Dirty Dancing, released in August 1987, wasn’t just a movie; it was a cultural phenomenon. This iconic film, with its unforgettable soundtrack and the electric chemistry between Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, captured hearts worldwide. Set in the fictional Kellerman’s resort in the Catskills, the movie tells the story of Frances “Baby” Houseman, a naive daddy’s girl, and Johnny Castle, the resort’s charismatic dance instructor, in an upstairs-downstairs romance filled with passion and self-discovery.
Despite behind-the-scenes tensions stemming from Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze’s previous experience in Red Dawn, their on-screen magic was undeniable. Dirty Dancing, directed by Emile Ardolino, grossed over $214 million globally and became the first film to sell over a million home video copies. The soundtrack was equally successful, selling over 32 million units and cementing the film’s place in pop culture history.
While attempts to replicate the original’s success with a 2004 prequel, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, and a 2017 TV remake fell short, the legacy of Dirty Dancing endures. In 2022, Jennifer Grey announced her return for a sequel, promising a tribute to the late Patrick Swayze. As anticipation builds for this new chapter, it’s the perfect moment to revisit the original cast and see where they are now. Let’s dive into what the stars of Dirty Dancing have been up to since they graced the dance floor at Kellerman’s.
Jennifer Grey (Frances “Baby” Houseman)
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Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman in Dirty Dancing; Jennifer Grey at a recent event.
Jennifer Grey, born into a theatrical family as the daughter of Broadway legend Joel Grey, was already building a career in Hollywood before landing the role of Frances “Baby” Houseman. Prior to Dirty Dancing, she had roles in films like Red Dawn and the iconic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. However, it was her portrayal of Baby that catapulted her to international fame, earning her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.
The character of Baby resonated with audiences for her relatable shyness and transformation into a confident young woman. Grey’s delivery of the famous line, “I carried a watermelon,” has become one of cinema’s most quoted and parodied moments. In a 2022 interview with EW, Grey reflected on the line’s impact, suggesting its enduring appeal lies in the universal feeling of shame and vulnerability it conveys.
Post-Dirty Dancing, Grey faced challenges in maintaining her Hollywood momentum, partly due to a rhinoplasty that altered her appearance significantly. Despite this, she continued to work steadily. She made a memorable guest appearance in the first season of Friends as Mindy, Rachel’s former friend, though she opted not to return due to anxiety. Grey then starred in her own sitcom, It’s Like, You Know…, and took on supporting roles in various TV shows and films.
In 2010, Grey returned to her dancing roots and won season 11 of Dancing With the Stars, demonstrating her enduring connection to the dance world. In a full circle moment, she is set to reprise her role as Baby in a Dirty Dancing sequel, much to the excitement of fans worldwide. Adding another layer to her personal narrative, Grey released her memoir, Out of the Corner, in 2022, where she candidly discussed her life, career, and the impact of Dirty Dancing.
Grey was married to actor Clark Gregg for two decades before their divorce in 2021. They have a daughter, Stella, who, according to Grey, finds it amusing to watch her mother’s iconic dance scenes with Patrick Swayze. Jennifer Grey’s journey reflects both the highs and lows of fame, but her legacy as Baby Houseman remains firmly cemented in cinematic history.
Patrick Swayze (Johnny Castle)
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Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing; Patrick Swayze in a later portrait.
Patrick Swayze embodied the charismatic and complex Johnny Castle. Born to choreographer Patsy Swayze, whose students included dance luminaries Debbie Allen and Tommy Tune, dance was in Swayze’s blood. Before Dirty Dancing, he showcased his talents as Danny Zuko in Grease on Broadway and in The Outsiders, alongside a cast of future stars. Swayze was not just a dancer; he was also trained in martial arts and possessed a notable singing voice. He famously sang “She’s Like the Wind” for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, which became a major hit, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Swayze once explained to PEOPLE that the song’s success, and its connection to Johnny’s character, lay in the relatable feeling of inadequacy in love. He believed the song captured “a man is in love with a woman and he knows he’s not good enough… That’s kind of how Johnny felt with Baby: She so outclasses me, how dare [I think] she might love me? I think I accidentally keyed into something that so many guys feel.”
Dirty Dancing propelled Swayze into superstardom. He followed it with a string of successful films, including Road House, Point Break, and Ghost, the latter earning him his second Golden Globe nomination. He received a third nomination for his comedic turn in To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. While his box office appeal waned somewhat in the late 90s, Swayze remained a respected actor, taking on roles in projects like Donnie Darko and even making a cameo as a dance instructor in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.
