1969- Diana Ross

Michael Jackson says Diana Ross told him people in show business can get hurt, age 12, 1970


“Diana Ross has told me that people in show business can get hurt. I don’t see how, to tell the truth. Maybe one day I will, but I kinda doubt it”

Diana speaks about first meeting him, Newsweek, 1970


When Hatcher later became the city’s first black mayor, he rewarded the Jacksons by spotlighting them at a 1968 civic “Soul Weekend” starring Diana Ross and the Supremes. “He won me over the first moment I saw him,” Ross told NEWSWEEK in 1970. “I saw so much of myself as a child in Michael. He was performing all the time. That’s the way I was. He could be my son.” She convinced her boss, Berry Gordy, to audition the group for his legendary Motown label.

14 year old Michael, Right On!, October 1972


Diana Ross makes me happy! She’s still very involved in our career and visits us whenever she can. She’s like a sister to us!

Pete Bennett, Promoter, On The Transfer From Motown to Epic, Says Diana Ross was calling him every day asking him not to sign, 1975, (July 2nd 2009)
http://salem-news.com/articles/july062009/bennett_jackson_tk_7-6-09.php


“Joe Jackson signed the contract to CBS, the Jacksons were threatened by their label not to go to Epic/Columbia and even Diana Ross was calling him up – calling Michael every day telling him don’t sign don’t sign, don’t go to Columbia. You’re gonna get in a lot of trouble, things like that.

Michael’s affiliation with… Diana Ross, Diana Ross was close to Michael. But Diana Ross, Michael always admired Diana Ross, he loved Diana Ross. They were very good good friends. He idolized Diana Ross. You know, for advice and things like that. I would say.”

MJ speaks about drawings of birds he gave to Diana, Soul, May 10 1976


Michael spends a great deal of time with the birds. He even draws pictures of them, at least one of which he has given to his good friend Diana Ross.

And speaking of likes, his tastes in a potential wife are succinct and to the point: “I would like for her to be nice and kind. That’s important.”

Wiz Rehearsal with Diana in NYC, July, 1977


Michael is in NYC to rehearse and film his first movie The Wiz, with Diana Ross as his co-star.

Wiz Press Conference, September 28, 1977


Universal Pictures holds a press conference at Astoria Studios in Queens ( New York ) to announce the making of The Wiz. Michael attends the event with Diana Ross, Nipsey Russel and Ted Ross.

Katherine speaks about the Jacksons Diana, how Michael would tease his sisters that they weren't pretty 'till they looked like Diana, My Family by Katherine Jackson, (published 1990)


Motown was still searching for a house to rent for the family, so it put Joe, Jack, and the boys in temporary accommodations. I was amazed to hear those temporary accommodations happened to be the Hollywood Hills home of Diana Ross. Diana and the boys became attached immediately.

MARLON: The time spent at Diana’s was one of the best times of my life; we got to do whatever we wanted to do. Diana was a kid in some ways, too.

We’d just tear up. Boy, we had fun! Diana, Michael, and I would go swimming all day. To encourage our interest art, she bought paint supplies, including several easels that she set up in the living room.

But more often than not, our painting sessions would turn into big paint fights. We really did a number on her white shag carpet.

[...]

As “I Want You Back” was being released in October, the Jackson Five made their network TV debut on “The Hollywood Palace.” The guest host was none other than Diana Ross, making her farewell appearance with the Supremes. I watched with baited breath from my living room in Gary, with LaToya, Randy, and Janet at my side.

After she and the Supremes opened the show with a melody from the Broadway musical Hair, Diana took the microphone.

“It’s wonderful to return as your hostess,” she said, “especially tonight, when I have the pleasure of introducing a great young star who has been in the business all of his life. He has worked with his family, and when he sings and dances, he lights up the stage. Here he is, Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five!”

[...]

The kids were inside. After we got through hugging and kissing, they turned and said, “Mother, we want you to meet Diana Ross.”

Diana, who happened to be visiting, approached me.

“I’m so happy to meet you,” she said. “Your children have talked so much about you.” Then she hugged and kissed me, too.

[...]

When Diana Ross was named to play Dorothy, Michael had further incentive to land a role in the movie; he’d been in love with her ever since he and his brothers had been her houseguests. “You’re not pretty until you start looking like Diana!” he would tease LaToya and Janet.

