Michael Jackson Remembered

1958-2009

From People Magazine

Josney Ribeiro

Michael Jackson Michael Jackson RememberedRemembered

THE EARLY YEARS:

CHILD PRODIGY

Born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Ind., to Joe and Katherine Jackson, Michael Joseph Jackson – the seventh child in a family of nine kids – showed a gift for singing at an early age, quickly becoming known as the little boy with a big voice. During his days with the Jackson 5, Rolling Stone magazine hailed the young singer as a prodigy with "overwhelming musical gifts."


THE EARLY YEARS:

THE 'CUTE ONE'"Michael was the little cute one,"

Jermaine told PEOPLE in 1984 about his younger brother, who joined his siblings – (clockwise from left) Tito, Jackie, Jermaine and Marlon – in the group the Jackson 5 at the tender age of 6. Though he started out as a backup musician playing congas and tambourine, it wasn't long before he was the frontman, leading the group to massive success with No. 1 hits including "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There."


CHILD'S PLAY

Despite his ever-present smile in photos (like this one circa 1970), life at home in the Jackson household was anything but happy. Jackson spoke out about the childhood abuse he endured at the hands of his father during a lengthy 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey. And in the 2003 documentary Living with Michael Jackson, the singer told interviewer Martin Bashir that during Jackson 5 rehearsals, father Joe "sat in the chair and he had this belt in his hand. If you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you.“


LITTLE SIS

Though he and sister Janet (pictured in 1972) were close as siblings, Jackson had his typical big brother moments, like nicknaming her Dunk because of her size. "You look like a donkey, you're so big," he said. Years later, in 2001, the pair teamed up for the edgy song and video "Scream," which earned them a Grammy nomination. "Everyone sees he is different. There's no question about that," she said in 2007. "He's my brother. I love him regardless."


FUNNY GUY

During a 1972 appearance on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour,Jackson showed off his funny bone. "I can't make up my mind whether to be a jet pilot, an astronaut or the governor of Georgia," deadpanned Michael when Bono asked what he wanted to be when he grew up. In his teen years, Jackson (who that year earned an Oscar nomination for Best Song for "Ben") struggled with self-esteem issues – especially about his acne and a nose he felt was too big. "I think every child star suffers through this period because you're not the cute and charming child that you were," he told Oprah Winfrey in '93.


BAND OF BROTHERS

After leaving Motown Records in 1975, Jackson and his brothers changed their name from the Jackson 5 to the Jacksons, releasing six albums between 1976 and 1984. At the time, Michael was the group's lead songwriter, and the period produced hits like "Can You Feel It." Simultaneously, the singer was striking out on his own, pursuing solo projects like 1978's film The Wiz and his celebrated solo album Off the Wall.


'WIZ' KID

When Jackson made his film debut in The Wiz, it was a critical and commercial failure, but the singer earned positive reviews for his turn as the Scarecrow. Jackson called shooting it "my greatest experience so far" in the 1993 book Michael Jackson: In His Own Words. "I don't think it could have been any better, I really don't."


LIZA MINNELLI

Longtime friends (photographed together at a party in 1982), Jackson made a love connection for pal Minnelli, introducing her to her fourth husband, David Gest, at his 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration in 2001. Minnelli repaid the gesture by having the singer serve as a co-best man and ring bearer at her star-studded 2002 wedding to Gest.


GOOD TIMES

Teaming up with longtime pal Diana Ross, Jackson celebrated The Wiz's premiere with a bash on Oct. 24, 1978. The two shared a common history and career trajectory, each getting their start as a part of Motown groups before forging solo careers. While they maintained a professional relationship – Jackson later wrote and produced Ross's 1982 single "Muscles" – the two maintained a personal connection over the years.


TATUM O'NEAL

Though they disputed the nature of their relationship, this much is true: O'Neal (pictured with Jackson in 1979) met the singer at an L.A. club when she was 12 and he was 17, according to her book A Paper Life. The two developed a friendship, talked frequently and, reportedly, shared a kiss at her home. Jackson later described in ABC's Living with Michael Jackson documentary that O'Neal attempted to seduce him, which she denied.


