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United States Lisa Niemi Swayze is an accomplished writer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and director with a career spanning several decades in film, television, and literature. Her work reflects a deep involvement in various creative aspects of the entertainment industry.
Lisa Niemi Swayze serves as the official spokesperson for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), raising funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer research and patient support. She has made numerous appearances on nationally televised programs as a representative for the organization and has participated in and organized auctions of memorabilia to benefit PanCAN.
Lisa Anne Haapaniemi, known professionally as Lisa Niemi Swayze, was born on May 26, 1956, in Houston, Texas. Her Finnish American parents, Edmond Melvin Haapaniemi, a Red Cross worker, and Edna Karin Haapaniemi, a registered nurse, provided inspiration for her early career. She graduated from the Houston Ballet Dance Company in 1974. In 1977, she shortened her surname to Niemi for her theatre stage name. Niemi pursued a dance career in New York City in the 1970s, where she also met and married Patrick Swayze in 1975 at the age of 19. Their partnership extended beyond their personal lives, encompassing professional collaborations in dance, film, and other ventures.
Throughout her career, Niemi Swayze has demonstrated versatility as an artist. She wrote, directed, and starred in the 2003 film “One Last Dance,” where she appeared alongside her husband. This film was an adaptation of her earlier successful play, “Without a Word,” which had garnered six Drama Critics Awards. Her acting credits also include co-starring roles in films such as “Steel Dawn” (1987) and “Beat Angel” (2004), as well as appearances in “Letters from a Killer,” “Next of Kin,” “Younger and Younger,” “Live! From Death Row,” “She’s Having a Baby,” and “Slam Dance.” On television, she played Carla Frost in 23 episodes of the series “Super Force” from 1990 to 1991. She further showcased her directorial skills by directing an episode of “The Beast” in 2009, which featured Patrick Swayze in his final performance before his death.
Beyond her work in film and television, Lisa Niemi Swayze is also a recognized author. In 2009, she co-authored the memoir “The Time of My Life” with Patrick Swayze, which became a New York Times Best Seller. She followed this with another New York Times Best Seller memoir in 2012, “Worth Fighting For: Love, Loss, and Moving Forward.” As a licensed pilot, she often flew her husband to his cancer treatments. Following Patrick Swayze’s passing in 2009, she became a Chief Ambassador of Hope for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, advocating for increased research and awareness. She remarried in 2014 to jeweler Albert DePrisco.
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