This 53-minute television special retraces Michael Jackson’s rise from child prodigy with the Jackson 5 to global superstar of the 1980s. Combining rare archive footage, music video excerpts, concert clips, and interviews with collaborators, it showcases the milestones of his career up to the Bad era. Narrated in documentary style, the program highlights Jackson’s artistic evolution, humanitarian work, and cultural impact. Originally broadcast on television in 1988 and later released on VHS, it serves as both a career retrospective and a portrait of his enduring influence on pop music and entertainment.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Michael JacksonSelf | Self |
 James Earl JonesNarrator (voice) | Narrator (voice) |
 Dick ClarkSelf | Self |
 Sammy Davis Jr.Self | Self |
 Katharine HepburnSelf | Self |
 Yoko OnoSelf | Self |
 Hermes PanSelf | Self |
| SSuzanne de PasseSelf | Self |
 Marlon JacksonSelf | Self |
 Quincy JonesSelf | Self |
 Gene KellySelf | Self |
 Cyndi LauperSelf | Self |
 Sean Ono LennonSelf | Self |
 Sophia LorenSelf | Self |
 Smokey RobinsonSelf | Self |
 Martin ScorseseSelf | Self |
 Elizabeth TaylorSelf | Self |
 Tommy ChongSelf | Self |