Maurice Hines, who faucet danced his technique to a Tony nomination throughout an extended stage profession and was a frequent TV visitor, has died on the age of 80, in keeping with reviews from family and friends.
Hines started working in present enterprise at age 5. He made his Broadway debut in The Woman within the Pink Tights in 1954, and went on to look in Eubie!, Refined Girls, Carry Again Birdie, and Uptown…It’s Scorching!, the latter successful him a Tony nomination. He later was Nathan Detroit in a 2001 tour of Guys and Dolls, working with Debbie Allen, Leslie Uggams, and Richard Roundtree.
The capstone to his profession was the present Maurice Hines: Tapping By way of Life, a tribute to his household that was crammed with anecdotes about working with Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, and others.
He staged the Radio Metropolis Christmas Spectacular in 1990, changing into the primary African American to direct on the famed venue.
Born in 1943 in New York Metropolis, Hines and his youthful brother, Gregory had been skilled at an early age. Their father, Maurice Hines Sr., joined his sons in Hines, Hines & Dad, an act seen often on The Pearl Bailey Present and The Tonight Present, amongst different packages.
His movie resume included showing together with his brother within the Francis Ford Coppola movie The Cotton Membership, enjoying a faucet dance act modeled on the Nicholas Brothers. The movie marked the final time Maurice and Gregory carried out collectively, as a dispute stored them aside till their mom’s loss of life. Their careers nonetheless intersected through the estrangement, and Maurice toured in Jelly’s Final Jam, the present that earned Gregory a Tony Award on Broadway.
Maurice Hines ultimately paid homage to his brother in Maurice Hines Is Tappin’ By way of Life.
Hines was additionally the topic of the documentary Maurice Hines: Carry Them Again, at present obtainable for rental on demand.
No data on survivors or memorial plans was instantly obtainable.
