Buster Brown, famed tap dancer, succumbs

Jet, May 27, 2002

Buster Brown, famed tap dancer, teacher, choreographer and one of the last legendary dancers at the Copasetics died recently at a Manhattan hospital. He was 88.

Mr. Brown, who was born James Brown in Baltimore, began his dancing career with a trio called the Three Aces and Speed Kings. He toured with the bands of Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington. Mr. Brown danced in the films The Cotton Club and Tap and on two public television specials, and performed with the original casts of the Broadway musicals Bubbling Brown Sugar and Black and Blue.

Mr. Brown danced around the world and toured South America with the Cab Calloway Orchestra.