Gregory Hines: Bio

Gregory Hines was born in New York City in 1946. He was the total entertainer: a highly acclaimed tap dancer, choreographer, dramatic and comic actor, singer, and director. He earned a Tony Award for Best Actor for his performance in Jelly's Last Jam, as well as three other Tony nominations for his work on Broadway. As a film actor he appeared in such feature films as The Cotton Club, White Nights, and Waiting to Exhale. On television he starred in his own series, The Gregory Hines Show, and on the comedy Will and Grace. Most recently he produced and starred as tap dancer Bill Robinson in the Showtime film Bojangles, which earned him an Emmy nomination.

Gregory and his brother Maurice went professional at a young age performing as the Hines Brothers. They spent their early career at the Apollo Theater, where they met tap legends like Honi Coles, Sandman Sims, the Nicholas Brothers and Teddy Hale. Later their father, Maurice Sr., joined them on the drums, becoming Hines, Hines and Dad. During the early 1970s Gregory left the group to explore music and acting forming a jazz/rock band called Severance.

In the late 1970’s Gregory moved back to New York City and landed roles in The Last Minstrel Show and as the star of Eubie on Broadway. He made the transition to film actor in The History of the World, Part I and followed that with the cult hit Wolfen. He later starred in Tap, a film that combined his penchant for dance and drama.

His television work was equally diverse, including an Emmy-nominated performance on Motown Returns to the Apollo and an Emmy-nominated special, Gregory Hines: Tap Dance in America. Recent television credits include his TV directing debut in The Red Sneakers, the voice of a sidewalk Santa in the animated holiday special Santa, Baby and co-hosting the 2002 Tony Awards.

On August 9, 2003, Gregory Hines died of cancer in Los Angeles at age 57. A few days after his untimely death, the lights of Broadway were dimmed in his honor.