreographer for Urban Cowboy, and she’d brought in Swayze’s partner, Lisa Niemi, to work alongside her. So while Swayze was stuck in LA working on a film he wasn’t keen on, his mum and future wife were back in Houston, involved in a project he felt was his for the taking.

He later admitted,

“It tore me up to think of what I could have done with that character and how it would have launched my career,”

and added,

“Country dancing was in my DNA, and as much as I liked John, I hated giving someone else tips on how to play a role I was born for.”

Letting Go and Moving On

Despite the disappointment, Swayze didn’t hold a grudge for long. As soon as filming wrapped on Skatetown, USA, he headed back to Houston. When he finally crossed paths with Travolta, any lingering resentment faded. In fact, Swayze even helped Travolta pick up a few dance moves for the role.

It’s a classic case of what might have been, but Swayze’s career hardly suffered in the long run. Still, Urban Cowboy remained the one that got away—a part he always felt was his by right.