Thirty-six years ago, moviegoers had the time of their lives.
When Dirty Dancing hit theaters in 1987, no one expected the romantic drama to become a pop culture phenomenon. In fact, producer Linda Gottlieb revealed in 2012 that the script was turned down 43 times before a small studio, Vestron, finally agreed to make the movie.
And even after a studio eventually gave the film the green light, there was one tiny problem when production began: Stars Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey couldn't stand each other, jeopardizing the onscreen chemistry between charismatic pro dancer Johnny Castle and naïve resort guest Baby.
Perhaps that's why they weren't the actors initially considered to perform that iconic lift. As for the soundtrack playing along with that move that we've all definitely tried at some point? It was originally meant for another movie. But nobody puts "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" in a corner.
So, put down that watermelon you're carrying and make like the wind to check out these behind-the-scenes facts about Dirty Dancing: