Gregory Hines
Gregory Oliver Hines ( born February 14, 1946 in New York; † August 9, 2003 in Los Angeles ) was an American tap dancer, actor and singer.
Life
His father Maurice Robert Hines was a dancer, actor and drummer, his mother was Alma Hines. Already three years was Gregory tap dance lessons at age five, he began to earn money on the street in Harlem. With six he danced with his brother Maurice at the Apollo Theater on 125th Street. On drums a swing band, she accompanied her father. Together with his brother Gregory Hines starred in many dance shows on Broadway.
In the 1980s, Gregory Hines performed as a solo dancer. With its powerful, ground-level style and the integration of Afro-Cuban dance elements helped the tap dance tap dancing in various films to new popularity. Hines was an important link between veterans of tap and the young generation as well as between white and black tap dancers. In 1997, he was the title character of the comedy show, The Gregory Hines Show at American television network CBS, in which he played a single father looking for a wife. In 2001 he had in the TV movie Bojangles the legendary tap dancer Bill Robinson dar.
Hines died on August 9, 2003 in Los Angeles of liver cancer. At the time of his death Hines was engaged to Negrita Jayde American bodybuilder. Beside her, Hines left two ex- wives, Patricia Panella, with whom he had a child, and Pamela Koslow, with whom he had two children.
2004 Hines was admitted posthumously inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame.