Skatetown, U.S.A.

Swayze plays Ace Johnson, a skater who indulges into a rivalry with Stan Nelson(Greg Bradford) which culminates in a contest, the winning prize for which is $1000. The two rivals later become friends. This comedy is directed by William A. Levey. Co-starring Scott Baio, Flip Wilson, Maureen McCormick and Katherine Kelly Lang.

A dancer-turned-actor is not viewed very well in this business. I kept it quiet at first, hoping it would turn into ‘actor with other talents.’ But I saw what dancing would and could do to me after my first movie came out. The reviews came in, and they were accolades, not for the movie, or for my acting talent, but just for the way I could move. I read those reviews and knew that’s what I was headed for: teen-idol status. So I turned down a four-picture deal at Columbia – turned all the offers down, in fact – and went back to acting classes.