Born Feb. 14, 1946, in New York, Mr. Hines began training in dance at 3 with Henry LeTang and made his professional debut two years later with his older brother, Maurice Jr., in an act called the Hines Kids (later the Hines Brothers and, when his father, Maurice Sr., joined the act in 1963, Hines, Hines and Dad).

Mr. Hines established himself as a first-rate actor on Broadway with his portrayal of Morton, an egocentric genius, in Jelly's Last Jam. (He also shared a [Tony] nomination for choreography for that show with Hope Clarke and [Ted Levy].) But Vincent Canby, then senior film critic for the New York Times, singled Mr. Hines out as a noteworthy performer in 1984, writing of his "rare screen presence" in The Cotton Club.

Mr. Hines, who was black, often said he made a point of looking for roles written for white actors, preferring their greater scope and dynamics. His portrayal of Ben Stevenson, the single father of a young son, in The [GREGORY HINES] Show, drew on Mr. Hines' natural warmth and charm.