A BRICK IN THE 'WALL‘

After his successful turn in The Wiz, Jackson released his fifth solo album, Off the Wall, on Aug. 10, 1979. Coproduced by friend Quincy Jones, the Grammy-winning album spawned hit singles like "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You." "He had it all …talent, grace, professionalism and dedication," Jones said in a statement after learning about Jackson's death. "He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever."


KING OF POP:

MOON LANDING

It was the moment that had kids everywhere trying to walk backwards: Jackson, in cropped pants and loafers, debuted the smooth-sliding "moonwalk," one of the most iconic dance moves ever choreographed, during the 1983 primetime special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. Singing with his brothers and solo, he performed his hit "Billie Jean" – and left the audience screaming for more. He later reprised the moment at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards (left).


MUST-HAVE JACKET

For his 1982 teen gang video "Beat It," the singer picked a casually cool outfit that would inspire millions to wear zipper-accented red leather jackets in a decade-defining look for the '80s.


SUITED UP

From the moment Jackson danced across the lighted floor in the 1983 video for "Billie Jean," legions of teenagers wanted his slick leather suit, pink shirt and red bow tie.


MOONWALK MOMENT

Debuting the moonwalk live at the Motown 25th Anniversary celebration in 1983, the dancing star wore his signature cropped pants – designed to show off his intricate footwork to its fullest – with sparkling socks, shirt and his omnipresent penny loafers. Ken Luftig Viste, curator of the Grammy Museum’s Michael Jackson: HIStyle exhibition, explains, "He'd wear an elaborate outfit like this so that even the people in the farthest rows could see him dance because the crystals are flashing under the lights.The white socks really also showed off the way he danced, the ways he could move and how much of that was footwork,” says Luftig-Viste. “He wanted people to be able to see him dance.”


FITS LIKE A GLOVE

Setting off a massive trend, Jackson wore just one bedazzled glove to the 1984 Grammys along with a sequined military jacket, complete with gilded sash. Not only did he get fashionistas buzzing, he also picked up a record-breaking eight awards that night. Jackson was very into “British regalia show clothes – over the top military themed items,” says longtime costumer Michael Bush, who would research historically correct military gear for Jackson, and then “do a street version, rock and roll look out of plastic, vinyl. Anything other than what was traditional!”


'BAD' MOVE

The singer went for a distinctly edgier style for his Bad album in 1987, adding heavy eyeliner to a buckled leather jacket and skintight jeans.


DANGEROUSLY STYLISH

Jackson hearkened back to an earlier era for his '20s-inspired video for "Smooth Criminal" in 1987. Forget the tommy guns – fans were blown away by his sharp tailoring and matching fedora!


STRAPPED IN

Never one to shy away from theatrical embellishments for his stage costumes, the singer hit the road in 1988 in second-skin outfits covered in S&M-inspired straps.


STAGE SHOW

Flanked by similarly dressed backup dancers, Jackson took to the stage of the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards in a black suit, skinny black tie and – ever provocative – white arm band.


WHITE OUT

Talk about a united front! The singer enters for a court date, with his sisters LaToya and Janet, in white head-to-toe in 2004.


GOLDEN AGE

In the past several months, Jackson began stepping out in fashionista-favorite womenswear labels, including Balmain and this Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci studded T-shirt and blazer.


KING OF POP:

SUCH A 'THRILLER‘

Jackson was inspired to do a horror-themed clip for "Thriller" after seeing John Landis's An American Werewolf in London. "It was a different type of horror movie. It was comedy and horror," Jackson said. "I said ... 'We gotta get in touch with him.' " Landis directed the epic 14-minute clip, which premiered on MTV before Christmas 1983. Thriller, Jackson's breakout '82 album, went on to sell more than 100 million copies worldwide, making it one of the biggest-selling albums of all time.


CHER

Cher and Jackson maintained a connection over the decades after the pop star appeared on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour with his older brothers as part of the Jackson 5. In recent years, Cher (photographed with Jackson at a Dreamgirls opening party in 1983) grew critical of the singer, especially as a parent. She told TV Guide in '03, "I cannot imagine putting my children what he put his children through."


LISA MARIE PRESLEY

It was the kiss that was seen – and buzzed about – around the world: Michael Jackson and his bride, the King of Rock's daughter, declared their love for one another with an electrifying lip-lock at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. But after 20 months of marriage, Presley, 27, filed for divorce from the then-37-year-old pop star.


