About Doc Brown
Lived 1835 – 1905 (aged 69–70). Doc Brown was a dancer.
William Henry Joseph Cutter Brown (c. 1835 – February 28, 1905), known as Joseph "Doc" Brown was an American dancer and champion cakewalker. Doc Brown was born into slavery in 1835 and died of tuberculosis in February 1905. While it is said one of his local neighbors filmed Brown's Cake Walk performances, any film is yet to be found. Apart from his well-known dance skills, he was known throughout Kansas City for his politeness and manners, causing him to leave a lasting influence on the local community. He is commemorated in the ragtime tune Doc Brown's Cake Walk by Charles L. Johnson.
An 1896 portrait of Doc Brown by the African-American painter M. C. Haywood hangs in Kansas City Museum.
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Important facts
People in Doc Brown's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Doc Brown's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Doc Brown?
ragtime dancer, famous for "Doc Brown's Cakewalk"
When was Doc Brown born?
Doc Brown was born in 1835.
When did Doc Brown die?
Doc Brown died in 1905.
What was Doc Brown's occupation?
Doc Brown was a dancer.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Doc Brown. https://biography.guide/doc-brown-dancer/
MLA: "Doc Brown." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/doc-brown-dancer/.
Chicago: "Doc Brown." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/doc-brown-dancer/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
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