The fact that we were still being sued by Motown at the time did make Michael wonder about his chances of winning a part in The Wiz. But with Diana’s encouragement he went ahead and auditioned in front of director Sidney Lumet for the role of the Scarecrow. To Michael’s delight, Mr. Lumet loved his audition and chose him for the part.

[...]

Diana Ross was a big support throughout the shooting. Michael referred to her as “my mama” on the set. She made a habit of checking in on him in his dressing room each morning. However, there were some moments during the dance rehearsals when Diana was probably pretty upset with Michael. Michael learned his dance moves so fast from the choreographer that he wound up unintentionally showing up everyone else, including Diana.

“Michael, wait a minute!” she’d have to tell him. “Don’t do it so fast. You’re making me look silly!”

Michael speaks about working with Diana during the Wiz, August-Dec, 1977


Another, though much less serious, problem occurred during filming of the movie. In one scene the Scarecrow had to pick up Dorothy, who had fainted. Michael later recalled the rather humorous incident: “the funniest thing was a scene we were doing on the rooftop. Diana was supposed to faint, and I had to pick her up. But she was too heavy. I kept puffing away on the dialogue while I tried over and over again to lift her, until I finally made it.”

Michael says Diana Ross is a "special lady", Record Mirror, October 22 1977


One person Michael isn’t new to is Diana Ross who plays the lead role of Dorothy. What’s it like to be working with her again?

“I love it, she’s a great lady, a special lady.”

Story about Diana and Michael reportedly sleeping together during The Wiz shoot, 1977 (published December 15 2000)


Diana Ross, while filming The Wiz, was asked to Michael Jackson’s apartment in New York and stayed the night.

One of Diana’s assistants said he had been trying to get hold of both of them all morning as they were late for filming. He said that he eventually got hold of them on the phone and was surprised to find they were in his apartment and that she had apparently spent the night there.

When this assistant asked Michael if anything had happened between them, Michael said, “you’d have to ask her that,” and when he asked Diana, she told him he needed to ask Michael.

Later on during the shoot Diana was apparently overheard talking to some girlfriends of hers and said to one of them, “Well, I’ll tell you one thing, Michael definitely isn’t gay.”

Michael speaks about Diana's daughters visiting the Wiz set, London, Disco Dancing, 1978


The movie gave Michael a chance to team up with an old friend, the legendary and beautiful, Diana Ross.

“Diana looked after us a lot when we first started. She and I became good friends. I used to stay with her whenever we’d come up to New York. She got me interested in drawing and all kinds of things.

“One of the nicest things that happened on the movie set was when she brought her daughter and all her school class onto the movie set.

“We had such a great time. Even though she spent almost the entire afternoon trying to bite off the huge false nose I had to wear for the part.”

Bobby Colomby speaks about how Michael told him he confided in Diana about sex/relationships, Todd Gold, Recording of Destiny, 1978


Michael’s gullibility about sex worried Colomby so much that one day he took him upstairs to one of the small, second-storey offices at Cherokee Studios for a man-to-man talk. “Michael,” he started, “you’re a young man. You’re about to get out there in the world and meet a lot of people–a lot of women. And you might run into some interesting situations. Sometimes it’s difficult for you to go to your parents or your brothers and talk about those kind of things. But I want you to know that I’m there for you. That any time you need a friend, in any kind of situation, I’ll help you.” Michael smiles. He was touched. “God, that is so sweet of you,” he said. “But I already have someone I confide in like that.” “Oh, great,” Colomby replied, mildly surprised. “Can I ask who?” “Diana Ross” Michael replied.

Michael and Diana attend the premiere of The Wiz, October 24, 1978


Michael attends the premiere & opening night party of the movie The Wiz at the Pitt’s Century Plaza Theater in Century City (Los Angeles) with the Jackson family & Diana Ross among others.

Michael talks about how beautiful Diana is, People, January 15th 1979


Her supporters on the set included Michael Jackson, 20, a protégé of Diana’s ever since his family Five began. “She’s so beautiful, inside and out,” he gushes, “and she can talk about anything: jewelry, hairstyles, est.” Then there was a new admirer, Wiz director Sidney Lumet, who declares that “watching Diana is like watching this supernova exploding—she’s stunning.” But, admirers aside, there’s no romance in her life. Diana hasn’t had a strong, steady pair of arms since the divorce. “I had a lovely marriage,” she says. “When you find someone that you can enjoy a lot of the same pleasures with—even if it’s sitting in front of the television late at night with a big sandwich—it’s terrific. Those pleasures I miss.”