Father Geek here with some downer news, especially for fans of great film dancers... Received this bit this morning on returning from our FREDDIE VS JASON "All-Nighter"... and I'm still somewhat stunned from that event.

I am reading that Gregory Hines has died.

I hope you can see it in your heart to post a page for this so fans can remark on his life and work in a talkback.

It sucks....this was one of the most underrated comic actors, as well as great dancer and entertainer. It should have been obvious of his abilities from films like "White Nights" and especially "Running Scared", of which I always held out hope for a sequel.

I am now going to dig out my copy of "Tap"..one of his best, and sadly, his most forgotten, films.

And thus, I am sad.

- - - George, The 7th Chicken.

Father Geek back... This artist's feet were pure lightning when he was doing Tap and Softshoe dance moves... I always thought of him as the "Third Nicholas Brother", after Harold and Fayard (Who's still with us, amazingly) Gregory was my fave for pure athleticism in dance. I like Sammy Davis Jr. too, but always place him in the school of dance that felt more like Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, great polished skill and fantastic moves, but slightly less athletic when compared to the Nicholas' totally over the top insanity on the dance floor. I met Fayard back in the first of June when he appeared at a double-bill screening of STORMY WEATHER and DOWN ARGENTINE WAY at Austin's temple of Cinema, The Paramount. We talked then about Gregory as the heir-apparent to the Nicholas throne... He (Hines) was simply amazing, annnnnd he was so much more than just a dancer, like Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly before him, he could "really" act... acted up a storm when given a chance too. Comedy, Drama, Action-Adventure, he could and "did" do it all.

We'll really miss him here at Geek Headquarters... He left us way too soon... Damn, he was younger than me... Things like this make you realize just how temporary life really is...

I just received this from UNCAPIE...

I am deeply saddened at the passing of Mr. Gregory Hines; one of the most talented, gracious actors to appear in movies, stage and television. I had the rare opportunity to meet the man on the set of "Will And Grace" and he was a true gentleman. We talked about his films and the great "Nicholas Brothers" dance team that inspired Mr. Hines as a child. We both agreed that there should have been sequels to "Off Limits"; perhaps a tv series about "McGriff And Perkins" as CDI cops in Saigon and "Running Scared" where he was teamed with comedian Billy Crystal, as Mr. Hines had the magic to blend comedy in a serious situation. In the "Cotton Club," he showed off his incredible dancing talent(Portraying an homage to his heroes, "The Nicholas Brothers."), but only has two scenes with the lead, Mr. Richard Gere, which I think, would there have been more interaction with the two characters, it would have been a much better story.

Mr. Hines started on stage as a child with his brother and father as the "Hines, Hines And Dad" dance act on Broadway. His talent made him the talk-of-the-town in New York clubs and he progressed to doing work on Broadway. Most notability, "Sophisticated Ladies." His first role was that as a Roman slave in Mel Brooks', "History Of the World-Part 1." His remark in the film about "Oedipus" had the audience on the floor. Though he was the first choice to portray "Axel Foley" after Mr. Sylvester Stallone, acting commitments with "The Cotton Club" prevented him for taking the part in "Beverly Hills Cop" that went to Mr. Eddie Murphy. Other topnotch performances were in "Wolfen," "Tap," "White Knights," "Eve Of Destruction" and "Deal Of the Century."

In 1992, he went back to the stage and won a Tony Award for his work in "Jelly's Last Jam."

Thank you Mr. Hines for your incredible work.