In 1987, Dirty Dancing became a cultural phenomenon, captivating audiences worldwide with its romantic story set in Kellerman’s resort. The film, starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, transcended its initial release to become a beloved classic. While attempts have been made to recreate the magic, including a 2017 TV movie, none have quite matched the impact of the original Dirty Dancing cast. As anticipation builds for a sequel starring Jennifer Grey, it’s the perfect moment to revisit the stars who made the first movie so unforgettable and explore where the original Dirty Dancing TV movie cast – and indeed the entire ensemble – are today.
Jennifer Grey (Frances “Baby” Houseman)
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Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman; Jennifer Grey. Artisan Entertainment/courtesy Everett; Neilson Barnard/Getty
Born into a theatrical family as the daughter of Broadway legend Joel Grey, Jennifer Grey was destined for the stage and screen. Before becoming synonymous with Frances “Baby” Houseman, she gained early experience in films like Red Dawn and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Her portrayal of Baby, the innocent teenager who blossoms through dance and romance, earned her a Golden Globe nomination, solidifying her status as a leading lady.
The now-iconic line, “I carried a watermelon,” delivered with a mix of teenage awkwardness and burgeoning confidence, resonates with audiences even today. Grey explained to EW in 2022 that the line’s power lies in its relatable depiction of shame and vulnerability, universal feelings that struck a chord with viewers.
Despite the enormous success of Dirty Dancing, Grey faced challenges in maintaining her Hollywood momentum after undergoing rhinoplasty, which significantly altered her appearance. She took on roles in television, including a guest appearance on Friends, and eventually starred in her own sitcom, It’s Like, You Know…. In a full-circle moment, Grey returned to her dancing roots, winning season 11 of Dancing With the Stars in 2010. Looking ahead, she is set to reprise her role as Baby in a Dirty Dancing sequel, a project she insists will honor the legacy of Patrick Swayze. Grey also shared personal reflections in her 2022 memoir, Out of the Corner, discussing her career journey and personal life, including her 20-year marriage and divorce from actor Clark Gregg, with whom she has a daughter, Stella.
Patrick Swayze (Johnny Castle)
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Johnny Castle; Patrick Swayze. Artisan Entertainment/ Courtesy: Everett; Barry Brecheisen/WireImage
Patrick Swayze, the charismatic and talented lead of Dirty Dancing, embodied the role of Johnny Castle, the misunderstood dance instructor from the wrong side of the tracks. Born to choreographer Patsy Swayze, dance was in his blood. Prior to Dirty Dancing, Swayze showcased his early talents on Broadway in Grease and in The Outsiders. Beyond dance, Swayze was skilled in martial arts and possessed a musical talent, singing “She’s Like the Wind” for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, which became a Billboard hit.
Swayze described the song’s success as rooted in the relatable feeling of a man feeling unworthy of a woman’s love, mirroring Johnny’s feelings for Baby in Dirty Dancing. This vulnerability resonated with audiences and contributed to the film’s emotional depth.
Dirty Dancing catapulted Swayze to A-list stardom, leading to a string of successful films including Road House, Point Break, and Ghost. He earned two more Golden Globe nominations for Ghost and To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. Even as his box office draw waned in the late 90s, Swayze continued to take on diverse roles in films like Donnie Darko and even made a cameo in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.
Tragically, Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2007 while filming The Beast. He passed away in 2009, leaving behind his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi. Their memoir, The Time of My Life, was published posthumously in 2010. In 2019, Niemi participated in the documentary I Am Patrick Swayze, celebrating his life and career. While no actor can truly replace Swayze’s iconic portrayal of Johnny Castle, various actors have taken on the role in stage adaptations and the 2017 Dirty Dancing TV movie, each bringing their own interpretation to the character.
Jerry Orbach (Jake Houseman)
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Jake Houseman; Jerry Orbach. Vestron Pictures; Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
Jerry Orbach, a seasoned Broadway and television actor, brought gravitas and warmth to the role of Dr. Jake Houseman, Baby’s father. Prior to Dirty Dancing, Orbach was already a celebrated figure on Broadway, known for originating the role of Billy Flynn in Chicago. He also gained television recognition for his role as Harry McGraw on Murder, She Wrote.
Orbach’s involvement in Dirty Dancing proved to be financially rewarding beyond his initial salary. His profit participation deal turned out to be a significant windfall due to the film’s unexpected blockbuster success. He humorously acknowledged to EW in 1991 that nobody anticipated the movie’s scale of popularity.
