THE FANS' LOVE STORY: How The Movie 'DIRTY DANCING' Captured The Hearts Of Millions! (20 page)

What did you do while you were at Mountain Lake?

We went for the weekend—my best friend and I. You know they had showings of the movie of course and there was a dinner dance. The food was good. They had activities, you know.

I had heard that there was a life-size cardboard Patrick. I hear it is pretty battered (actually not usable anymore) now-a-days from all its use.

Of course, I had my picture taken with the cardboard Patrick.

Is there anything more that you can say about why you think the movie resonated with you so much?

It was the time—the timeframe. It was 1963 . . . which she says in the opening. I also come from a Jewish family, and you know Mountain Lake looked just like the Catskills.

And then it was a pure love story. And I am highly influenced by that.

Now, do you still watch
Dirty Dancing
?

Yes.

Do you think you always will?

Uh-huh. I don’t think there will be another movie like that for me . . . Although I love girlie movies like
Nottingham Hill
.

Have you seen any other movies—other than
Dirty Dancing
—many, many times?

No.

So this is really a phenomenon specific to
Dirty Dancing
?

Yes . . . It’s funny whenever I’m sick and just not feeling well, I put the movie on, and it calms me enough—I know it sounds strange—so that I can sleep, so that I get better.

No. I don’t think it sounds strange. I understand what you are saying.

What do you think about the fact that
Dirty Dancing
is now playing as a stage musical production? And do you plan on seeing it?

It’s a stage production? I wasn’t aware of it.

Yes, it started out in Australia . . . Played in the UK—sold out before it even started. It’s been to Germany, recently in Toronto, and now it’s in Chicago—then it’s going to Boston, to LA, and they’re talking maybe Broadway.

It’s in Chicago? I’ll have to ask my friend to go.

I don’t know how much longer it will be in Chicago. Different people have obviously different views on it. Actually, Buzz told me he saw it and highly recommended it.

If Buzz recommended it, I’d go see it. I am going to call my friend as soon as we are done and see about it.

When Patrick was starring in
Guys and Dolls
(Nathan Detroit) in London, England,
Dirty Dancing
was playing across the street. When he was shooting
The Beast
(A&E) in Chicago,
Dirty Dancing
was also on stage there. He was interviewed by the
Chicago Tribune
on November 18, 2008 (“Swayze feels at home in Chicago,” by Robert K. Elder). Mr. Swayze was asked about how it was for him to be in Chicago while the stage version of
Dirty Dancing
was playing. Mr. Swayze said, “It’s surreal, but nothing new . . . But the other day, we were filming, and my character Barker is crossing the street when two cabs with ads for ‘
Dirty Dancing
’ go by!”
¹³

That was very cute.

What do you think of the idea that some people talk about
Dirty Dancing
, the movie having a follow-up, a sequel? And I don’t mean
Havana Nights
.

I used to think maybe there was the possibility of a sequel with Patrick and Jennifer—with her going to college and being successful and meeting with him, and having it all come back to the dance . . . but I don’t think there will ever be another
Dirty Dancing
.

You don’t think they will ever make it, or you think if they made it, the movie could never be a success—or both?

I think their attempt at
Havana Nights
sucked. I guess I don’t understand why it was that, instead of following Baby and Johnny. I don’t know how that could be
Dirty Dancing
.

Mallory then showed me the original
Newsweek
and
Detroit Free Press
articles that she is in and gave me a CD of them. I quickly scanned through the articles. I noticed that the
Detroit Free Press
article said that Mallory had lost almost 50lbs at that point in time—by going to the movie rather than sitting at home eating . . .

I think you are going to like this one better.

The
Detroit
Free Press
?

Yes.

This was Thursday, January 7, 1988. WOW!

It was just as it was going to video tape.

I love this . . . The
Detroit Free Press
article refers to you as “the unofficial mascot of
Dirty Dancing
” . . . I love this: “Lesli Rotenberg of Vestron, producer of the movie and video, calls her telephone the ‘Patrick Swayze hotline.’” Then the article describes how you saw the movie several times in one day: “ . . . sitting through a morning show, coming back around six and returning again at midnight.”
¹⁴

Did you think they did a good job with the
Detroit Free Press
article? Are you happy with it?

Yeah.

Wow, you went from size 44 to size 16.

Oh, my gosh, they called you to discuss a possible meeting between you and Patrick Swayze. Did the meeting ever happen?

Good Morning America
called me, and they were trying to get Patrick on their program, and they were going to bring me to New York, but instead he went to the
Today Show
. So it never happened.

Have you ever met him?

