Quiz: Time to Get Dirty (Dancing, That Is)

There's a lot of gossip that Kilmer turned down the part, but screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein adamantly claims that no one other than Swayze was ever seriously considered. His background as a trained dancer, coupled with his stunning good looks, were simply too much to pass on.

It's hard to imagine the Swayze hit on any other soundtrack, but he co-wrote it originally for the Jamie Lee Curtis car-racing film "Grandview U.S.A."

O'Brien, who eventually admitted that he's not even a big fan of the film, spurred a big-screen rerelease of the film when he asked viewers to campaign for it.

Cantor's career and life were cut short in 1991 when the actor died of a heroin overdose at age 32.

There was some confusion over the film's title, with some snafus because people thought it was an "adult" movie. At one point, it looked like the name might be changed, and the alternate title was inspired by screenwriter Bergstein's participation in mambo competitions when she was younger.

Jennifer Grey's ticklishness was annoying to Swayze at the end of a long day of filming, but it was salvaged from the cutting-room floor when they both loved it.

Although he'd long pounded the Hollywood pavement, Knight's big break came with "Dirty Dancing," which led to his casting as Newman on "Seinfeld."

Although the story took place in the summer, the movie had to be shot in the fall in Virginia/North Carolina so as to not interfere with tourist season. As a result, tree leaves were spray-painted green for continuity, and there are no closeup shots during the lake scene because the water was so cold that the actors' lips were blue.

While vacationing in Northern Ireland following the release of the film, Broderick was convicted of reckless driving when the couple's car left its lane and hit another car head-on. Two people died, and Grey has said that the survivor's guilt was too difficult to reconcile with her growing stardom.

Renowned sex therapist Dr. Ruth originally signed on to play Mrs. Schumacher but backed out when she discovered that her character was a thief.