THE FANS' LOVE STORY: How The Movie 'DIRTY DANCING' Captured The Hearts Of Millions! (9 page)

That sounds good. Nothing wrong with soup.

It was cold—that worked. But that was what I could do at that time. They catered a lot of pizza. They would go to Domino’s and get a couple hundred pizzas. That made Domino’s real happy . . . That was part of the deal—$10.00 and lunch for all the extras.

Would Buddy pay for the beer sometimes in the evenings?

He always paid for it . . . Of course, we didn’t have $12.00 for a six pack. I think we were making five or six dollars an hour . . . it wasn’t so glamorous. In those days, we had two days off. We worked from seven in the morning until closing at night. So we had breaks in between breakfast and lunch—and a big break between lunch and dinner—and we got to use all the facilities. During that time whenever they were filming, we tried to watch it.

It is so beautiful there. It is amazing.

It is a gorgeous place. I’ve been all over this world—literally. I am not prejudiced just because this is where I’ve been all my life. There is nothing that compares to it. It has four beautiful seasons and it’s just a pretty part of the world. Virtually no crime.

Mountain Lake Hotel honored Mr. Swayze by holding The Patrick Swayze Memorial Weekend, November 20–22, 2009. On November 21, 2009, a dedication ceremony was held at the gazebo during which an engraved lift stone was dedicated to Mr. Patrick Swayze for his starring role in
Dirty Dancing
and his courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. The stone had been taken out of the lake at the hotel from the approximate location where the lift scene was filmed in 1986.

Mr. Buzz Scanland, General Manager at Mountain Lake Hotel, led the memorial ceremony. Ms. Abigail Bartley, Area Executive Director for The American Cancer Society, and Ms. Rita McClenny, Virginia Film Commissioner, also participated. Mr. Scanland and Ms. Bartley announced that Mountain Lake Hotel and The American Cancer Society are co-sponsoring a contest in which people contribute money for their guesses as to how many days it will take for the lake to re-fill. The donated money will be earmarked for pancreatic cancer research. The winner of the contest will get a stay for three nights at Mountain Lake Hotel.

The second film location for
Dirty Dancing
was at Lake Lure Inn in Lake Lure, North Carolina. Filming at this 1927 recently restored inn and spa occurred from September 20 to October 27, 1986. The wrap party actually occurred right here also. Even though a fire about fifteen years ago destroyed some of the landmarks from the film, guests may still stay in the rooms where Mr. Swayze and Ms. Grey stayed while filming.

Scenes that were filmed at Lake Lure Inn include: the interior dance scenes (including the grand finale), the scene in which Johnny and Baby practice dancing on a log, Johnny’s cabin scene, Baby on the rock stairway, and the employee cottages scenes. There are several famous stories regarding some of these scenes. Mr. Swayze (who refused a stuntman) while teaching “Baby” fell off the log several times and had to be taken to the hospital to have his knee drained, and then was back to work the very next day. Ms. Grey was stung by wasps several times while filming the famous Johnny’s cabin scene.

The golf course scene was filmed at Rumbling Bald resort on Lake Lure at Hole 16. This scene is when Baby’s parents were putting and Baby asked her dad for money.

Rumbling Bald Resort is located in North Carolina near Charlotte, Greenville, and Asheville—on the north side of Lake Lure.

I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Mr. Gary Wilson from Rumbling Bald Resort regarding the filming of the golf course scene.

Age 60. Lives in North Carolina.

March 2009 (telephone and e-mail interviews).

What is your position at Rumbling Bald Resort, and how long have you worked there?

Head of Security. I have worked there since December 1971. We got to see some of the filming . . . I met Patrick Swayze. He was a nice guy.

Gary told me that Patrick was the only one of the leads that he spoke to. Even though Patrick was not in the golf course scene, Gary had contact with him.

Patrick came over a couple of times. I let him through the gate. He was there during part of the filming and also came with other people for lunch one day.

How long did the filming take?

The scene at the golf course was shot in a couple of days—one entire day and part of another day.

How far away is Rumbling Bald Resort from Lake Lure Inn?

Lake Lure Inn is at the other side of the lake and is about fifteen minutes away.

Did you think
Dirty Dancing
would be popular?

I never thought it would be that popular. We still get fans asking to see the golf course.

Gary confirmed that there is a plaque at Hole 16 commemorating where
Dirty Dancing
was filmed. Also, he indicated that the fans are allowed to walk with the walking club at specified times if they want to see the hole.

Why do you think that
Dirty Dancing
has remained so popular?

I think the movie’s songs, dance themes, and characters reflect a simpler time that so many of us remember from our youth. For the younger generation who like it—my youngest daughter who was barely born when it came out and who has probably watched it thirty times! likes the simplicity of it without all the complicated, sordid story lines that are present in today’s movies and in today’s life.

Do you have a favorite scene or character in the movie?

Patrick Swayze was my favorite. I have always liked him. He seems to be a genuinely nice guy. Hope his health improves. He’s a fighter. My favorite scene was the dance scene at the end with “Baby.”

Gary also told me that the fire at Lake Lure Inn in which the main building burned down was about fifteen years ago. The property was bought and sold.

Also, he informed me that the movie,
Last of the Mohic
ans was filmed at Rumbling Bald Resort.

This moment is probably one of the most important in the entire film. Johnny (Patrick Swayze) has returned to Kellerman’s (after he had been asked to leave quietly), and takes Baby out of the corner, and up to the microphone. He says he is going to do the last dance his way—with Ms. Frances Houseman (Baby—Jennifer Grey). Johnny stands up for Baby and himself, and thus shows his respect for Baby, himself, and their relationship—in spite of what other people may think.

Johnny (Patrick Swayze) and Baby (Jennifer Grey) dance in the finale scene of the movie. Their eyes reflect their heart and soul connection.

Steve Schwartz and one of his dance partners, Nadine Leach, in 1956 in Miami Beach. This picture was the poster for the Mambo Jamboree that he ran at the De Lido Hotel. Steve Schwartz—also known by his professional dancer name Steve Sands—was the dance partner of Jackie Horner (consultant to Eleanor Bergstein) at Grossinger’s in the ’50s. Per Jackie Horner, “He’s the Johnny (Patrick Swayze).”