No.

Do you want to meet him?

I dream about meeting him, you know, about him seeing me and saying hi . . . you know meeting on the street.

You mean literally . . . you know a lot of people say it is my dream to meet Patrick Swayze . . .

No, no . . . I was actually dreaming. It happened a couple of times.

I read from the
Detroit Free Press
article: “Longworth’s father has not quite understood it all. Years ago, he kept her from Elvis Presley movies because ‘anybody who could move like that had to be an evil influence on a young girl.’”

Uh-huh.

“‘My father thinks I’m crazy . . . My aunt thinks I’ve lost my mind. They’re probably right. But some people play golf, you know?’”
¹⁴

That is such a wonderful article.

Again, I think the movie is a positive statement of possibilities.

Are you in touch at the present time with other
Dirty Dancin
g fans?

No.

Anything else you want to say about
Dirty Dancing
?

Even today, twenty years later, it still holds its magical feeling for me.

Does your son watch the movie?

No. My son is the love of my love . . . he’s my heart, and he knows it.

So he would be what—around thirty?

Yes.

He understands Mom’s thing for
Dirty Dancing
?

Uh-huh.

I think this is just an amazing story. If you hadn’t pursued getting that poster, I don’t know if any of the rest of that would have happened. That’s just so amazing.

That was the first thing I had ever done like that . . . Nothing has gotten to me, the way
Dirty Dancing
had.

Thank you.

I am glad that you gave me this opportunity.

Additional Demographic Information

Marital status:
Divorced

Occupation/profession:
Accountant, controller for a steel plant in Westland

Official Patrick Swayze International Fan Club member:
No. I helped start the first fan club. I got a picture from Patrick with a note from Patrick on the back.

Age 62. Lives in Waterford, Michigan.

May 2008, July 2008, & July 2009 (telephone interviews/follow-up).

Barbara’s son—Roy Helton (age 35) also did an interview.

Has seen
Dirty Dancing
101–500 times.

What year did you first see
Dirty Dancing
, and how old were you?

1987. I was about forty-one years old.

Why do you like
Dirty Dancing
so much?

It’s fun and sexual . . . My husband and I used to dance. It’s romantic to get to do dances together. It’s provocative and fun. It was a good, happy time in the ’50s—didn’t have the stress we have today.

It’s very entertaining and it makes me feel good.

How has
Dirty Dancing
impacted you personally?

On the questionnaire, you wrote, “It shows our kids that good values do count.”
Could you say anything more specific about this and other ways
Dirty Dancing
has influenced you?

Baby went to her father to help Penny. Baby stood up for Johnny when it went against her Dad (and that was the worst thing for Baby) because she knew Johnny didn’t steal the billfold. Baby stood up for what is right.

Americans are losing their morals. Americans need to get back to morals. We need some heroes and someone to look up to. We need kids to have that drive to work and become winners.

Patrick Swayze was always on TV at my mother’s house. My mother is age eighty-two and lives in Kentucky. My mother would put the movie on when I got home from working long hours. It would calm me down. It was very soothing and it allowed me to get a good night’s sleep, and start again the next day.

He (Patrick Swayze) has helped me through so many difficult times. The movie reminds me that there are good people. It keeps me having faith. The spirit of the movie gives you faith in mankind

It’s the kind of ethics you want to instill in your kids. Johnny worked hard and had good ethics.

It also shows that learning new things can be fun and don’t give up on your dreams.

In addition to
Dirty Dancing
, are there movies you have seen multiple times, and if so, is Patrick in them?

I watch
Road House
a lot.

Have you ever met Patrick or anyone else from the cast?

No, I have not but my son, Roy met Patrick at a restaurant in Detroit after the Complexions event. I have a picture on my computer of my son and his friend hugging Patrick.

Will you continue to watch
Dirty Dancing
?

Sure, I always will.

What do you think about
Dirty Dancing
, the movie being made into a stage production, and do you plan to see the stage production?

Yes, I would go see it. I would love it.

What do you think about a movie
Dirty Dancing
sequel?

I don’t know if they could do it again—no, it can’t be done. It would be hard for people who love the movie to accept a new cast.

Do you watch
Dirty Dancing
with your grandchildren?

Yes, I watch
Dirty Dancing
with my thirteen and ten year old granddaughters for the last three to four years. Rachel, the thirteen year old, loves it.

Anything else that you want to say about
Dirty Dancing
?

The movie brings back the first time you fall for a boy and the things you do. It also brings back memories of a sock hop. It was a big deal to get asked to dance.

The tango and merengue are back in now.