Bill Bailey  (December 8, 1912 – December 12, 1978) was an  African-American   tap dancer . He was the brother of  Pearl Bailey . Bill was the first person to be recorded doing the  Moonwalk , although he referred to it as the "Backslide", in the film  Cabin in the Sky  (1943), starring  Ethel Waters ,  Eddie "Rochester" Anderson  and  Lena Horne . He was trained briefly by  Bill "Bojangles" Robinson . He was married to Pernell Bailey, and had nine children and many grandchildren.