EXTRACT
#7 : THE HBO SPECIAL COLLAPSE
October 18, 2015
In December 1995, Michael was set to perform at a historic Broadway theater for a highly anticipated cable concert special. But only two days before the first performance, Michael suddenly collapsed on stage while rehearsing. Michael was rushed to hospital, and his doctor said he was 'near death'. But some say Michael staged the collapse. Find the answers with Michael's manager Sandy Gallin and show producer Jeff Margolis in the final extract before the book is released tomorrow.
MICHAEL JACKSON: ONE NIGHT ONLY
In early December 1995, Michael flew to New York to begin rehearsing for a highly anticipated cable concert special, which was set to be screened on HBO at 8pm on Sunday, December 10. The special, called One Night Only, was due to be filmed at the historic 2,800 capacity Beacon Theater on Broadway over two successive nights on December 8 and 9, with the highlights edited together.
Michael hired top television producer Jeff Margolis, whom he had known for many years, to produce and direct the show. One of the projects the two had worked on together previously was the Sammy Davis Jr. 60th Anniversary Special in November 1989.​
Margolis said the decision to perform in such a small Broadway theatre was made by Michael and his managers. “They thought it would be really nice to see Michael in an intimate venue as opposed to the giant stadiums and arenas he was used to performing in, so both Michael and the fans could be closer to one another,” he explained.
As well as his classic hits, Michael was planning to perform some of the new material from HIStory, including ‘Earth Song’, ‘You Are Not Alone’, ‘Smile’ and ‘Childhood’. Michael had planned a special pantomime performance of ‘Childhood’ for the show with internationally acclaimed French actor and mime artist Marcel Marceau. The performance would have featured a courtyard scene, with Michael on the left-hand side of the stage and Marceau on the right, both bathed in pools of light. While Michael was singing the song, Marceau would have mimed its themes. “From the very beginning, he wanted me to display, in this song, the yearning of his youth,” Marceau said.
But at around 5pm on December 6, only two days before the first performance, Michael suddenly collapsed on stage while rehearsing ‘Black or White’ at the Beacon Theater.
Jeff Margolis recalls the moment Michael fell face-first, hitting his head on a metal section of the stage flooring. “It was very frightening to all of us involved, we only hoped that he was OK,” the producer said. After paramedics arrived, Michael was rushed to Beth Israel Medical Center on the Upper East Side.
Many believed the incident was a publicity stunt or a way for Michael to get out of the commitment, because he was unhappy with aspects of the show. Michael’s estranged sister, La Toya, told the press the collapse was ‘a little scheme’ to get attention. After production began, Michael called in director Kenny Ortega – who had worked on the Dangerous Tour – because he was unhappy some of his classic choreography was being re-choreographed. Ortega said Michael seemed ‘anxious’ about what was happening around him. “I think that there were new choreographers that were brought in and the attempt was to put on a show with Michael’s music and to do choreography that was fresh and new and different,” Ortega said. “And Michael felt that the choreography was classic, timeless, and didn’t need to be changed, and he was unhappy about that.”
Michael said he was under a huge amount of pressure. “I worked so much to prepare that show, there was such a pressure, people pushing me to do this show no matter what,” he said. “Then finally, nature took its course and said, ‘Stop’. She decided I shouldn’t do that show.”
Sandy Gallin says Michael simply decided he wasn’t going to do the show. “He didn’t think it was good enough, and he didn’t want to do it. He felt very insecure about it. He didn’t like the choreography, and had a real anxiety and fear about it. He just didn’t like what he was doing.”
But Margolis, who witnessed the collapse, says it was ‘definitely’ not staged. The doctor who treated Michael also said his patient was in a ‘critical’ condition. “He was dehydrated,” Dr William Alleyne said. “He had low blood pressure. He had a rapid heart rate. He was near death.” Within an hour of Michael’s arrival at the hospital, Dr Alleyne had him stabilised with intravenous fluids and other treatment, and transferred him to intensive care.
In the meantime, the world’s media and hundreds of fans began to gather outside the hospital. Michael’s visitors included Lisa Marie, his mother, his sister Janet, nephews 3T and long-time friend Diana Ross.
Even though the show was ready to go it was never rescheduled, costing both Michael and HBO a large sum of money. HBO officials had predicted the special would reach 250 million people worldwide. Jeff Margolis said the audience would have seen a side of Michael they had never seen before. “It would have really helped to move his career forward to the next chapter,” he said.
Michael described the version of ‘Childhood’ he was due to perform with Marceau as ‘wonderful’. “I adore this version of ‘Childhood’, it’s strange, nobody ever saw it…there are things like that which nobody will ever see,” he said.
After a week in hospital and further recuperation in his suite at the Four Seasons Hotel, Michael flew to Disneyland Paris for a break with the Cascio family.
It was an unfortunate end to what was a prolific year for Michael. Despite the marketing challenges Sony faced following the allegations, the HIStory campaign had started successfully.