KING OF POP:

A BIG NIGHT

Jackson (with longtime collaborator Quincy Jones) cradles his record-breaking eight Grammy Awards – including album of the year for Thriller and record of the year for "Beat It" – at the '84 ceremony. (In 2000, Santana later tied his one-night feat.) Jackson kept his aviators on for nearly the entire ceremony, only removing the shades because, as he said onstage, Katharine Hepburn "told me I should and I'm doing it for her, okay?" Then, as the audience erupted in screams, he added, "And the girls in the back."


MADONNA

Talk about stealing the show: Jackson took the Material Girl as his date to the 1991 Oscars, creating a worldwide paparazzi frenzy. Madonna, decked out in a Bob Mackie gown and $20 million in diamonds, found her match in Jacko, who stepped out in gold-tipped cowboy boots, a diamond brooch and not one, but two gloves for the starry occasion. The two went on to reportedly collaborate on a song for Jackson's Dangerous album.


KING OF POP:

DANGER ON SET

It was a close call: While filming a pyrotechnic-heavy commercial for Pepsi at L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium in 1984, Jackson's hair was accidentally set on fire as he performed "Billie Jean." The singer was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was treated for a third-degree burn and a palm-sized second-degree burn on the crown on his head. At the hospital, a flood of messages poured in from fans and friends, including a telegram from a girl that said, "I heard you were hot, Michael, but this is ridiculous."


DEBBIE ROWE

Who in the world is Debbie Rowe? The world found out in November 1996 when Jackson and the 37-year-old assistant to the singer's dermatologist confirmed news that they were expecting a baby together. Ten days after learning he was going to be a dad, the King of Pop married his 6-months-pregnant companion in a civil ceremony Down Under.


DIANA ROSS

Ross first got a glimpse of Jackson's talent when she watched him and his older brothers perform at Motown head Berry Gordy's Detroit mansion. Jackson, then 10, even lived with his Supreme mentor, whom he once said he confided his "deepest, darkest secrets." More than a decade later, the pair starred in 1978's The Wiz, an all-black version of The Wizard of Oz.


KING OF POP:

'HOUSE' CALL

"Well, isn't this a thriller?" President Ronald Reagan joked when presenting Jackson with the Presidential Public Safety Commendation Award in 1984. Jackson received the honor for granting the use of his hit single, "Beat It," in a campaign against teen drunken driving. A humbled Jackson merely said, "I'm very, very honored. Thank you very much, Mr. President and Mrs. Reagan."


MACAULAY CULKIN

A frequent guest at Jackson's Neverland Ranch as a young child, Culkin struck up a friendship with Jackson after appearing in his "Black or White" music video. In 2005, Culkin took the stand in the pop star's molestation trial where he testified that the singer never molested him as a child, calling the allegations "absolutely ridiculous."


KING OF POP:

A STAR FOR A STAR

Although he already was included on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (the Jackson 5 received their star in 1979), the singer received his solo star in 1984, making him one of a select group to have two stars. (Diana Ross also has two – one as a solo artist, one with The Supremes.)


KING OF POP:

A 'WORLD' VIEW

In 1985, Jackson and Lionel Richie penned the charity single "We Are the World." The song was performed by USA for Africa, a supergroup that included Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross and, of course, Richie and Jackson. Profits went to the USA for Africa Foundation, and targeted famine-stricken Ethiopia.


KING OF POP:

CAPTAIN'S ORDERS

3-2-1 blastoff! In 1986, Jackson joined forces with George Lucas (left) and Francis Ford Coppola for the 3-D film Captain EO, which debuted at Walt Disney parks in 1986 and would play at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., for the next 11 years. In the sci-fi musical, featuring the song "Another Part of Me," Jackson starred as Captain EO – and wins over an evil space queen.


KING OF POP:

OFF TO NEVERLAND

Instead of a castle, the King of Pop chose to live in an amusement park. In 1988, Jackson bought a nearly 3,000-acre expanse of land in California's Santa Ynez Valley and built Neverland, named after Peter Pan's world and complete with a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round and more rides. After police searched the ranch as part of his 2005 child molestation trial, Jackson abandoned Neverland, saying it was "violated."


