He appeared in major motion pictures, on television and on broadway, and for more than half a century, he carried on the tap lineage, eventually sharing it with a new generation of tappers. Gregory hines plays the exconvict son of a famed tapdancer. Aug 11, 2003 gregory hines, the innovative and influential tap dance star who became invaluable in the renewal of his art and also enjoyed wide success as a film and television actor, has died. This story is centered on max washington gregory hines, a truly great tap dancer who is serving time in sing sing for armed robbery. In spite of his troubled past, he also left behind a tap dance community, for whom he left a great impression, and also became a family unit for him. The award winning actor and dancer, gregory hines, stars in this look at the life of extraordinary tap dancing legend bill bojangles robinson. He is considered one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. Gregory hines was an amazing dancer most known for his awesome tap dancing. Gregory hines, the innovative and influential tap dance star who became invaluable in the renewal of his art and also enjoyed wide success as a film and television actor, has died. Gregory hines, i respect the way that he honored the master tap dancers who came before him and kept the tradition alive. Apr 01, 2020 gregory hines, american tap dancer, actor, and choreographer who was a major figure in the revitalization of tap dancing in the late 20th century.
Gregory hines courtesy dance magazine archives in the 1980s and 90s, hines became taps most visible star since bill bojangles robinson. Gregory hines american dancer, actor, and choreographer. He also cohosted the tony awards ceremony in 1995 and 2002. He appeared in a movie called tap with a young savion glover and an. With gregory hines, suzzanne douglas, sammy davis jr. Gregory hines is the joy of movement in the dance that kept the physical instrument constantly remembering why its playing.
Gregory hines 14 february 19469 august 2003, jazz tap dancer, singer, actor, musicians, and creator of improvised tap choreography, was born in new york city, the son of maurice hines sr. Born in new york city in 1946, gregory hines studied dance from an early age and performed with family members at the apollo theater. Jul 02, 2018 gregory hines i got rhythm fascinating rhythm gene kelly tribute 1982 kennedy center honors duration. The late late show with james corden recommended for you. Gregory hines biography childhood, life achievements. It said, this tap dancer and tap dance are at the same level as mikhail in ballet, says tony waag, the artistic director of the american tap dance foundation. This is the story of an incredibly talented man who struggled with the demons of his past and the racism of his time, but still entertained millions with his unique and complex dance styles. Gregory hines was an american dancer and actor who appeared in movies like the cotton club and white nights. Hines never forgot his dance origins and was a tireless advocate for. Gregory hines i got rhythm fascinating rhythm gene kelly tribute 1982 kennedy center honors duration.
Sung and danced by gregory hines written by james newton howard and glen ballard. Gregory hines plays the exconvict son of a famed tap dancer. His late father owned a dance studio that is now run by little mo. Gregory oliver hines february 14, 1946 august 9, 2003 was an american dancer, actor, choreographer and singer. Hines was a major figure in the revitalization of tap dancing in the late 20th century. He was an inspiration and mentor to a great number of entertainers. Gregory hines and his dancing friends click in nick castle. Gregory hines list of movies and tv shows tv guide.
An expatriate russian dancer is on a plane forced to land on soviet territory. Brian green while i never had the honor of meeting mr. Tap is a 1989 dance drama film written and directed by nick castle and starring gregory hines and sammy davis jr. Hines is the brother of actordancer performerp32450maurice. Tap 1989 max and little mo played by gregory and sammy. With mikhail baryshnikov, gregory hines, jerzy skolimowski, helen mirren. Gregory hines began dancing as a child and went on to launch a successful broadway, television and film career. Now he is out of prison and on the streets again, and his old associates want him to pull a bigtime jewel heist. Max washington gregory hines is an excon working as a dishwasher and lives across the street from his old tap dance studio. Much renowned as a dancer, he is considered a major figure in the revitalization of tap dancing in the late 20th century. Tap stars gregory hines as max washington, the son of one of the greatest tap dancers.
