Biography
This black, often mustachioed, tap dancer extraordinaire of exceptional charm made his professional debut at the age of five with his brother Maurice and was appearing on Broadway three years later. Gregory Hines was nominated for Tony Awards three years in a row for his work on Broadway in the musical revue "Eubie!" (1979, as Eubie Blake), for "Comin' Uptown" (1980) a black retelling of "A Christmas Carol" set in Harlem, and "Sophisticated …
Gregory Hines SlideShow
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Career Milestones
| TV series debut in the sitcom "The Gregory Hines Show" (CBS); also served as executive consultant | ||
| Toured as singer and musician with Severance | ||
1949 | Nightclub debut at with brother Maurice as Hines Kids (renamed Hines Brothers as teenagers 1955-1963) | |
1954 | Broadway debut, "The Girl in the Pink Tights" at age eight | |
1963 | Father, Maurice Hines Sr. joined touring act; renamed Hines, Hines and Dad | |
1973 | Ended act with brother; moved to Venice California and formed jazz-rock band, Severance, in 1974 | |
1978 | Had featured role in the stage musical "Eubie!", a tribute to composer Eubie Blake; reprised role in taped version of show in 1981; earned 1979 Tony nomination as featured actor in a musical | |
1980 | Starred in "Comin' Uptown", a black-themed stage musical retelling of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"; earned first Tony nomination as lead actor | |
1981 | Appeared on Broadway in "Sophisticated Ladies", a tribute to the music of Duke Ellington; picked up third career Tony nod; toured with show in 1982 | |
1981 | Made film debut in Mel Brooks's "History of the World, Part I" | |
1982 | Received first Emmy Award nomination for performance in the ABC variety special "I Love Liberty" | |
1984 | Had co-starring role in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Cotton Club" | |
1985 | Picked up second Emmy nod for appearance in the NBC variety special "Motown Returns to the Apollo" | |
1985 | Teamed onscreen with Mikhael Baryshnikov in the spy thriller "White Nights" | |
1986 | Co-starred with Billy Crystal as wisecracking Chicago cops in "Running Scared" | |
1988 | First solo record album, "Gregory Hines" | |
1989 | Appeared as Feste the clown in the summer production of "Twelfth Night" staged by the New York Shakespeare Festival | |
1989 | Hosted the PBS "Great Performances" segment "Gregory Hines' Tap Dance in America" | |
1989 | Starred in the film "Tap" | |
1991 | Portrayed Forest Whitaker's brother in "A Rage in Harlem" | |
1992 | Returned to the Broadway stage to star as 'Jelly Roll' Morton in the musical drama, "Jelly's Last Jam"; received Tony Award as Lead Actor in a Musical | |
1994 | Feature directorial debut, "Bleeding Hearts" | |
1995 | Co-starred "Waiting to Exhale" | |
1996 | Had supporting role in "The Preacher's Wife" | |
1998 | Portrayed a jazz musician with Tourette's syndrome in "The Tic Code"; released theatrically in 2000 | |
1999 | Joined cast of NBC's "Will & Grace" in a recurring role | |
2000 | Cast as Holly Hunter's married lover in "Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her"; premiered at Sundance; aired on Showtime in 2001 in lieu of a theatrical release | |
2000 | Starred opposite Jim Belushi in Showtime's "Who Killed Atlanta's Children?" | |
2001 | Directed and acted in the Showtime original "Red Sneakers" | |
2001 | Portrayed dancer Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson in the Showtime biopic "Bojangles"; also executive produced; garnered Emmy nomination | |
Awards
1982 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special Class in I Love Liberty |
1985 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In a Variety or Music Program in Motown Returns to the Apollo |
1989 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program in Gregory Hines' Tap Dance in America |
1992 | Tony Award for Actor (Musical) |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor In a Miniseries or Movie in Bojangles |
2002 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Bojangles |