Hines is survived by his fiancee, Negrita Jayde, his father Maurice Sr., his brother, his daughter, Daria, his son, Zach and his stepdaughter, Jessica. Private services will be held in Los Angeles.

Working with Davis fulfilled a goal for Hines, who will be 43 on Tuesday, Valentine’s Day. “I had always wanted to work with Sammy Davis after seeing him at the Apollo when I was 10.” ...

Sammy Davis Jr. was one of young Gregory Hines' inspirations, as were the Nicholas Brothers and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Hines drew on Robinson's style for some of his work in "Jelly's Last Jam." ...

In the 1989 film, "Tap," some of Mr. Hines' tap-dance heroes, including Sammy Davis Jr., Sandman Sims, Harold Nicholas and Jimmy Slyde, appeared in the tribute to tap, a tale of a man who cannot ...

I mean, Sammy Davis would give me a compliment and I would be set for the whole year.” Hines’ life could have taken a totally different course.

The two also appeared in the big-screen “Tap,” with Sammy Davis Jr. A hoofer since age 3, Hines finds acting harder than dancing. “Dancing is the easiest way to express myself.