A&E’s plans to promote its upcoming drama “The Beast†were disrupted Friday when its star Patrick Swayze checked into a hospital. Swayze, who has been battling pancreatic cancer, was scheduled to appear at the Television Critics Association’s press tour at the Universal Hilton when the network announced the actor had pneumonia. A&E President Robert DeBitetto said:
“Patrick has asked that I tell you that this morning he checked himself into the hospital for observation for pneumonia. Chemotherapy can take its toll on the immune system, and illnesses are a part of that. Patrick wishes me to tell you that he’s very sorry he cannot attend, but plans to get back to promoting ‘The Beast’ soon.”
Patrick plays a tough FBI veteran named Charles Barker on the show. The show’s panel session continued without the star, with producers telling stories of working with Swayze and detailing how his cancer has impacted- and, more often, NOT impacted the production.
Producers of the show said they learned Patrick had cancer only four hours after hearing that A&E picked up the series. Patrick’s cancer meant the production had to move forward without the usual insurance coverage.
“Typical cast insurance was not available in this case,” DeBitetto said. “We knew the risks we were taking. They kept us informed about this treatment; we had very honest conversations with his physician. We were looking at very finite period of time when the production would have to be done. We decided to go forward and are pleased we did.”
Creator and executive producer William Rotko added that:
“When we found out he had cancer we went to his house. We’ve been working on the TV show for a year, and have your own interests and families, and to find out your star has a very serious cancer … we were down to his pool, and he’s not a man who sheds a lot of tears, and when he saw how emotional I was … he came up and said, ‘It’s going to be OK, I’m going to be OK.’ And I went home to my wife and — he’s got cancer and he’s telling me it’s going to be OK. And that carries through the show.”
Out of shooting 12 episodes after the pilot, the actor missed only a single day of work, producers said. “You forget sometimes Patrick is going through treatment for cancer,” Rotko said. “It brings us closer together as a tight-knit group. It makes you stop and think before you say you have a tummy ache.” Continue reading Patrick Swayze Hospitalized, Takes A Turn For The Worse