Back in March, Hollywood star Patrick Swayze was given only 5 weeks to live due to a nasty bout with pancreatic cancer. But one life lesson you must learn is that although he’s down, you must never, ever, count Swayze out.

Because of his role as a prancing, dancing fairy in Dirty Dancing many assume that Swayze is a effeminate wuss – but that is not the case. In fact, he’s one of the most bad-ass superstars in all of Hollywood…and here are 5 definitive reasons why.

6. “Vida Boheme” in To Wong Foo: Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar

Patrick Swayze. In drag. Dancing and kicking ass. If you haven’t seen To Wong Foo, that’s ok – you should never see it, unless watching Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo sass it up is your idea of entertainment. On second thought, this SHOULD be your idea of entertainment. “I’m am hereby stripping you of all your Princess Points.” Eternal.

5. SNL – Chippendale Dancer w/ Chris Farley

In this classic SNL skit Swayze proves that he’s a good sport and can make fun of himself, unlike all those other pompous Hollywood stars.

4. “Darrel ‘Darry’ Curtis” in The Outsiders

In The Outsiders Swayze plays Darrel, leader of “the Greasers,” a gang of poor kids who have an all-out turf war in Tulsa, Oklahoma with their pretty boy rivals, “the Socs.” If you don’t know what any of that means, watch the trailer below and rent the damn movie.

3. “Jed” in Red Dawn

Red Dawn is a mid 80’s movie about a bunch of high school kids in a small town. When Russia invades the US and takes over their town Swayze leads his buddies into the mountains to hide out, ultimately fighting the Russians with deer rifles. Do they win? Of course they do – but not before Swayze drinks a whole bunch of deer blood and yelling “wolverines” every time he pops a commie.

2. “James Dalton” in Road House

Swayze comes to the rescue of a seedy Missouri bar, the Double Deuce, as its top bouncer, to save the venue (and the entire town) from evil businessman Brad Wesley – and the awesome doesn’t stop until the end credits roll. The whole thing is pretty much a giant bar fight, along with some great T&A, some explosions, a monster truck and an unreasonable number of knife fights. (Seriously, why does only one person in the whole town have a gun?) If there’s a bad part to this movie, we’re yet to see it.

1. “Bodhi” in Point Break

Swayze plays a professional surfer who, in the off season, is a member of the “ex-presidents,” a crew of mask-wearing bank robbers – but you already knew this. From befriending his worst enemy, Special Agent Utah (Keanu Reeves), just to lead him on a wild goose chase, Bodhi is 100% pure adrenaline. Thank God Point BreakBack Mountain isn’t the truth.