By Kimberly Nordyke
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Pancreatic cancer is not
slowing Patrick Swayze.
The "Dirty Dancing" veteran stars in the cop drama "The
Beast," which has just been picked up by cable's A&E Network.
Swayze plays an unorthodox but effective FBI veteran who
trains a new partner (Travis Fimmel) in his hard-edged and
psychologically clever style of agenting while being pursued by
a secret Internal Affairs team.
"I have searched for quite a long time to find a character
that is this multilayered, unpredictable and downright
entertaining as well as a project this current and
cutting-edged," Swayze said in a statement.
The statement did not address his health, but network
executives confirmed that his doctors have cleared him to
resume work. They have ordered 13 hour-long episodes to go into
production this summer in Chicago, with a premiere set for
early 2009.
Swayze, 55, was diagnosed with cancer in March, and has
been receiving treatment at Stanford University Medical Center,
near San Francisco.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
