On 29th of August 1958 in Gary, a small unimportant town in Indiana, Katherine Jackson gives birth to a boy. She gives him the name Michael — Michael Joseph Jackson.

Years later:

Who has ever thought back then that this innocent little boy one day will be ‘Jacko’, the ‘favorite monster’ of the world… If Michael knew that he’d maybe never dared to leave his mother’s lap.

By now he isn’t afraid of cameras, by now he dosn’t wear a mask and no sunglasses…

Rumours:

Behind the scenes:

Michael is the 7th of 9 children of Joseph and Katherine Jackson. He visits the kindergarten and the first years of Gary’s elememtary school, which he later calls his ‘childhood’.
Michael is a sensitive child, maybe the most sensitive of the Jackson brothers and sisters. And he’s just about five years old when he takes over the leading vocal part in the band of his brothers. It seems like this is already the final point behind Michael Jackson’s childhood.

Years later:

Little Michael loves laughing. If he only had the chance to enjoy it some more years…

Even back then — Michael still isn’t older than six years old — he has to live another life in public than in privacy. On stage he’s at home. There he lives. But behind the stage?

In public:

The Jackson5 get famous very fast. First they only sing in nightclubs and bars but little Michael is very gifted and hard-working. His vioce and dancing talent brings the band to talentshows, which they always win.

Obviously Michael enjoys standing in the spotlight. His angellike voice touched everybody and it seems like he only came into this world for singing and dancing. Even at the age of 8 or 9 Michael starts to write songs on his own. In his child-wantonness he says that one day he’ll release the most successful music-album of all times…

The success of the Jackson5 is incredible and when in 1967 they win in the Apollo-Theatre in New York the crowd cheers. After they got this last hindrance a carrier begins which nobody would ever dream of. Soon they’re under contract with Motown, which is already a great aim but for little Michael it’s just the beginning.

Rumours:

Behind the scenes:

But behind the stage Michael cries. The little boy who’s not yet 10 years old hardly can bear to see all the other children playing outside while he has to work hard for his success. His father Joseph is a hard man who does everything to guarantee the brother’s success. He beats the children. And he’ll get his success — unfortunately it costs the joy in the soul of his most talented son. Michael suffers more than the others under the strength of his father. He’s so afraid of him that he really starts to regurgitate when he just sees his father.
Michael has to grow up faster than every other child. All the responsibility for the family’s success lays on his tiny shoulders. That’s why even his once carefree shining childeyes sometimes lose their smile…

Years later:

Oxford-Speech, 2001:

Almost 40 years later — Michael is by now the most famous man of the world — he still cries bitter tears inside when he thinks back to these times: 
“But I am the product of a lack of a childhood, an absence of that precious and wondrous age when we frolic playfully without a care in the world, basking in the adoration of parents and relatives, where our biggest concern is studying for that big spelling test come Monday morning.
(…) But what I really wanted was a Dad. I wanted a father who showed me love. And my father never did that. He never said I love you while looking me straight in the eye, he never played a game with me. He never gave me a piggyback ride, he never threw a pillow at me, or a water balloon. But I remember once when I was about four years old, there was a little carnival and he picked me up and put me on a pony. It was a tiny gesture, probably something he forgot five minutes later. But because of that moment I have this special place in my heart for him. Because that’s how kids are, the little things mean so much to them and for me, that one moment meant everything.…”

In public:

They move to California. The band tours, celebrates success after success and gets unbelievable many prices and markings. It seems like the music industry has found their new money-makers — especially one, the little Michael Jackson.

Rumours:

Behind the scenes:

Michael, 13 years old, answers to questions:
• the happiest moment in my life was: “playing”
• when it’s raining I like most: “sleeping”
• my most favourite day: “‘the day of love’”

Years later:

Oprah-Interview, 1993:

“Well, you don’t get to do things that other children get to do, you know, having friends and slumber parties and buddies. There was none of  that for me. I didn’t have any friends when I was little. My brothers were my friends. 
(…) People wonder why I always have children around, because I find the thing that I never had through them, you know Disneyland, amusement parks, arcade games. I adore all that stuff because when I was little it was always work, work, work from one concert to the next, if it wasn’t a concert it was the recording studio, if it wasn’t that it was TV shows or interviews or picture sessions. There was always me always something to do (…).”
About his father beating him: 
“I guess I don’t know if I was his golden child or whatever it was, some may call it a strict disciplinarian or whatever, but he was very strict, very hard, very stern. Just a look would scare you, you know. I was frightened. Like there’s been times when he’d come to see me, I’d get sick, I’d start to regurgitate. (…) I just wish, I could understand my father.”