Post-Dirty Dancing, Orbach achieved even greater fame for his long-running role as Detective Lennie Briscoe on Law & Order and for voicing Lumière in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. He played both characters across numerous spinoffs and sequels, solidifying his place as a beloved figure in both live-action and animated entertainment.
Orbach was married twice and had two sons from his first marriage to Marta Curro. He later married Elaine Cancilla in 1979. After a decade-long private battle with prostate cancer, Orbach passed away in 2004 at the age of 69. His final on-screen appearance was posthumously aired in Law & Order: Trial by Jury in 2005, marking the end of a remarkable career.
Kelly Bishop (Marjorie Houseman)
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Marjorie Houseman; Kelly Bishop. Vestron Pictures; JUSTINE YEUNG/Freeform via Getty
Kelly Bishop brought her Broadway pedigree to the role of Marjorie Houseman, Baby’s mother. Interestingly, Bishop was initially cast as Vivian Pressman but was later recast as Marjorie. She admitted to Canada’s National Post that while she enjoyed playing “bad girl” roles, portraying Marjorie broadened her acting range and shifted her towards more maternal characters.
Despite winning a Tony Award for her dancing in A Chorus Line, Bishop ironically didn’t showcase her dance skills in Dirty Dancing. However, she did have a brief dance scene with Neil Kellerman, humorously suggesting that Baby’s dance talent was inherited from her mother.
Since Dirty Dancing, Bishop is best known for her iconic role as Emily Gilmore in Gilmore Girls, a role she reprised in the Netflix revival Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. She has frequently collaborated with Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino on Bunheads and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Bishop also reunited with Joel Grey in a Broadway revival of Anything Goes in 2011. Her film credits include Wonder Boys and Friends With Kids. Bishop was married to TV personality Lee Leonard for nearly 40 years until his passing in 2018.
Cynthia Rhodes (Penny Johnson)
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Penny Johnson; Cynthia Rhodes. Vestron Pictures; Vince Bucci/Getty
Cynthia Rhodes, a professional dancer and singer, brought her considerable dance expertise to the role of Penny Johnson, Johnny’s original dance partner. Prior to Dirty Dancing, Rhodes had already appeared in dance-heavy films such as Xanadu, Staying Alive, Flashdance, and Runaway. She also featured in music videos for Toto, the Bee Gees, and Richard Marx, whom she would later marry. Rhodes had previously worked with Dirty Dancing choreographer Kenny Ortega in Xanadu and a Tubes music video.
Rhodes described the rigorous rehearsal process for Dirty Dancing on Camp Midnite, emphasizing the intense training required to create the illusion of a long-standing dance partnership with Patrick Swayze.
Following Dirty Dancing, Rhodes briefly became the lead singer for Animotion before retiring from show business in 1991 to focus on raising her family. She starred in only one more film, Curse of the Crystal Eye. Rhodes was married to singer Richard Marx for 25 years and has three sons: Lucas, Jesse, and Brandon.
Jane Brucker (Lisa Houseman)
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Jane Brucker as Lisa Houseman. Vestron Pictures
Jane Brucker played Lisa Houseman, Baby’s somewhat airheaded sister known for her off-key rendition of “Hula Hana” in the Kellerman’s talent show. Brucker, who had previously appeared in Miami Vice and One Life to Live, made her film debut in Dirty Dancing. She not only performed “Hula Hana” but also co-wrote the song with Kenny Ortega during filming breaks.
Brucker recounted to EW the humorous story of writing “Hula Hana,” initially hesitant about the lyric “wacka wacka” but eventually embracing the song’s quirky and slightly absurd nature, fitting the tone of Dirty Dancing.
After Dirty Dancing, Brucker reunited with Jennifer Grey in Bloodhounds of Broadway and worked sporadically in television and film, including Stealing Home and Dishdogz. She eventually pursued and received songwriting credit for “Hula Hana,” which gained renewed attention with the Dirty Dancing stage musical. In 2022, Brucker made a cameo in the Dirty Dancing world as a guest judge on the reality competition series The Real Dirty Dancing. Brucker has been married twice and has two daughters.
