1976 to 1982
In June 1976, Michael and his brothers performed on a weekly television show on the CBS network titled «The Jacksons Variety Show» (Variety Show The Jacksons). Michael later said: ”Performing that show was a foolish thing. I hated every single moment of it.“ The show was designed based on the successful cabaret-style performances of the Jackson 5 in Las Vegas.
[ which Michael, unlike this new show, had enjoyed.] Michael: ”I think that doing a television series is the worst thing an artist who works in music recording can do. I will never do it again. I am not a comedian. I am not a television host. I am a musician.
The show was welcomed by the public for certain reasons. CBS was really trying to keep us going. But I knew that performing this show was a mistake.“ The album «The Jacksons», the first album they prepared for Epic Records, included number-one hits such as «Enjoy Yourself» and «Show You The Way To Go». Their second album was «Going Places», which differed from their first album. There weren’t many dance tracks on it, and most of the songs carried messages. In September 1977, Motown obtained the rights to produce a film of the Wiz (Wiz), a new version of the extraordinary film The Wizard of Oz, featuring Black actors.
Michael: ”Motown bought this show for a reason. As far as I know, the presence of Diana Ross in it was the best possible reason.“ Diana Ross, who played Dorothy, suggested that Michael try out a piece of the role of one of the characters in the show. Michael chose the role of the Scarecrow. Because he thought this character matched him more than the other characters. Michael: ”When the director of the show, Sidney Lumet, called me to play this role, I felt proud and, at the same time, a little afraid.“
[The film Wiz] It took five hours to make up Michael and turn him into a Scarecrow. And this was repeated for six days a week. Michael had enjoyed acting in this film. Michael: ”Wiz gave me fresh inspirations and new power. The script was written skillfully. My role [as a Scarecrow] in this film was that I would pull out newspaper clippings hidden in my burlap outfit and read them. But I didn’t know what to do with them. In my costume, I had all the answers, but I didn’t know the questions. That day we were performing the scene of the crows. The other actors were in crow costumes and even their faces weren’t visible. It seemed they knew the lines before and after their specific part. I had read my part too, but I hadn’t repeated it out loud more than once or twice. The director called me to pull the newspaper clipping out of my costume and read it. It was a quote. The author’s name, Socrates (Sakratiz), was written at the bottom of the text. I had read that name before, but I had never pronounced it. So I pronounced it Sakris, because I always thought it was pronounced that way. For a moment everything went silent, and then I heard someone’s voice whisper: Sakratiz.
I looked toward that man. I couldn’t place him exactly, but I felt like I knew him. He wasn’t one of the actors, but he seemed to be part of the show’s crew. I remember thinking about his kind face and high self-confidence at the time. I felt a little embarrassed that I had pronounced the name wrong. I smiled and thanked him for his help. His face was familiar, and suddenly I was sure I had seen him before. He confirmed my doubt by extending his hand toward me: ”Quincy Jones, I make the show’s music.“
In fact, Michael had first seen Quincy Jones when he was twelve years old, in Los Angeles.