Lisa Niemi Swayze (born May 26, 1956) is an American writer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and director. She is the widow of actor and dancer Patrick Swayze.
Lisa Anne Haapaniemi was born in Houston, Texas, the only daughter of six children born to Edmond, a Red Cross worker, and Karin Haapaniemi, a registered nurse.[1] Niemi has said her father and her mother's professions were her inspiration and encouragement.[2] She is of Finnish ancestry.[3] She graduated from the Houston Ballet Dance Company in 1974.[4] She shortened her surname from Haapaniemi to Niemi in 1977 for her theatre stage name.[5] The Finnish family name translates to "Aspen peninsula".[citation needed]
Career
In the 1970s, Niemi and her husband pursued dance careers in New York City.
Films
Lisa Niemi Swayze wrote, directed and starred in the 2003 film One Last Dance alongside her husband.[6][7]One Last Dance was based on Without a Word, a successful play written 18 years before which had won six Drama Critics Awards. Niemi said, "It was basically based on our experiences as concert dancers in New York, and it affected people a lot."[8]
Niemi co-starred as Carla Frost in 23 episodes of the TV series Super Force from 1990 to 1991.[11][12][13] She once again directed her husband, this time in an episode of his TV series The Beast. The episode, titled "No Turning Back", aired on April 9, 2009. It was his last performance before his death.
Books
On September 29, 2009, Niemi Swayze released a memoir, The Time of My Life, which became a New York Times Best Seller. The book was co-written by Patrick Swayze, and it was finished shortly before his death.[14][15] On January 2, 2012, Niemi Swayze released another memoir, Worth Fighting For, which also became a New York Times Best Seller.
Personal life
At age 14, at the Houston Ballet Dance Company, Niemi met the owner and director's son, Patrick Swayze; the two eventually got married when she was 19 years old. Niemi and Swayze were married on June 12, 1975,[16][17] and remained married until Swayze's death from pancreatic cancer on September 14, 2009. Shortly after they wed, the couple moved to New York City to pursue their dance careers until the late 1970s, when they relocated to Los Angeles, California. In addition to dancing and filmmaking, they ran a construction business and raised horses together.[18][19] The Swayzes had no children.[20]
In 1985, Lisa Swayze began living on a 5-acre (20,000 m2) homestead near the Angeles National Forest, along with a "menagerie of dogs, prized Arabian horses and rodeo cattle".[16] She also had a 20,000-acre (81 km2) ranch in New Mexico.[21]
She is a licensed pilot and flew Swayze to his cancer treatments prior to his death.[16] While filming One Last Dance in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Niemi was made an honorary citizen of the city.[22] After her husband's death, she became the Chief Ambassador of Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. In July 2011, she was made a Dame of the Royal Order of Francis I of the Two Sicilies.[23]
On December 28, 2013, it was announced that she was engaged to Albert DePrisco, a jeweler.[24] On May 25, 2014, the couple were married. [25]
Bibliography
Swayze, Patrick; Niemi Swayze, Lisa: The Time of My Life. Atria Books, 2010. ISBN9781439158616
lisa, niemi, swayze, born, 1956, american, writer, dancer, choreographer, actress, director, widow, actor, dancer, patrick, swayze, niemi, 1990bornlisa, anne, haapaniemi, 1956, 1956, houston, texas, other, names, swayzeeducationhouston, ballet, dance, companyo. Lisa Niemi Swayze born May 26 1956 is an American writer dancer choreographer actress and director She is the widow of actor and dancer Patrick Swayze Lisa NiemiNiemi in 1990BornLisa Anne Haapaniemi 1956 05 26 May 26 1956 age 66 Houston Texas U S Other namesLisa Niemi SwayzeEducationHouston Ballet Dance CompanyOccupationsWriterdancerchoreographeractressdirectorYears active1975 presentSpouse s Patrick Swayze m 1975 died 2009 wbr Albert DePrisco m 2014 wbr Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 Films 2 2 Television 2 3 Books 3 Personal life 4 Bibliography 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditLisa Anne Haapaniemi was born in Houston Texas the only daughter of six children born to Edmond a Red Cross worker and Karin Haapaniemi a registered nurse 1 Niemi has said her father and her mother s professions were her inspiration and encouragement 2 She is of Finnish ancestry 3 She graduated from the Houston Ballet Dance Company in 1974 4 She shortened her surname from Haapaniemi to Niemi in 1977 for her theatre stage name 5 The Finnish family name translates to Aspen peninsula citation needed Career EditIn the 1970s Niemi and her husband pursued dance careers in New York City Films Edit Lisa Niemi Swayze wrote directed and starred in the 2003 film One Last Dance alongside her husband 6 7 One Last Dance was based on Without a Word a successful play written 18 years before which had won six Drama Critics Awards Niemi said It was basically based on our experiences as concert dancers in New York and it