Jack Weston (Max Kellerman)
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Max Kellerman; Jack Weston. Vestron Pictures; Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Jack Weston portrayed Max Kellerman, the owner of Kellerman’s resort. A seasoned character actor with over 100 credits, Weston had a long and distinguished career before Dirty Dancing, appearing in films like Wait Until Dark, The Thomas Crown Affair, and Cactus Flower. He received a Golden Globe nomination for The Ritz and a Tony nomination for Woody Allen’s The Floating Light Bulb.
Dirty Dancing was among Weston’s final film roles. He appeared in Short Circuit 2 in 1988 and returned to Broadway for The Odd Couple in 1991 before retiring from acting. Weston was married twice and had one child with his second wife, Laurie Gilkes. He passed away in 1996 from lymphoma.
Wayne Knight (Stan)
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Stan; Wayne Knight. Vestron Pictures; Monica Schipper/Getty
Wayne Knight played Stan, the aspiring comedian and resort announcer at Kellerman’s. Dirty Dancing was an early role for Knight, who had only a few prior credits. However, it marked the beginning of a successful and prolific career.
After Dirty Dancing, Knight became widely recognized for his roles as Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park and Newman in Seinfeld. He also starred in 3rd Rock From the Sun and has amassed over 120 acting credits, including Space Jam, Rat Race, and numerous voice acting roles in animated films and television shows. Knight has been married twice and has a son with his second wife, Clare de Chenu.
Lonny Price (Neil Kellerman)
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Neil Kellerman; Lonny Price. Artisan Entertainment/courtesy Everett; Bruce Glikas/WireImage
Lonny Price played Neil Kellerman, Baby’s somewhat pompous suitor. Price had a background in theater, including the original Broadway cast of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, and was known for his role in The Muppets Take Manhattan before Dirty Dancing.
Following Dirty Dancing, Price transitioned from acting to directing. He directed episodes of Desperate Housewives and Great Performances, winning Emmys for his direction of PBS Great Performances: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Sondheim! The Birthday Concert. He also directed Glenn Close in the Broadway revival of Sunset Boulevard and the touring production of Peter Pan.
Max Cantor (Robbie Gould)
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Max Cantor as Robbie Gould. Vestron Pictures /Courtesy Everett
Max Cantor played Robbie Gould, the waiter whose callous actions set in motion Penny’s storyline. Dirty Dancing was Cantor’s most prominent role in a brief acting career of only five credits. He also appeared in the TV pilot of Diner and the film Fear, Anxiety & Depression.
In addition to acting, Cantor was a journalist for The Village Voice. Tragically, Cantor passed away in 1991 at the age of 32 due to a heroin overdose.
Neal Jones (Billy Kostecki)
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Neal Jones as Billy Kostecki. Vestron Pictures
Neal Jones made his film debut as Billy Kostecki, Johnny’s cousin who delivers the iconic watermelon to Baby. Jones had a theater background in New York productions before Dirty Dancing.
Jones described the transition from theater to film as a significant learning experience. Post-Dirty Dancing, Jones reunited with Jerry Orbach in Chinese Coffee and Law & Order. His film credits include The Devil’s Advocate, Glengarry Glen Ross, and In America. He also received acclaim for his role in the HBO miniseries Generation Kill. Jones’ last credited role was in 2011, and he appears to have stepped away from acting.
Miranda Garrison (Vivian Pressman)
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Miranda Garrison as Vivian Pressman. Vestron Pictures
Miranda Garrison played Vivian Pressman, the seductive guest at Kellerman’s. A dancer and choreographer, Garrison had previously worked with Kenny Ortega on Xanadu. She served as assistant choreographer on Dirty Dancing, in addition to her on-screen role.
Garrison discussed the collaborative process of creating the iconic lift in Dirty Dancing, highlighting the input of Kenny Ortega, Patrick Swayze, and the director and writer in developing this pivotal moment.
Since Dirty Dancing, Garrison has continued to work primarily in dance-related roles in films like Salsa, The Forbidden Dance, and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. She has also worked as a lead choreographer on major films including Evita and Selena, and served as a judge on the UK reality competition Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life.
While the 2017 Dirty Dancing TV movie featured a new cast, the original film’s stars remain etched in popular culture. The enduring appeal of Dirty Dancing lies not only in its timeless story and music but also in the unforgettable performances of its cast. As Jennifer Grey prepares to return to Kellerman’s, the legacy of the original Dirty Dancing cast continues to shine brightly.