Gregory hines full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. Photograph by greg gorman, with permission from the gregory hines family and estate. The pbs special featured seasoned tap dancers such as savion glover and bunny briggs. He is a great dancer himself but has thrown away his heritage to lead a life of crime. His notable movies include the cotton club and white nights. By the age of four, hines and his older brother maurice were taking tap lessons with renowned dancer and choreographer henry le tang. With tap, viewers are reminded of the late gregory hines formidable skills not only as a dancer, but as a dramatic actor. This 1989 film isnt wholly originalthe plot borrows from countless movies where the hero is a flawed man trying to do good.
How these tap trailblazers are still influencing dance. This clip is from an unusual picture that director nick castle made with the late gregory hines, as a tribute to the great percussion art of tap dancing. Often dancing while hunched over, legendary tap dancer hines 19462003 performed riffs much like a jazz drummer, staggering and breaking up the rhythm, changing tempo in the middle of a dance, or abruptly altering the emotion or mood. Hines made his movie debut in mel brookss history of the world, part i 1981, replacing richard pryor, who had originally been cast.
In 1989, gregory hines created the emmynominated gregory hines tap dance in america, which he also hosted. It really is a vehicle for some of the few remaining masters of the art, who were all near the end of their lives. A true triple threat, gregory hines ultimately became one of tap s most recognized performers and preservers of the art. Great dance movies a list of 36 titles created 07 nov 20 see all related lists. Released 1989, tap stars gregory hines, suzzanne douglas, sammy davis jr. Two days out of prison and looking for action, max washington gregory hines gets involved in a jewel heist with a local crime boss. Gregory hines is graceful, although he doesnt have the grace and lightness of, say, a fred astaire. Taking over his late fathers harlem dance studio, hines cant shake memories of his childhood, when he was being touted as a dancing. Gregory hines turns in a very good performance, both with acting and dancing, although i say his best stuff can still be found in white nights white nights, tap, and running scared are my three favorite gregory hines movies.
He is taken to an apartment in which a black american, who has married a russian woman, lives with her. In the 1970s he launched a broadway career and later. Gregory hines, in full gregory oliver hines, born february 14, 1946, new york, new york, u. Gregory hines was born on february 14, 1946 in new york city, new york, usa as gregory oliver hines. Blaxploitation pride tap 1989 featuring gregory hines, sammy. New forever stamp features dancer, actor gregory hines. He is to become a dancer for the kirov academy of ballet again, but he. In the dance routines of tap, citywide, gregory hines has a look of lazily ecstatic glee thats almost irresistible. Involved in show business since toddlerhood, gregory hines has grown up to be a highly acclaimed tap dancer, choreographer, dramatic and comic actor, singer, and director. Five of the most memorable tap dancing scenes in movies. Biography of gregory hines the new york public library.
Gregory hines, the genial, suave dancer, singer and actor who for many personified the art of classical tap in the 1980s and 90s, died late. Find great deals on ebay for tap gregory hines and tap gregory hines dvd. Gregory hines stars as a promising but disillusioned dancer torn between his. See more ideas about gregory hines, tap dance and just dance. As a tap dancer, actor, and choreographer, youve probably seen gregory hines in one of his many roles like in a music video, movie, on stage or tap dancing on broadway. Hines, who revered davis, paid homage to him in the television special sammy davis jr. In 1988 he starred in the movie tap with a thenyoung savion glover, and the late gregory hines. The cotton club 1984 one of the alltime great tap dancers gregory hines dances with his brother maurice who was also. Hines also starred in francis ford coppolas harlem jazz club crimedrama the cotton club and 1989s tap, a movie that experimented with rock music and brought together a. Hines starred in more than 40 films and also made his mark on broadway during his lifetime.
Just released from prison, max washington must decide which of his previous professions to return to. He was married to pamela koslow and patricia panella. Taking over his late fathers harlem dance studio, hines cant shake memories of his childhood, when he. The cotton club 1984 one of the alltime great tap dancers gregory hines dances with his brother maurice who was also an excellent dancer. Max washington gregory hines, just released from prison after serving time for burglary, is a talented tap dancer.
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