KING OF POP:

A SUPER BOWL

In what remains one of the most talked-about halftime performances of all time, Jackson took the stage at 1993's Super Bowl XXVII in his trademark spangled military-style gear and stood motionless for a few moments – before kicking into the energetic "Jam." The surprise? He then ripped off his jacket and broke out in a medley of his hits "Billie Jean" and "Black or White" – ending the appearance, arms outstretched, in a hail of pyrotechnics and smoke.


BROOKE SHIELDS

Linked in the '80s (and photographed with Emmanuel Lewis at a Grammy party in 1984), Jackson once told Oprah Winfrey about their relationship: "We try not to be everywhere, go everywhere. It's mostly at home. She'll come over. I'll go to her house because I don't like going out in public."


AN ECCENTRIC STAR:

ANIMAL INSTINCT

"My chimp Bubbles is a constant delight," Jackson wrote in his autobiography, Moonwalk, published in 1998. The chimp was just one of the animals – don't forget Louis the llama and Jabbar the giraffe – the singer had when he moved into his Neverland Ranch, which contained a zoo. But Bubbles – who wore clothes, used a toilet and reportedly learned to moonwalk – had "a special relationship with Jackson," animal trainer Bob Dunn told PEOPLE. "He spoils him, just like any parent would."


AN ECCENTRIC STAR:

TABLOID TALES

Outrageous rumors about Jackson ran rampant in the '80s. Among them: He offered $1 million for the Elephant Man's bones and slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, hoping to live to be 150 years old. "He has a chamber," his manager Frank Dileo said at the time. "I don't know if he sleeps in it." Jackson later told Oprah Winfrey that the chamber was a "piece of technology used for burn victims" and that he decided to crawl inside and "hammer around." Other reports had him leaking the photo himself to conjure a sci-fi image ahead of the release of Captain EO.


ELIZABETH TAYLOR

Through all the child molestation allegations Jackson faced, he had the staunchest support from his longtime friend Dame Elizabeth Taylor, who the singer told Oprah Winfrey in 1993 was the one who anointed him the King of Pop – a moniker that stuck. What bonded the seemingly mismatched pair? Taylor told Larry King in a 2006 interview that "both had horrible childhoods."


AN ECCENTRIC STAR:

MAN IN THE MIRROR

Over the years, Jackson's face changed dramatically as his skin appeared lighter, his nose narrower and his chin more defined, which prompted stories about addictions to plastic surgery and skin bleaching. Jackson admitted to twice altering his nose and adding a cleft to his chin, but told Winfrey, "I've never had my cheekbones done, never had my eyes done, never had my lips done." As for his changing skin color, Jackson blamed it on vitiligo, "a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of my skin," he said. "I have to even out my skin."


AN ECCENTRIC STAR:

DRESSED FOR COURT

Throughout his 2005 child molestation trial, Jackson had problems arriving on time to court. On March 10, Judge Rodney S. Melville threatened to issue an arrest warrant if the pop star didn't appear immediately. The pop star's defense attorney claimed that Jackson was hospitalized for back pain, but Jackson eventually arrived – minutes after the judge would have to make good on his threat – sporting slippers, pajama bottoms, a white undershirt and blue blazer.


AN ECCENTRIC STAR:

MILLENNIUM MIX-UP

Honoring Jackson on his 44th birthday at MTV's 2002 Video Music Awards, Britney Spears presented him with a cake and said, "I consider him the artist of the millennium ... So, happy birthday, my friend, the King of Pop." Confused, Jackson responded: "When I was a little boy in Indiana, if someone had told me ... that one day I would be getting, as a musician, the artist of the millennium award, I wouldn't have believed it." The singer went on to thank Diana Ross, Quincy Jones – and David Blaine, saying, "Your magic is real and I believe in you."


AN ECCENTRIC STAR:

TROUBLE IN BERLIN

In Berlin in 2002, Jackson greeted fans from his fourth-floor hotel balcony, but things turned scary when he held infant son Prince Michael II with one arm and dangled the baby outside the railing. "We were waving to thousands of fans down below, and they were chanting that they wanted to see my children, so I was kind enough to let them see. I was doing something out of innocence," Jackson said. "I love my children, I was holding my son right and strong ... I wasn't going to let him fall."