Tragically, in 2007, while filming The Beast, Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He passed away in 2009, leaving behind his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi. Together, they co-authored a memoir, The Time of My Life, published posthumously in 2010. In 2019, Niemi participated in I Am Patrick Swayze, a documentary celebrating his life and career. Patrick Swayze’s legacy extends beyond Dirty Dancing; he is remembered as a versatile talent who left an indelible mark on film and popular culture.
Jerry Orbach (Jake Houseman)
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Jake Houseman in Dirty Dancing; Jerry Orbach as Lennie Briscoe in Law & Order.
Before portraying Baby’s stern but ultimately loving father, Dr. Jake Houseman, Jerry Orbach was a celebrated Broadway actor, having won a Tony Award and originated the role of Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago. By 1987, while known in New York theatre circles, Orbach was gaining wider recognition through his recurring role as private investigator Harry McGraw in Murder, She Wrote and its spin-off, The Law and Harry McGraw, as well as roles in crime thrillers like Prince of the City and F/X.
Dirty Dancing proved to be a significant financial windfall for Orbach. His profit participation deal, initially underestimated by studio executives, turned into a substantial payout due to the film’s unexpected blockbuster success. As he humorously recounted to EW in 1991, “Nobody knew how big that movie was going to be, or they wouldn’t have given us a little piece of it.”
Post-Dirty Dancing, Orbach achieved even greater fame through two iconic roles. He became a household name as Detective Lennie Briscoe in Law & Order, a role he played for over a decade and across multiple spin-offs. Simultaneously, he charmed audiences as the voice of Lumière, the hospitable candlestick in Disney’s animated classic Beauty and the Beast. He voiced Lumière in sequels and continued his appearances on Murder, She Wrote until 1991, showcasing his remarkable versatility.
Orbach was married twice, first to Marta Curro, with whom he had two sons, and later to actress Elaine Cancilla in 1979. After a decade-long battle with prostate cancer, he passed away in December 2004 at the age of 69. His final on-screen appearance was posthumously in Law & Order: Trial by Jury in 2005. Jerry Orbach’s career spanned stage, film, and television, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances that continue to entertain audiences today.
Kelly Bishop (Marjorie Houseman)
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Marjorie Houseman in Dirty Dancing; Kelly Bishop as Emily Gilmore in Gilmore Girls.
Kelly Bishop, who played Baby’s supportive and understanding mother, Marjorie Houseman, was already a seasoned Broadway performer before Dirty Dancing. Interestingly, she was initially cast as the flirtatious Vivian Pressman but was later recast on location as Marjorie. As she mentioned to Canada’s National Post, “What was good about the role was that I’d always played the other woman, that character I was cast for originally, and this changed me into more of a mom, which broadened my outlook a little bit… Although I have to admit I found being a nice mom not nearly as much fun as being a bad girl.”
Despite winning a Tony Award for her dancing in A Chorus Line, Bishop ironically didn’t get to showcase her dance skills in Dirty Dancing. She made her screen debut in a 1976 episode of Hawaii Five-0 and had a few supporting roles before Dirty Dancing. While she didn’t perform any elaborate dance routines in the film’s finale, she did share a brief “dirty dancing” moment with Neil Kellerman, hinting at where Baby inherited her moves.
In the years following Dirty Dancing, Bishop became widely known for her role as the sharp-tongued matriarch Emily Gilmore in the popular TV series Gilmore Girls. She reprised this role in the Netflix revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life in 2016. Although she hasn’t reunited with her Dirty Dancing castmates on screen, she did work with Joel Grey in a 2011 Broadway production of Anything Goes. Her collaborations with Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino have been frequent, including roles in Bunheads and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Bishop has also appeared in films like Wonder Boys and Friends With Kids.
Bishop was married to TV personality Lee Leonard for nearly 40 years until his passing in 2018. Kelly Bishop’s career is marked by her strong stage presence and her ability to portray both comedic and dramatic roles with equal finesse, making her a beloved figure in both theatre and television.
Cynthia Rhodes (Penny Johnson)
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Penny Johnson in Dirty Dancing; Cynthia Rhodes in a later image.
Cynthia Rhodes brought the character of Penny Johnson, Johnny’s initially troubled dance partner, to life with her exceptional dance skills. A professional singer and dancer, Rhodes was no stranger to the screen before Dirty Dancing. She had already appeared in dance-heavy films such as Xanadu, Staying Alive, Flashdance, and Runaway. She also showcased her talents in music videos for Toto, the Bee Gees, and her future husband, Richard Marx. Prior to Dirty Dancing, she had collaborated with choreographer Kenny Ortega in a video for The Tubes and in Xanadu.
Rhodes described the intense preparation for Dirty Dancing‘s dance sequences in a 1989 interview on Camp Midnite. “We started rehearsals about two weeks before we started the film and we rehearsed every day for about 10 hours a day to make it look, like, that Patrick and I had been dancing together all of our lives… it was really hard… and that’s why I keep saying I’m never going to dance again.”
