Remembering the Legendary Maurice Hines
On this episode: A tribute to Maurice Hines.
Turn Out Radio was saddened to learn about the passing of the legendary Maurice Hines. Maurice will always be remembered by members of our production family for his warmth, beautiful laughter, rich storytelling of powerful history, and immense loving kindness. Our thoughts are with Maurice’s family, friends, and all, as we join together in celebrating his life. On this episode, we invite you to revisit our past broadcast from January 2021 with shares from Maurice Hines, and John Carluccio as they discuss the film Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back. With love from the Turn Out Radio family, we thank Mr. Hines, for the dance, the music, and the unforgettable conversations.
Original Airing Date: January 6, 2021
Host/ Producer: Nicole Inica Hamilton
Assistant Production Manager: Amber Downie-Back
Featured Guest(s): Maurice Hines & John Carluccio
Watch the trailer for the film Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back HERE.
About Maurice Hines:
MAURICE HINES is a star of stage, screen and television. He commenced his acclaimed career at the age of five, studying tap at the Henry LeTang Dance Studio in New York City. Mr. LeTang recognized his extraordinary talents and was soon choreographing numbers specifically for Maurice and his brother Gregory Hines.
Soon the brothers were appearing on Broadway and touring as the opening act for such headliners as Lionel Hampton and Gypsy Rose Lee. Their father then joined the act and shortly thereafter “Hines, Hines & Dad” was performing to rave reviews in New York, Las Vegas and Europe. The group also appeared on many television shows including “The Pearl Bailey Show”, “Hollywood Palace”, and 35 appearances on “The Tonight Show”.
Mr. Hines pursued a solo career and success soon followed when he was chosen to star as Nathan Detroit in the National Touring Company of Guys and Dolls. After his thrilling performance, Broadway beckoned, and Mr. Hines created a sensation during the 1978-79 season with his singing and dancing in the hit musical Eubie!. He followed this performance with celebrated roles co-starring in Bring Back Birdie with Chita Rivera and Donald O’Connor and starring in Sophisticated Ladies.
Next, Mr. Hines made his big screen debut in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Cotton Club.” As the film hit theaters across the country, so did Ballet Tap USA, a dance company created by Mr. Hines and Mercedes Ellington.
Mr. Hines then conceived, directed and choreographed the musical Uptown… It’s Hot! which played for 17 sold-out weeks in Atlantic City. He joined the cast when the show moved to Broadway and received a 1986 Tony Award nomination as Best Actor in a Musical.
He followed this achievement by co-directing and choreographing the National Tour of the musical Satchmo produced by Kenneth Feld. As one of the few stars who truly loves the road, Mr. Hines then directed, choreographed and starred in the National Tour of the musical Harlem Suite with successive leading ladies Jennifer Holiday, Stephanie Mills and Melba Moore.
Following these successful stage runs, Mr. Hines turned his attention to directing and choreographing music videos, including the “I’ll be Good To You”, the first release off of Quincy Jones’s “Back on the Block” album. Mr. Hines has directed The Radio City Spectacular (the first African-American director for Radio City Music Hall). In the 1994-95 season, Mr. Hines starred as Jelly Roll Morton in the forty city first-class National Tour of the musical Jelly’s Last Jam. He recently returned to the role of Nathan Detroit in the first-class National Tour of Guys and Dolls.
Internationally, Mr. Hines has had the pleasure of directing and choreographing the musicals Havana Night in Cuba and an all-Latin version of The Red Shoes in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He has also created such new shows as Broadway Soul Jam, inaugurating an entertainment complex in Holland.
His critically acclaimed jazz albums Maurice: I’ve Never Been In Love Before and To Nat ‘King’ Cole With Love are on the Arbors label. As always, all of Mr. Hines’s performances are dedicated to his mother Alma, Susan Weaving, and Stanley Kay.
More about Maurice Hines HERE.
About John Carluccio (Producer, Director):
John is a two-time Emmy nominated filmmaker with an eye for documenting under-recognized creative communities. His biographical portraits have aired globally (Current TV, MTV, Shorts HD). Battle Sounds, his documentary about DJ culture, appeared at the coveted Whitney Museum Biennial (1997). John was an AP on Doug Pray’s Scratch (Sundance, 2001) and portions of his archives have appeared in Exit Through the Gift Shop (Oscar nomination, 2010), Beautiful Losers ( Sundance, 2008) and Stretch & Bobbito (2015).
More of John Carluccio’s work HERE.
