Maurice Hines Sr., 88, father of tap dancers Gregory and Maurice Jr.
Hoodoo
The elder Hines played drums in the nightclub act Hines, Hines and Dad
with his sons. They gained national prominence when Johnny Carson
discovered the act and put them on his show many times.
http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2010-07/55280122.jpg
Maurice Hines Sr. and Maurice Hines Jr. speak at a memorial service for
Gregory Hines, who died in 2003.
By Valerie J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times
July 31, 2010
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-maurice-hines-20100731,0,3332103.story
Maurice Hines Sr., a drummer who toured for a decade in the nightclub
act Hines, Hines and Dad that helped propel his tap-dancing sons to
fame, has died. He was 88.
Hines died Tuesday after a brief illness at a hospice-care facility in
his longtime home of Las Vegas, his family said.
His sons, Maurice and Gregory, had performed professionally as the Hines
Kids since they were young boys in the 1950s, tap-dancing onstage at the
Apollo Theater in Harlem and touring.
By 1963, his sons decided to emphasize singing in addition to dancing
and asked their father to join the group. The elder Hines had been a
salesman for White Rock soda when he taught himself to play the drums.
Father and sons toured until 1973, performing in nightclubs in New York,
Las Vegas and Europe. They also appeared on TV variety and talk shows.
"The highlight for us was when Johnny Carson saw us at the Playboy Club
in Chicago and he said, 'I'm going to put you on my show,'" said Maurice
Hines Jr., laughing at the recollection because the trio had seven
failed "Tonight Show" auditions behind them.
"He was true to his word, and he put us on many times," Maurice Jr. told
The Times on Friday. "He made us stars and made us hot in the business."
After Hines, Hines and Dad broke up, the senior Hines attended maitre d'
school and ran the gourmet room at the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas.
His younger son, Gregory, became an innovative and influential
tap-dancer and actor. He died of cancer at 57 in 2003.
"My father has always been my hero," Gregory said in a 1997 interview
while promoting "The Gregory Hines Show," a short-lived sitcom that he
said was inspired by his relationship with his father.
"I grew up in the '50s, a tough time for African Americans. I had
friends whose fathers would openly say, 'Just bite your tongue, don't
cause any problems.' My father was not like that," he said. "Even in the
toughest times racially, if somebody disrespected his family, they were
in trouble."
Maurice Jr. is a Tony-nominated actor who has choreographed and directed
his own original musicals on Broadway.
From his father, the junior Maurice said, he "really learned to be your
own man, to have your own principles and to not let people take away
your principles, especially in this business."
Maurice Robert Hines was born Feb. 9, 1922, in North Carolina and never
knew his father. His mother, Ora Hines, danced at the Cotton Club in
Harlem in the 1920s.
When his sons were featured in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Cotton Club,"
Maurice served as consultant to the 1984 film and brought his mother to
the set.
During World War II, the senior Hines joined the merchant marine and met
his future wife, Alma, through her brother, who served with him.
After marrying in 1942, Hines settled in Harlem and was a "tough guy"
who worked as a bouncer, said his nephew, Richard Nurse.
About 30 years ago, Hines moved to Las Vegas and often golfed. His
nephew said he was "a great cook, precise about everything" and a "great
dresser" who "always had a hundred pairs of shoes."
Hines' first wife died in 2000.
Besides his son Maurice Jr., he is survived by his second wife, Gloria
J. Hines; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
--
Trout Mask Replica
KFJC.org, WFMU.org, WMSE.org, or WUSB.org;
because the pigoenholed programming of music channels
on Sirius Satellite, and its internet radio player, suck
Bryan Styble
"Fatha" Hines had died a few years after Hines, Hines & Dad had
morphed into the Hines Brothers.
Existentially,
BRYAN STYBLE/Orlando
islanders
Yes imbecile. Earl "Fatha" Hines died in 1983. He was not related to
Gregory.
Bryan Styble
I appreciate the correction, Sir Erik; thanks for your clarification!
(Although I'm still unclear how the act could have had two "Dads"...)
Imbecilically,
BRYAN STYBLE/Orlando
Evan Hulka
wrote:
You seem to be under the impression that Earl "Fatha" Hines was
involved with the Hines tap-dancing act. He was not. He was a jazz
pianist.
Hulka
islanders
>>
> I appreciate the correction, Sir Erik; thanks for your clarification!
> (Although I'm still unclear how the act could have had two "Dads"...)
>
> Imbecilically,
> BRYAN STYBLE/Orlando
It didn't, look at the name.....again,
Bryan Styble
decades that necessarily Fatha=Dad !
Glad I've now excised, with y'all's patient help, one of my many
unfortunate misconceptions from my cranium. Now if I can just finally
fully figure out quantum mechanics...
Now a bit less confused than usual,
BRYAN STYBLE/Orlando
islanders
Your biggest misconception is that you are not a long winded bastard.
ghines
"...The band also became one of the first African-American groups to
travel widely in the South during the 1930s.
Hines earned his nickname ["Fatha"] during this period. After he had
given a radio announcer a “fatherly” lecture about his immoderate
drinking, the announcer began introducing the pianist as “Father”
Hines...."
Ref: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=7642
Corby Gilmore
When Gregory Hines died, I suppose that they could have revived the act
under the name "Hines, Hines and Dead"; just as well they didnt, I guess.
islanders
> When Gregory Hines died, I suppose that they could have revived the act
Comedy is NOT your strong suit.
Bill Schenley
> unfortunate misconceptions from my cranium. Now if I can just
> finally fully figure out quantum mechanics...
Forget "quantum mechanics" for the moment ... Right now, why don't you
work on figuring out the mechanics of Google ...
islanders
> Forget "quantum mechanics" for the moment ... Right now, why don't you
> work on figuring out the mechanics of Google ...
Because, Bill old man, Styble is " Florida's" answer to roy.