Following Dirty Dancing, Rhodes shifted her focus towards music, becoming the lead singer for Animotion’s third album. However, the band soon disbanded, and Rhodes starred in only one more film, Curse of the Crystal Eye in 1991, before retiring from show business. She chose to dedicate her time to raising her family.
Rhodes was married to singer Richard Marx for 25 years until their divorce in 2014. They have three sons: Lucas, Jesse, and Brandon. Cynthia Rhodes’ career, though relatively short, left a significant mark in dance films of the 1980s, with Penny Johnson remaining a memorable character in the Dirty Dancing ensemble cast.
Jane Brucker (Lisa Houseman)
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Jane Brucker as Lisa Houseman in Dirty Dancing.
Jane Brucker played Lisa Houseman, Baby’s somewhat ditzy and attention-seeking older sister, known for her off-key rendition of “Hula Hana” at the Kellerman’s talent show. Before Dirty Dancing, Brucker had appeared in episodes of Miami Vice and One Life to Live. Dirty Dancing marked her film debut, where she not only delivered a hilariously awkward performance of “Hula Hana” but also co-wrote the song itself on set with Kenny Ortega.
Brucker recounted to EW the impromptu songwriting process: “I wrote the story of the spoiled brat on an island, just during breaks.… [At some point] Kenny said, “Put ‘wacka wacka’ in it.” I thought you couldn’t put “wacka” in the song because it sounded like “whack off.” I thought he was nuts.… But then I thought, “Wait a minute, the movie’s called Dirty Dancing. Maybe I’m just square.”
After Dirty Dancing, Brucker reunited with Jennifer Grey in the 1989 comedy Bloodhounds of Broadway and worked sporadically in television and film over the next two decades. She also appeared in films Stealing Home and Dishdogz. Despite initially not seeking songwriting credit for “Hula Hana,” she later pursued publishing rights and, when a stage musical of Dirty Dancing emerged, she and Ortega retroactively received due credit. In a fun twist, Brucker returned to the Dirty Dancing universe as a guest judge on the reality competition series, The Real Dirty Dancing, in 2022.
Brucker has been married twice and has a daughter from each marriage. Jane Brucker’s portrayal of Lisa Houseman, while comedic, is an integral part of the Dirty Dancing family, and her unexpected songwriting credit adds an interesting layer to her contribution to the film’s legacy.
Jack Weston (Max Kellerman)
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Jack Weston as Max Kellerman in Dirty Dancing.
Jack Weston played Max Kellerman, the owner of Kellerman’s resort, a character representing the old-fashioned and somewhat conservative values against which the younger generation rebels in Dirty Dancing. By the time he joined the cast for Dirty Dancing, Weston was a highly experienced actor with over 100 acting credits spanning back to the 1950s. He was known for roles in films like Wait Until Dark, The Thomas Crown Affair, and Cactus Flower. In 1976, he received a Golden Globe nomination for The Ritz, and a Tony nomination in 1981 for Woody Allen’s play The Floating Light Bulb.
Following Dirty Dancing, Weston made only one more on-screen appearance in Short Circuit 2 (1988). He returned to the stage in 1991 for a production of The Odd Couple before retiring from acting.
Weston was married first to actress Marge Redmond and later to Laurie Gilkes, with whom he had a child. He passed away from lymphoma in 1996. Jack Weston’s extensive career and his portrayal of Max Kellerman as the well-meaning but somewhat out-of-touch resort owner contributed to the rich tapestry of characters in Dirty Dancing.
Wayne Knight (Stan)
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Wayne Knight as Stan in Dirty Dancing; Wayne Knight as Newman in Seinfeld.
Wayne Knight played Stan, the well-meaning but not particularly funny resort emcee and aspiring comedian at Kellerman’s. Before landing the role in Dirty Dancing cast, Knight had limited on-screen experience, with only a few theater and television roles, including a Broadway stint in Gemini. Dirty Dancing was only his third film role.
However, Dirty Dancing proved to be a springboard for a highly successful career for Knight. He is best known for his iconic roles as Dennis Nedry, the villainous computer programmer in Jurassic Park, and as Newman, Jerry Seinfeld’s nemesis in the sitcom Seinfeld. Knight followed up Seinfeld with another long-running sitcom role in 3rd Rock From the Sun and has amassed over 120 acting credits, including roles in Space Jam, Rat Race, and numerous voice acting roles in animated films and series.
Knight has been married twice and has a son with his second wife, Clare de Chenu. Wayne Knight’s career trajectory exemplifies how a supporting role in a film like Dirty Dancing can lead to enduring success in Hollywood, with Stan being just the first of many memorable characters he has brought to life.