In public:

Soon Michael gets prepared for a solo-career and also without his brothers he has one hit after the other. On stage his energy seems to be unstopable, his voice stays high and clear. But Michael, like his brothers hasn’t very much say how to manage their music and their image. Joseph Jackson, both father and manager thinks about the band leaving Motown.

Rumours:

Behind the scenes:

The unavoidable happens: Michael gets into puperty. His voice gets deeper but still he has to sing the highest parts. His arms and legs get longer and when he looks in the mirror he hates the many pimples in his face. Whatever he does, the cute childstar disappears from his face. He is afraid of it — afraid that he might have no more success, afraid that he is not longer loved. The brothers and his father tease him. They call him ‘Bignose’. Michael starts to hate his nose and the older he gets the more he atarves for control. But although he has almost come of age, his extremely strict father suppresses him: “If you ever do anything with your nose, I’ll smash your hole face!”, threats Joseph.

Years later:

Oprah-Interview, 1993:

“Because I think every child star suffers through this period because you’re not the cute and charming child that you were. You start to grow, and they want to keep you little forever (…) And um, nature takes its course. I had pimples so badly it used to make me so shy, I used not to look at myself, I’d wash my face in the dark, I wouldn’t want to look in the mirror and my father teased me and I just hated it and I cried every day. (…) Yes and he told me I’m ugly…”
 

Oxford-Speech, 2001:

“My father is a tough man and he pushed my brothers and me hard, from the earliest age, to be the best performers we could be. He had great difficulty showing me affection. He never really told me he loved me. And he never really complimented me either. If I did a great show, he would tell me it was a good show. And if I did an okay show, he would say nothing,” Michael said crying, “He seemed intent, above all else, on making us a commercial success. And at that he was more than adept. My father was a managerial genius and my brothers and I owe our professional success, in no small measure, to the forceful way that he pushed us. He trained me as a showman and under his guidance I couldn’t miss a step.
But what I really wanted was a Dad. I wanted a father who showed me love. And my father never did that. He never said ‘I love you’ while looking me straight in the eye, he never played a game with me. He never gave me a piggyback ride, he never threw a pillow at me, or a water balloon.”

In public:

It'’s said: the Jackson5 go to CBS-Records. From now on they have to call themselves ‘the Jacksons’, because Motown has the rights for the old name.
Under this label Michael is allowed to sing a song he wrote by himself for the first time: ‘Blues Away’.
Still they get buried under golden and platinum records and the hysteria about the band is comparable with the ‘Beatlemania’ ,or even worse.  Together with Diana Ross  Michael does the movie: ‘The Wiz’, where he plays the part of the scarecrow. The movie failed but Michael’s part is praised by the criticans. 

Then the album ‘Destiny’ is released, the first record which only contains songs written by the brothers themselves.
Ambitious Michael has participated in every song. The first own album — that means of course a great pressure but they resit and gain again golden and platinum records. The brothers go on a world-tour.  

Rumours:

Behind the scenes:

Although he’s still very young Michael gets more and more serious. In 1977 he says:
“I’ve met the very rich and the very poor. But I’m mostly interested in the poor. (…) I’m gratefull for the things I have and I also want to help others. When I visit other countries I also want to know the poor areas. I want to know what starving is like. I don’t only want to hear or read about it — I want to see it. It’s very different when you see it by yourself (…) — you get to know some more…”

Michael suffers more and more from his success: “People don’t talk to me like they do to their nextdoor-neighbor. Within every-day people I feel strange, I do. (…) Sometimes I go outside at night to the street to search for somebody to talk to…”
But he always returns from this search with empty hands…

Michael loves children and animals more than anything else. With them he feels comfortable. Because then his fame is not important. 
Additionally he often suffers from problems with his voice. Concerts were canceled, and once he even endures a acute attack when he couldn’t breathe anymore. 

Years later:

Oprah-Interview, 1993:

About his purpose on earth:
"Oh boy, I think, um, to give in the best way I can through song, and through dance and through music. I mean, I am committed to my art. I believe that all art has as it’s ultimate goal the union between the material and the spiritual, the human and the divine. I believe that to be the reason for the very existence of art. I feel I was chosen as an instrument to just give music and love and harmony to the world. To children of all ages, and um, adults and teenagers. (…)
I find in animals the same thing I find so wonderful in children. That purity, that honesty, where they don’t judge you, they just want to be your friend. I think that is so sweet."