AN ECCENTRIC STAR:

A STRANGE REALITY

A lengthy interview with journalist Martin Bashir from May 2002 to January 2003 became Living with Michael Jackson, a documentary that premiered on ABC on Feb. 6. 2003. Composed of quotable and bizarre moments – Jackson memorably compared himself to Peter Pan; went on extravagant shopping binges; and admitted to letting disadvantaged children sleep in his bed – the documentary was a major factor leading to his 2005 child molestation trial. Jackson later said he felt betrayed by Bashir and the footage.


AN ECCENTRIC STAR:

THE MUGSHOT

After years of spending time with famous kids like Emmanuel Lewis and Macaulay Culkin, Jackson settled a suit charging him with abusing a child in a 1994 case. Then, amid recording a music video for his single "One More Chance" in Las Vegas, Jackson flew back to Santa Barbara, Calif., on Nov. 20, 2003, and surrendered to police on charges of lewd or lascivious acts with a child younger than 14. Taken to jail in handcuffs, the pop star took this now iconic mug shot – and weighed in at a frail 120 lbs.


AN ECCENTRIC STAR:

OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT

After being acquitted on child molestation charges, Jackson and his children went on an extended trip to Bahrain, beginning a real retreat from the public eye. In the Persian Gulf nation, Jackson was reportedly a guest of the king's son. When he returned to the States, his public appearances were few. On May 1, the singer stepped out to the Ed Hardy and Christian Audigier stores with his kids – sporting a mask.


Michael Jackson Dies after Apparent Cardiac Arrest

Michael Jackson, the onetime child star turned King of Pop, died in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest in his home. He was 50 years old.

Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center not far from his rental mansion in the Holmby Hills. The cause of death wasn't known. An autopsy is set for Friday.


PURI, INDIA

A massive sand sculpture in the singer's likeness – with a guitar and a fedora hat flanking him – is erected by Sudarshan Pattnaik in Puri, India, on Friday.


LONDON

In London, where Jackson was scheduled to perform a series of comeback concerts, fans pay tribute to the singer outside a train station on Friday. The city's tabloids scrambled to publish tribute editions, with headlines like "London Blamed For Jackson Death" on the cover of the Evening Standard, referring to Jackson family lawyer Brian Oxman's comments about the singer exhausting himself in preparation for the series of shows.


MOSCOW

Russian fans place flowers, handmade signs and memorabilia in Jackson's memory outside the American embassy on Friday morning. In 1993, Jackson performed a historic concert in the Russian capital as a major Western superstar – and the visit inspired him as well, producing his song "Stranger in Moscow."


ENCINO, CALIF.

Dressed in full Jackson regalia, fan Lili Nour has a moment of silence for the King of Pop Thursday night outside the Jackson family home in Encino, Calif. Flowers, cards and posters were placed near the home and small candles on the ground were shaped into an M and J, the Los Angeles Times reported.


BEIJING

In Beijing, China, fans observe a three-minute moment of silence for the singer during a candlelight memorial on Friday. Jackson's official Chinese Web site was bombarded with more than 27,000 postings within hours of his death, the New China News Agency reported.


GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND

At the Glastonbury Music Festival, fans wear T-shirts memorializing the pop star on Friday. "I'm just like everyone else, in shock," supermodel Naomi Campbell, who was at the festival, told the U.K.'s The Guardianafter hearing news about Jackson's death.


HARLEM, N.Y.

Outside the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem, N.Y., where the Jackson 5 first performed in 1969, the billboard was cleared for the message, "In Memory of Michael Jackson. A True Apollo Legend." Rev. Al Sharpton, a friend of the singer, addressed the huge crowd: "Way before Tiger Woods, way before Oprah Winfrey, way before Barack Obama, Michael did with music what they later did in sports and in politics and in television," he said.


TORONTO, CANADA

Pedestrians walk past a tribute written on the sidewalk honoring the late Michael Jackson on Dundas Square in Toronto


PARIS, FRANCE

U.S. singer Michael Jackson's fans gather to honor his death


KARACHI, PAKISTAN

Fans of Michael Jackson take part in a candle light memorial to commemorate him in Karachi


RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Michael Jackson fan Antonia Carlos Gomes, dances on the roof at the slum of Santa Marta, Friday, June 26, where Jackson filmed the Spike Lee-directed video "They Don't Care About Us" in 1996

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Michael Jackson Remembered