Michael Jackson’s life was filled with major milestones, with hits including “Smooth Criminal” and “Beat It,” 13 Grammy Award wins and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
There were many memorable moments that made up Jackson’s career, like his 1983 televised performance of “Billie Jean” in which the singer did the moonwalk, which would become his signature move. He had his sparkly white glove, a mysterious staple of his style, and his 2,700 acre ranch that he called Neverland Ranch, which featured wild animals, a Ferris wheel and a movie theater.
Jackson’s success didn’t come without scandal. He faced multiple molestation cases during his lifetime and even after his death.
Michael Jackson released many hits, including “Smooth Criminal” and “Beat It.” (Kevin Mazur / WireImage / File)
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Here is a deeper look at the life of Michael Jackson, including his successes, scandals, kids and untimely death.
- When and how did Michael Jackson die?
- Why did Michael Jackson wear one glove?
- How many kids did Michael Jackson have?
- How did Michael Jackson get his start?
- What movies have been made about Michael Jackson?
1. When and how did Michael Jackson die?
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, when he was 50 years old. He died at his home in Los Angeles after suffering cardiac arrest. His death was ruled a homicide.
Jackson was given a combination of drugs, mainly propofol, that were found in his system. His doctor, Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 after a six-week trial. He was sentenced to four years in prison. He served two years, before being released on parole in 2013.
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Michael Jackson often wore a white glove on one hand. (Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection / File)
2. Why did Michael Jackson wear one glove?
Jackson’s sparkly white glove became a staple of the performer’s look. There is no definite answer behind the reason for the glove. Jackson said he had a skin condition called vitiligo that affects the pigmentation of the skin. The sparkly white glove has been thought of as a way to mask the skin condition.
3. How many kids did Michael Jackson have?
Jackson had three kids, Prince, Paris and Bigi. Jackson’s first child, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., also known as Prince, was born on Feb. 13, 1997. Paris was born on April 3, 1998. Jackson shared both Prince and Paris with ex-wife Debbie Rowe.
Jackson had a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II, also known as Blanket via surrogate in 2002. His son changed his name to Bigi in 2015.
Jackson’s first wife was Elvis Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie. The two got married in 1994 and finalized their divorce in 1996. The former couple did not share any children.
Michael Jackson’s first wife was Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley. (AFP via Getty Images / File)
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4. How did Michael Jackson get his start?
Music was heavily incorporated into Jackson’s life from a young age. He got his start as a singer in the pop music group The Jackson 5 when he was 6 years old. The group was made up of Jackson and four of his brothers. Their first big hit was “I Want You Back.” The band also released songs including “ABC” and “I’ll Be There.”
While still performing as a part of The Jackson 5, he started to slowly branch out into a solo career. After he released his first solo album, his success continued to skyrocket.
Jackson released massive hits over the years, including “Smooth Criminal,” “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing),” “Man in the Mirror” and “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough.”
5. What movies have been made about Michael Jackson?
Shortly following his death, there was a documentary released called “This Is It,” which displayed preparations for his final tour.
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Michael Jackson had previously appeared in court for molestation charges. (Jim Ruymen / Pool / Getty Images / File)
There have been several movies and shows created over the years about Jackson. There’s the Las Vegas show, “Michael Jackson One by Cirque du Soleil,” as well as a Broadway show titled “MJ: The Musical.”
In 2019, there was a documentary titled “Leaving Neverland.” The documentary discussed two people who made disturbing allegations of abuse against the singer.
This was not the first time an allegation of sexual abuse had come up in relation to the singer. In 1993, he faced similar charges, but the matter was settled out of court. In 2005, he faced a criminal trial for child molestation but was found not guilty of the charges.