Lonny Price (Neil Kellerman)
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Lonny Price as Neil Kellerman in Dirty Dancing; Lonny Price at a later event.
Lonny Price played Neil Kellerman, Max Kellerman’s grandson and Baby’s initially unwanted suitor, characterized as entitled and lacking in worldly experience. Prior to Dirty Dancing, Price was primarily a theater actor, having been part of the original Broadway cast of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. He was also known to film audiences for his role in The Muppets Take Manhattan.
After Dirty Dancing, Price’s on-screen appearances were mostly limited to guest roles in television series, including an appearance on Law & Order alongside Jerry Orbach. However, Price transitioned into directing in the mid-1990s, working on television shows like Desperate Housewives and Great Performances. He has achieved significant acclaim as a director, winning two Emmys for his direction of PBS Great Performances: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Sondheim! The Birthday Concert. More recently, he directed Glenn Close in the Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard and the touring production of Peter Pan.
Lonny Price’s career took an interesting turn from acting to directing, and he has found considerable success and recognition behind the camera, demonstrating the diverse paths that cast for Dirty Dancing have taken after the film’s release.
Max Cantor (Robbie Gould)
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Max Cantor as Robbie Gould in Dirty Dancing.
Max Cantor portrayed Robbie Gould, the arrogant and opportunistic waiter who gets Penny pregnant and then abandons her, embodying a less savory side of Kellerman’s resort staff. Cantor’s acting career was brief, consisting of only five roles, with Dirty Dancing being his most prominent. He also appeared in the TV pilot of Diner and an episode of Leg Work. His final role was in Todd Solondz’s Fear, Anxiety & Depression in 1989. Beyond acting, Cantor was a journalist and writer for The Village Voice.
Tragically, Max Cantor passed away in 1991 at the young age of 32 due to a heroin overdose. His portrayal of Robbie Gould, while villainous, was a crucial part of the Dirty Dancing narrative, highlighting the class differences and social issues touched upon in the film.
Neal Jones (Billy Kostecki)
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Neal Jones as Billy Kostecki in Dirty Dancing.
Neal Jones made his film debut as Billy Kostecki, Johnny’s cousin and fellow dancer, who is also responsible for Baby carrying the infamous watermelon. A stage actor from Kansas, Jones honed his skills in New York productions like Macbeth and the musical Big River before joining the cast for Dirty Dancing.
Jones described his early film experience to HoboTrashcan in 2008: “I’d never been on a film set, so it was all really bright lights to me. I was just trying to stay afloat because…the difference between theater and film and television is a wide gorge.”
Post-Dirty Dancing, Jones crossed paths with Jerry Orbach again in the film Chinese Coffee and in Law & Order. He also appeared in The Devil’s Advocate with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves and received acclaim for his role in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. His film credits include Glengarry Glen Ross and In America. His last credited role was in 2011, and he appears to have stepped away from acting. Neal Jones, while playing a smaller role in Dirty Dancing, was part of the talented dance ensemble that made the film so iconic.
Miranda Garrison (Vivian Pressman)
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Miranda Garrison as Vivian Pressman in Dirty Dancing.
Miranda Garrison played Vivian Pressman, the older, wealthy woman at Kellerman’s who seeks dance lessons from Johnny with ulterior motives. Garrison, a dancer and actress, had previously worked with choreographer Kenny Ortega on Xanadu. She took on the role of Vivian after Kelly Bishop was recast. Beyond acting, Garrison served as the assistant choreographer for Dirty Dancing, playing a key role in creating the film’s iconic dance sequences.
Garrison discussed choreographing the famous lift in a 2008 interview with Female First: “Kenny Ortega, myself, and most likely Patrick Swayze presented many ‘lifts’ to the director Emile Ardolino and writer Elinor Bergstein. Emile and Elinor wanted a through-line metaphor for the ultimate triumph of both Baby and Johnny. Once this lift was found we all knew its narrative power.”
After Dirty Dancing, Garrison continued to work primarily as a dancer and choreographer in films like Salsa, The Forbidden Dance, and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. She served as the lead choreographer for major films such as Evita starring Madonna and Selena with Jennifer Lopez. Garrison also has credits in films like The Rocketeer, The Skeleton Key, and Poseidon. She was a judge on the UK reality competition Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life. Miranda Garrison’s contribution to Dirty Dancing extends beyond her on-screen role; her choreography was instrumental in creating the film’s unforgettable dance moments.
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As the world anticipates the Dirty Dancing sequel, revisiting the original cast reminds us of the lasting impact of this beloved film. The cast for Dirty Dancing not only delivered iconic performances but also went on to have diverse and fascinating careers, further cementing the film’s place in cinematic history and popular culture.
