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synopsis

An intimate portrait of an overlooked elder song-and-dance man, who with humor and grace battles the challenges of show business and a complex relationship with a superstar brother.

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"A portrait of a sassy, charming, and brutally honest trailblazer"

- Logo TV | NewNowNext

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"I love this documentary, it’s literally something I can watch over and over again."

- Irish Film Critic

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"Digs much deeper than your usual showbiz doc"

- The Hollywood Reporter

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Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back is a portrait of the charismatic song-and-dance man from his tap-dancing childhood to today. Maurice and friends—Chita Rivera, Mercedes Ellington and Debbie Allen—tell tales from his seven-decade career, including Broadway shows, a co-starring role in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Cotton Club and about his loving yet complex relationship with his superstar brother, the late Gregory Hines. Ever battling the challenges of being a gay, black man in show biz, Maurice shares his story with humor and grace.

  1. BROTHERS

    HINES KIDS

    Maurice Hines was born on December 13, 1943,  Gregory was born on February 14, 1946. At ages 3 and 5, the duo began dancing. Maurice learned first, and then brought home his tap lessons to Gregory, who was too young for the class. They are mentored by famed choreographer Henry LeTang.

  2. BROTHERS

    HINES BROTHERS

    The tap-dancing brothers dazzle audiences across from coast to coast. Opening up for artists like Lionel Hampton and Gypsy Rose Lee.

  3. BROADWAY

    THE GIRL IN PINK TIGHTS

    The duo makes their first splash on Broadway in the musical The Girl in Pink Tights starring ballerina Zizi Jeanmaire.

  4. SHOWBIZ

    HINES, HINES & DAD

    As the times change, the tap-dancing act evolved. Maurice and Gregory develop their singing voices and add “Dad”, Maurice Hines Sr. at the drums. The family hits the road. Managed by mother Alma Hines, they play the cabaret circuits in the Catskills and Las Vegas. Hines, Hines & Dad appear on the Johnny Carson show over 30 times and release an LP on Columbia Records.

  5. BROTHERS

    GREGORY GOES SOLO

    Gregory moves to Venice Beach, California. He no longers wants to perform and travel in the family act. He adopts a hippy life and develops his solo music career. He forms the rock group Severance and releases an album.

  6. SHOWBIZ

    BEYOND TAP

    Maurice develops as a dancer in New York City. He studies ballet, modern, jazz, african, Dunham and Ailey. He is mentored by Choreographer Frank Hatchett and his signature “VOP” dance style.  Maurice rebuilds his body beyond just tap dancing, he has 6 o’clocks!

  7. BROADWAY

    EUBIE!

    Maurice insists that Gregory comes back to NYC! He helps get him on the cast of the Broadway musical Eubie!.  Choreographed by Henry LeTang, the duo performs together again. It’s a big hit! 

  8. BROADWAY

    BROADWAY STAR

    Gregory’s breakthrough performance in Eubie! elevates him as a major star on Broadway and soon earns three TONY nominations in less than four years – Eubie! (1979), Coming Uptown (1980), and Sophisticated Ladies (1981).

  9. BROADWAY

    TEMPOS WILL BE FASTER!

    Gregory hands over his role in Sophisticated Ladies to his brother Maurice. Gregory warns the cast that Maurice is a different dancer and that “tempos will be faster!”

  10. CHOREOGRAPHY

    BALLET TAP USA

    Maurice and dancer Mercedes Ellington partner to create a “smashing new dance company!” Ballet Tap USA integrates multiple genres of dance, including tap, ballet, and jazz.  Maurice gets to express all the forms of dance he loves.

  11. MOVIES

    THE COTTON CLUB

    Gregory insists to director Francis Ford Coppola to cast his brother as his brother, in the motion picture The Cotton Club.  The duo performs multiple times in the movie, choreographed by Henry LeTang. It will be the last time they perform together.

  12. BROTHERS

    SEPARATE WAYS

    Shortly after the making of The Cotton Club,  Maurice and Gregory stop speaking to each other for over a decade.

  13. BROTHERS

    A STAR IS HERE

    Gregory’s star rises with a successful film, tv, and music career. He quickly became known as the greatest tap dancer of his generation.

  14. BROADWAY

    UPTOWN...IT’S HOT!

    A star is his own right, Maurice receives a TONY nomination for “Best Actor in a Musical.”  for Uptown…It’s Hot! (1986).  It is Directed, Choreographed and Conceived by Maurice Hines.

  15. CHOREOGRAPHY

    5,6,7,8

    Maurice choreographs the touring musicals Satchmo, and Harlem Suite (Director too), and the music video “I’ll Be Good You” by Quincy Jones featuring Ray Charles & Chaka Khan (1989).

  16. BROTHERS

    JELLY’S LAST JAM

    For his role as Jelly Roll Morton in Jelly’s Last Jam,  Gregory finally wins a TONY awardThe brothers are still estranged and not on speaking terms. For the traveling company, Maurice is given the demanding role that Gregory made famous (1994-95).  As Maurice explains, “it is simple, talent is talent.”

  17. BROTHERS

    WE GOT US

    Mother Alma Hines is sick. Gregory and Maurice finally reunite to be by her side.

  18. SINGER

    I’VE NEVER BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE

    Maurice sings his heart out on two CD’s for Arbors Records. He performs a one-man show at small cabaret locations.

  19. BROTHERS

    BROTHERLY LOVE

    On August 9, 2003, Gregory Hines passes away from cancer. He was 57 years old.

  20. BROADWAY

    HOT FEET

    Maurice returns to Broadway after 20 years, to direct, choreograph and conceive a musical to the music of Earth Wind & Fire.

  21. SHOWBIZ

    SOPHISTICATED LADIES

    Maurice performs Sophisticated Ladies again, his second musical for Washington DC’s Arena Stage (Guys & Dolls ‘00).  He discoveries and mentors the young tap-dancing Manzari Brothers.

  22. SHOWBIZ

    TAPPIN’ THRU LIFE

    Maurice taps and sings through his incredible career in show business, pays tribute to his brother, Gregory, and the performers who inspired him. The show Tappin’ Thru Life tours steadily for three years . By popular demand, he still performs the show today at concert halls and cabaret venues around the country.

  23. MOVIES

    BRING THEM BACK

    Maurice Hines, still active in his 70’s, allows filmmaker John Carluccio to start documenting his story.

  24. MOVIES

    FESTIVAL WINNER

    Maurice’s personal journey is revealed in the documentary film Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back. The film wins The Grand Jury Prize (Metropolis) at DOC NYC. 

MEET US

Husband and wife team John Carluccio and Tracy Hopkins each have over 25 years of professional experience documenting creative artists. John is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Tracy is an award-winning journalist. Executive Producers Debbie Allen and Charles Randolph-Wright are acclaimed and accomplished figures in the Broadway and dance worlds who recognize the value of Maurice’s story. They are thrilled with and touched by the finished film, and are working to get this intimate portrait of a talented-yet-overlooked entertainer in front of a global audience.

JOHN CARLUCCIO
JOHN CARLUCCIO

Director, Producer, Editor, DP

TRACY E. HOPKINS

Writer, Producer

DEBBIE ALLEN

Executive Producer

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