# Gregory Hines Is Dead At 57 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208 "2003-08-10T16:04:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/1 "2003-08-10T16:04:24Z")
From the AP: LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tony Award winner Gregory Hines, the tap-dancing actor who started on Broadway and in movies including “White Nights” and “Running Scared,” has died, his publicist says. He was 57. Hines died Saturday in Los Angeles of cancer, publicist Allen Eichorn said. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/2 "2003-08-10T16:10:34Z")
DAMN! I thought he was looking thinner on ‘Will and Grace’… but I didn’t think he was ill. Whoa. ---
**Author:** ![CadburyAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@CadburyAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CadburyAngel)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/3 "2003-08-10T16:10:50Z")
Oh, no. I never even knew he was ill. I raise a glass to a very talented and classy man. I imagine that he’s up there teaching a tap routine to the apostles, trademark smile in place. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/4 "2003-08-10T16:15:19Z")
Here’s his [IMDB page](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Hines,+Gregory) to see all he’s done. At this posting IMDB hasn’t updated his page with the announcement of his passing. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/5 "2003-08-10T16:27:03Z")
Nooooo! What a shame. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/6 "2003-08-10T16:34:52Z")
I just found out on Yahoo news. I’m speechless. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/7 "2003-08-10T16:45:16Z")
Aw, man. I loved that guy. ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/8 "2003-08-10T16:52:51Z")
well crap! Rest in Peace… or dance in peace… ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/9 "2003-08-10T16:56:37Z")
I didn’t know he was ill either. Terrible shame. I actually _respected_ the guy - and there aren’t many I can say that about. ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/10 "2003-08-10T16:56:47Z")
Crap. 2003 has been a very bad time for the show business industry. I really hate this. A great talent taken from us too soon. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/11 "2003-08-10T17:07:10Z")
I was shocked as well. I had no idea he had cancer. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/12 "2003-08-10T17:12:59Z")
How sad. May he rest in peace. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/13 "2003-08-10T18:15:35Z")
A fine gentleman, and a fine dancer. He’ll be missed. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/14 "2003-08-10T18:18:14Z")
I also am surprised; hadn’t heard he was ill. I wonder what type of cancer it was. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/15 "2003-08-10T18:18:58Z")
Dance in Peace, Gregory. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/16 "2003-08-10T18:28:54Z")
The image that keeps coming to mind as I think about Gregory’s many roles and TV appearances is that solo tap bit in _Cotton Club_ where he’s working some steps on a set of stair steps while other stuff is going on in scenes intercut with him. Since Coppola used the same sort of device in the Godfather films, it’s easy to see how they came up with the gimmick. Still, the starkness of the setting Hines is in, the lighting, the fact that his dancing was without musical accompaniment, and the way that sequence ended (as best I recall) with just a tip of the hat, seems an appropriate way to think of his passing. I may have this scene all jumbled up from several others. Does anybody else know what I’m trying to describe here? ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/17 "2003-08-10T19:48:22Z")
That’s so tragic! I can’t even believe it. ☹ Am I the only one who thinks 2003 has seen an extraordinary amount of celebrity deaths? In this summer alone, it seems like a famous person has died every other day or so. ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/18 "2003-08-10T20:20:14Z")
I’m shocked – I had no idea he was sick. He will be missed. ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/19 "2003-08-10T20:43:22Z")
☹ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41056-2003Aug10.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41056-2003Aug10.html) ☹ ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208/20 "2003-08-10T21:39:54Z")
What the hell! Talk about random. ☹ The hiding of an illness isn’t that much of a new one on me, however. May he have a sizable place in the hereafter. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gregory-hines-is-dead-at-57/194208.md?page=2)