affected people a lot 8 She co starred in Steel Dawn 1987 9 with Swayze and co starred in Beat Angel 2004 Niemi also appeared in Letters from a Killer Next of Kin Younger and Younger Live From Death Row She s Having a Baby and Slam Dance Niemi directed Dance a 1990 film 10 Television Edit Niemi co starred as Carla Frost in 23 episodes of the TV series Super Force from 1990 to 1991 11 12 13 She once again directed her husband this time in an episode of his TV series The Beast The episode titled No Turning Back aired on April 9 2009 It was his last performance before his death Books Edit On September 29 2009 Niemi Swayze released a memoir The Time of My Life which became a New York Times Best Seller The book was co written by Patrick Swayze and it was finished shortly before his death 14 15 On January 2 2012 Niemi Swayze released another memoir Worth Fighting For which also became a New York Times Best Seller Personal life EditAt age 14 at the Houston Ballet Dance Company Niemi met the owner and director s son Patrick Swayze the two eventually got married when she was 19 years old Niemi and Swayze were married on June 12 1975 16 17 and remained married until Swayze s death from pancreatic cancer on September 14 2009 Shortly after they wed the couple moved to New York City to pursue their dance careers until the late 1970s when they relocated to Los Angeles California In addition to dancing and filmmaking they ran a construction business and raised horses together 18 19 The Swayzes had no children 20 In 1985 Lisa Swayze began living on a 5 acre 20 000 m2 homestead near the Angeles National Forest along with a menagerie of dogs prized Arabian horses and rodeo cattle 16 She also had a 20 000 acre 81 km2 ranch in New Mexico 21 She is a licensed pilot and flew Swayze to his cancer treatments prior to his death 16 While filming One Last Dance in Winnipeg Manitoba Niemi was made an honorary citizen of the city 22 After her husband s death she became the Chief Ambassador of Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Action Network In July 2011 she was made a Dame of the Royal Order of Francis I of the Two Sicilies 23 On December 28 2013 it was announced that she was engaged to Albert DePrisco a jeweler 24 On May 25 2014 the couple were married 25 Bibliography EditSwayze Patrick Niemi Swayze Lisa The Time of My Life Atria Books 2010 ISBN 9781439158616 Niemi Swayze Lisa Worth Fighting For Love Loss and Moving Forward Atria Books 2012 ISBN 1439196354References Edit Lisa Niemi Swayze Bio Lisa Niemi Swayze official site 14 November 2011 Retrieved May 26 2014 Lisa Niemi I Miss Patrick So Much People September 20 2010 Retrieved March 9 2011 Topelius Paula 2014 05 25 Patrick Swayzen leski naimisiin Ilta Sanomat in Finnish Retrieved 2019 02 06 Patrick Swayze dies of cancer at 57 Archived 2012 10 06 at the Wayback Machine CNN September 14 2009 Retrieved March 9 2011 Swayze Patrick Niemi Lisa 2009 The Time of My Life ISBN 9781439158586 Robertson Campbell August 25 2005 Residents of Florida New York Times Retrieved 2009 07 01 One Last Dance Movies amp TV Dept The New York Times 2010 Archived from the original on 2010 02 13 Retrieved 2009 07 01 Mitovich Matt August 26 2005 Patrick Swayze and His Wife Do a Dance TV Guide Retrieved 2009 07 01 Goodman Walter 2008 Steel Dawn Movies amp TV Dept The New York Times Archived from the original on 2008 06 17 Retrieved 2009 07 01 Dance Movies amp TV Dept The New York Times 2012 Archived from the original on 2012 10 21 Retrieved 2009 07 01 Stanley Alessandra Super Force New York Times Retrieved 2009 07 01 Sauter Michael December 3 2003 Super Force Entertainment Weekly Retrieved 2009 07 01 Schindehette Susan August 6 1990 Ghost with the Most People Magazine Retrieved 2009 07 01 Lisa Niemi Healing From the Loss of Patrick Swayze WebMD Retrieved March 9 2011 Patrick Swayze s Wife Lisa Niemi Lucky to Have Had Him ABC News November 3 2009 Retrieved March 9 2011 a b c Tauber Michelle March 24 2008 article People Archived from the original on 2009 06 01 Retrieved 2009 07 01 Blas Lorena March 6 2008 Patrick Swayze Battling a Deadly Form of Cancer USA Today Retrieved 2009 07 01 Fighting Together Archived 2009 06 01 at the Wayback Machine People March 24 2008 Retrieved March 9 2011 Patrick Swayze s widow urges more research funds for pancreatic cancer CNN February 17 2011 Retrieved March 9 2011 Patrick Swayze Battling Pancreatic Cancer Baltimore Sun March 5 2008 Archived from the original on June 4 2011 Retrieved May 29 2009 Wong Marisa March 28 2007 Dirty Dancing People Magazine Retrieved 2009 07 01 King Randall March 10 2001 Swayze crazy about Peg Canoe com Retrieved 2009 07 01 Official Bio of Lisa Niemi Swayze 14 November 2011 Jordan Julie December 28 2013 Patrick Swayze s widow Lisa Niemi is engaged People Magazine Retrieved 2013 12 28 Messer Lesley May 25 2014 Patrick Swayze s widow Lisa Niemi is married ABC News Retrieved 2014 05 26 External links EditLisa Niemi at IMDb Lisa Niemi at AllMovie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lisa Niemi amp oldid 1126614103, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
