In celebration of Black History Month, “MAURICE HINES: BRING THEM BACK” will make its U.S. broadcast and streaming premiere on STARZ and the STARZ App in February 2022 and run on the network through 2023.
Directed by John Carluccio, the 92-minute documentary “MAURICE HINES: BRING THEM BACK” is a poignant portrait of the charismatic song-and-dance man Maurice Hines, following the dazzling elder showman from his tap-dancing childhood to today.
Maurice and friends—Chita Rivera, Mercedes Ellington and Debbie Allen—tell tales from his lengthy career, including Broadway shows, a co-starring role in Francis Ford Coppola’s “THE COTTON CLUB” and 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 business, Maurice shares his story with humor and grace.
“We’re thrilled that our film will have a chance to reach a wider audience on ç both from streaming and cable TV viewers,” says Carluccio. “As an overarching theme, I hope viewers gain a better understanding of the nuances of familial love. I recontextualize archival clips, featuring the celebrated Gregory, so they are now viewed through the lens of the lesser-known brother.
Contrasting the creative paths of the brothers helps give meaning to Maurice’s point of view and reveals how it affects him today. This story of ‘the other brother’ is both personal and universal, and we invite viewers to step into the shoes of this lovable agitator and showbiz survivor.”
Recorded over the course of three years, the film magically intercuts rare archival footage with present-day moments, interviews and candid conversations with Maurice from age 73 to 75. Producers John Carluccio and Tracy E. Hopkins are proud to give this living legend his flowers and his turn in the spotlight while he’s still here to take a bow. Executive-produced by Debbie Allen and Charles Randolph-Wright, the film has won Grand Jury awards at DOC NYC, the Dumbo Film Festival, and the American Black Film Festival (ABFF).
“I’m just thinking,” Hines says in the film, “my whole life has been in dressing rooms.”
Maurice is a Tony-nominated “triple threat” — singer, dancer and actor. Hailed as “a high-energy hoofer with strong views,” the native New Yorker has a remarkable seven-decade career in show business. Beginning at age five, Maurice started tapping and performing with his younger brother, Gregory Hines. In the 1960s, the brothers performed with their father in the music trio, Hines, Hines and Dad. Maurice has starred in the musicals Eubie!, Sophisticated Ladies and Jelly’s Last Jam. He conceived, directed and choreographed the Broadway musicals Uptown…It’s Hot! (1986 Tony nomination) and Hot Feet (2006).
