GREGORY HINES

Gregory Hines was an American actor and singer who began as a dancer before venturing into Broadway, television, and film. His showbiz life included his performance in The Gregory Hines Show as well as an award-winning act in Jelly’s Last Jam. His movie debut, however, came in Mel Brookes’ History of the World, Part I in the ’80s. Gregory’s tap-dancing skills are one of the best in the late 20th century, which helped him to become a famous personality.

On August 9, 2003, Gregory succumbed to liver cancer at the age of 57, a year after the sickness was diagnosed. Despite the treatments he underwent, he could not beat the disease. Cancer is one of the deadliest complications, and many artists similarly lost the battle. Gregory was among the Hollywood actors who never indulged in substance abuse and vices, so the cause was totally unexpected. In his 50s, the talented entertainer still had quite a lot of gas left in his tank, so it was such a shame to see him go this early.