July 15, 2009— -- Never-before-seen footage of a 1984 commercial shoot shows Michael Jackson's hair accidentally catching fire, an incident that would lead to a decades-long addiction to sedatives that may have played a role in his death last month. The raw footage shot for a Pepsi commercial on Jan. 27, 1984 at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium and obtained by Us Magazine, shows Jackson descending a flight of stairs when the pyrotechnics on stage go off early and engulf the singer's head in flames. "If you talk to anyone who knew him, well, they'd tell you the same thing -- he was a really good guy," Brando said. But when he came to film for the Pepsi campaign in 1984, Jackson - who had been paid 5million to . Im not defending his use of prescription medicine by any means, but when you experience something like that it kind of opens up the door for painkillers and whatever else that may lead to.. The needle broke off.". Estimated earnings: $91 million. Hoefflin is now retired and could not be reached by ABC News.com. It was the only tour with all six Jackson brothers, even though Jackie was injured for some of it. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Jackson died at his California home after being administered prescription drugs, He had become hooked on the drugs after a being burned in a 1984 accident, Jackson's autopsy report noted the damage to his scalp, A patch of burned skin was visible on Jackson's head after the 1984 accident, Police found large quantities of prescription drugs in Jackson's home, Jackson's rooms were also littered with strange notes, Michael Jackson had so much Propofol in his system it would drop a rhino, detectives working at death scene reveal, Michael Jackson death cops reveal bizarre state of his body on 10th anniversary of his death, Inside sinister rise of pink cocaine sweeping UK nightclubs as warring cartels battle to control 'Coca Cola of drugs', How 'deluded' Putin thought Ukraine invasion would break up Nato & have West bowing down to Russia, leaked docs show, Leicester 'explosion': Listen to massive 'sonic' boom that shook homes and rattled windows, 'Bubbly' nightclub worker, 31, killed after her Audi crashed into a bridge on her way home from work. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. "Michael is quite shocked. The magazine has not said how it obtained the Pepsi footage. Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan Star, Dead At 61. Friend and dancer recall horrifying day when Michael Jackson's hair caught fire. 1967: Three astronauts die in Apollo 1 tragedy, 1944: Leningrad siege ends after 900 days. The video below shows two takes - in the first the explosion . . "Within two weeks of the fire, Michael was back on his feet and in good spirits," Jay Coleman, the agent who repped Jackson when he cut the deal with Pepsi, told ABC News.com. Michael Jackson's hair briefly caught fire during filming for the Pepsi commercial. "There was nothing out of the ordinary that he did," Brando said. ", Jackson's reported drug addiction, Brando said, is "their opinion, not my opinion.". The accident, witnessed by thousands of stunned fans at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, came at the height of Jackson's fame, about a year after the release of his best-selling "Thriller" album. His hair never grew back properly either, which reportedly led to Jackson wearing wigs. There would, of course, also be legal action. Jackson was then taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre located in Los Angeles. "I remember being stage left, watching him rehearse that particular segment," Brando said, saying he saw Jackson's hair burst into flames and thought, "Oh my God, my friend is on fire.". If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Yesterday, Us Weekly unearthed footage of Michael Jackson being severely burned while filming a 1984 Pepsi commercial in Los Angeles. Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. He launched his solo . Jackson rose to fame in 1966 when he joined his brothers' pop band, The Jackson 5. Michael Miller Crime Scene PhotosAt least 11 shots could be heard Sunday morning in the 400 block of Grace Street nearby The Strip. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1984 Press Photo Kenneth Gibson at Jesse Jackson campaign kickoff rally, Trenton at the best online prices at eBay! Donester said he felt the biggest error the day of the accident was communication. Thats not true. Four years later, the superstar married nurse Debbie Rowe. (1987-1989) The Victory Tour was a concert tour of the United States and Canada by the Jacksons from July to December 1984. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century.Over a four-decade career, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture. Michael Jackson, seen here in 2005, was taken to UCLA Medical Center in cardiac arrest Thursday. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Hoefflin is now retired and could not be reached by ABC News.com. Jackson -Romie Wilson Neisler age 81 died at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital on Saturday morning January 3 2004. View our online Press Pack. Pomade used in Jackson's hair appeared to catch fire, said Angela Bennett, an extra who was backstage when the accident occurred. The explosion was much larger. So that may have retarded the hair from being burned as quickly.. Jacksons brothers quickly helped to extinguish the flames and Michael seen by his fans with his scalp glowing and smoke billowing from his head. Adjusted for inflation: $205 million. In 2002, Jackson was ordered to undergo a medical examination after he failed to show up in a California courtroom in a trial over breach of contract because the pop star said he had a spider bite. At the time, Jackson was just 25-years-old, and was already a solo star, but returned to his family roots on this occasion. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Michael is calling upon all networks to pull the video." Music industry officials said Jackson could earn as much as $10 million for the commercials. In ultimate secrecy, Jackson was switched with his clone. How Michael Jackson's Pill Addiction Began. "It wasn't a spider bite. It didn't go well: At the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, in front of . "He was a friend of mine," Brando said. They had a son and daughter together then divorced in 1999. He was later transferred by ambulance to Brotman memorial Hospital Burn Center. "He had the IV stuff back then," Schaffel previously told ABC News. ", As he described the accident, he wrote: " bombs went off on either side of my head, and the sparks set my hair on fire. Click here to upload yours. This isnt a man who should have died.. The detectives also described the strange items found in Jackson's bedroom, which included a child's doll, needles, a noticeboard with young children on, and a number of bizarre post-it notes. "It wasn't a spider bite. Us Weekly, which contains pictures of the incident, hits newsstands Friday. The then 25-year-old Jackson was taken by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His jacket also caught on fire. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. The pop star was then hurried to the back of the set and treated by stage hands and his brothers. Marc Schaffel, a former associate of Jackson, however, said it was not a spider bite but a problem caused by a broken IV needle. DON'T MISSMichael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley: When did they marry? He was relatively healthy. A senior law enforcement official confirmed to ABC News that Jackson was "heavily addicted" to the painkiller Demerol and received "daily doses" of OxyContin. Michael Jackson's name has become synonymous with Neverland Ranch a sprawling, gated compound he purchased in 1988. Speaking for a new documentary, police told of the scars and lack of hair on his body, but added: This isnt a man who should have died.". "[Friends and family] were very, very scared about these things and we talked together how can we take care of this, but it was very complicated," said Deiter Wiesner, Jackson's former business manager. "As far as Michael Jackson was concerned, 27 January 1984 was the beginning of the end," Richards and Langthorne write, referring to the day Jackson suffered third-degree burns on his scalp . July 16, 2009 -- As the horrifying newly released images of Michael Jackson's head engulfed in flames during a 1984 Pepsi commercial shoot get replayed on television and . Jackson died June 25 at the age of 50, apparently of cardiac arrest. Jackson suffered second- and third-degree burns to his scalp and the back of his head, prompting him to begin using and then abusing painkillers, he would later admit. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Another friend of Jackson's, Karen Faye, was present at the accident, and claims Jackson told later told her: "I can't disappoint the audience. Michaels commercial agent at the time, Jay Coleman, revealed Michael wanted to release this footage 25 years ago. Latest news, government notices, sports and entertainment website. Copyright 2022 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. Jackson, who was photographed in an ambulance with a bandage on his head and his trademark sequined white glove on his right hand, required several surgeries and needed skin grafts to treat the injury. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. When footage of the incident emerged following Jackson's death in 2009, however, not everyone was convinced that the moment in question was the direct cause of the drug dependency that would eventually kill him. The singer continued performing for some seconds before being tackled to the ground by stagehands and fellow members of The Jacksons, who were also on stage at the time, and the flames were beaten out. And while addictive behavior is common to people who, like Jackson, lived through childhood trauma, it is possible to identify the times of great physical pain when the singer may have unfortunately gotten hooked. His body was found covered in track marks consistent with intravenous drug use. During the filming of a commercial, Jacksons hair and face caught fire, leaving him with second and third degree burns. We pay for your stories! Police have confirmed that several doctors who treated Jackson and are believed to have prescribed him drugs are being questioned or will be questioned. Copyright 2022 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Former LA City Fire Department Capt. Both Michael and his brothers, signed a $5 million dollar promotional deal with Pepsi previously. The 25-year-old entertainer was singing his hit "Billie Jean" for a Pepsi Cola commercial in Los Angeles when the special effects went wrong. More recently, Giraldi reportedly denied making Michael wait on stage. The multimillionaire's album "Thriller" has just entered the Guinness book of records as the best selling LP of all time. "It will take a few weeks to determine the hair loss.". Yes, the doctors gave him medicine," but told the interviewer that to say this incident alone was the cause of what came later was not justified. He's fortunate that there were no injuries to his face," Dr. Steve Hoefflin told reporters at the time of the accident. "I didn't inspect him every day. but that's not when the accident happened. DETECTIVES who investigated the death of Michael Jackson have revealed details about the state of his body in the hours after his death. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). There he was treated and declared out of mortal danger, but the singer was then transferred by ambulance to Brotman Memorial Hospital Burn Center in Culver City, California. Eminem mocked the singer's accident in the video for his song Just Lose It, dressing as Jackson in a video where his hair caught fire before sitting on a bed surrounded by young children. The burns and hair loss associated with the accident have been cited as the beginning of Jackson's painkiller addiction. He suffered hair loss as a result, and later became addicted to prescription painkillers after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his scalp. In 1984, Jackson was burned while singing for a Pepsi-Cola commercial in Los Angeles, when a . "You don't know if he is going to be OK or not.". Michael Jackson's Head On Fire: 1984 Pepsi Accident Video Found Instar. "When this happened it just changed the whole atmosphere of the shrine, changed the whole atmosphere, everyone is like, 'Oh god,'" Maze said. Jackson settled the case out of court with an estimated $20m payment to the Chandler family. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Corner subpoenaed Jackson's medical records from Klein and said they were questioning several other physicians as well. "It's hard to say," Miko Brando, a Jackson friend and son of the late actor Marlon Brando, told "Good Morning America." It was just supposed to be a routine commercial shoot:Michael Jackson, just 25 years old, was the biggest star in the world, his 1982Thrilleralbum having logged the better part of a year at #1. Michael Jackson's 1984 pyrotechnics accident. "He is in discomfort", said the doctor. At first Jackson, wearing a sequined shirt, jacket and signature glove -- continues to dance unaware as flames and smoke emanate from his hair. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. Express. He won eight Grammy awards in 1984 but then stories about his bizarre lifestyle began to circulate. On January 27, 1984, Michael and his brothers were doing just that. Exact date yellow weather warning for snow and ice forecast to hit UK - will you be affected? Michael is believed to have begun his addiction to painkillers after undergoing a series of scalp surgeries around three months after the incident. Still, regardless of the cause, Jackson underwent treatment to hide the scars and had his third nose job shortly thereafter. The 25-year-old entertainer was singing his hit "Billie Jean" for a Pepsi Cola commercial in Los Angeles when the special effects went wrong. Jackson, 25, was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where a spokesman said Jackson was "fine" despite the burns. NEW YORK - Us Weekly magazine has obtained video it says shows never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson's head catching on fire during filming of his 1984 Pepsi commercial. "He handled it extremely well," she said. (1984) Bad. Police investigating Jackson's June 25 death have confirmed that his home was filled with powerful prescription drugs including the painkillers Oxycontin and Demerol and the hospital-grade anesthetic Diprivan. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. For other inquiries, Contact Us. But despite his denials, by the early nineties his nose had changed considerably, becoming increasingly thin and with a forever-narrowing tip that turned up at the end. In this Jan. 27, 1984 file photo, singer Michael Jackson looks out from an ambulance as he arrives at Brotman Memorial Hospital in Culver City, after suffering second-degree burns on his scalp . Jackson can be seen on the shoot's sixth take, descending a flight of stairs when the pyrotechnics on stage go off early and engulf the singer's head in flames. Is Michael Jackson the best selling artist of all time? Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009), also commonly known as MJ, was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. A short deliberation followed, before Pepsi compensated the singer with $1.5 million. Aragons; ; ; Azrbaycanca; Boarisch; ; Banjar; ; Bosanski; Catal; etina; Cymraeg; Dansk . 'Overtaken'[NEWS]Michael Jacksons Neverland Ranch sells for $78M below asking price[INSIGHT]. "He was just an extraordinary human being.". Michael Lynn Davis fired the shot that killed Jamea Jonae Harris in a fatal shooting in Tuscaloosa in the early hours of Sunday morning, and was provided the firearm by. Whatever, Giraldi told TMZ on Thursday. Jan. 27, 1984: Michael Jackson Burned in Pepsi Spot. The year of Jackson's death was his most successful. Peter Carrette Archive/Getty Images. Because whenever he was out in public he was wearing a wig. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Jackson, who spent years with his brothers as the Jackson Five on the Motown label, stepped out on his own in 1980 with the album "Off the Wall." The magazine, which has not said how it obtained the Pepsi commercial footage, suggested that the accident kicked off Jackson's obsession with plastic surgery. "He had the IV stuff back then," Schaffel previously told ABC News. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Jackson, who won seven American Music Awards and has been nominated for a record 12 Grammys, was filming a series of Pepsi-Cola commercials to debut next month. In November 2003, he was arrested and charged with child abuse after British journalist Martin Bashir had made a documentary in which Jackson admitted sharing his bed with children. It is believed to be the real Michael Jackson, who was injured during this time period. Yes, he took medicine. People on the set tackle him to extinguish the fire, and his brother Jermaine Jackson, playing the guitar in front of him and oblivious to the commotion, turns around. Kevin Mazur/WireImage. Usmagazine.com has exclusive, never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson's Pepsi commercial accident, filmed in L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium on Jan. 27, 1984.. WATCH THE PEPSI VIDEO. Jackson suffered severe burns after a pyrotechnics mishap caused his hair and scalp to catch afire. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. What happened is that the talent, Michael, was told by [Giraldi] to stand there and look more majestic, so subsequently he stood under the sparks instead of being half way down the ramp when the pyrotechnics went off. Jackson suffered second and third-degree burns, which were treated at the nearby Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and where he was prescribed strong sedatives as well as Darvocet, a powerful painkiller which, according to BT, was later banned because of its adverse side effects. This medication was initially prescribed to sooth the excruciating pain that I was suffering after recent reconstructive surgery on my scalp," the singer said at the time in a statement. There was a deviation in the plan and there was no communication between the people that deviated that plan and the fire safety officers. This was how he looked during the 1990s (circa 91 - 93). The explosion was set off sooner than ever before.