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David Smithee Visit / Swifty Lazar's "56th Academy Awards Board of Governors Ball" Attendance
David Smithee visit date confirmed by Associated Press (“Tuesday, [April 10, 1984]”, when David “came home...with one of the Jackson's famous beaded gloves and a red leather jacket...”. Also including the fact that it was just an “afternoon visit” (“Tulsa World”) i.e. one day visit) / Date of party confirmed in biographer Randy Taborrelli’s “Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story” (“in 1984… Michael… [went with Liza Minnelli, who] received the coveted invitation to the 10 April party hosted by famed literary agent, Irving ‘Swifty’ Lazar”)
“Associated Press” (April 13, 1984)
All 14-year-old David Smithee wanted was to meet entertainer Michael Jackson.
And after a visit arranged by a Tulsa group this week, the youngster who is battling cystic fibrosis counts the superstar among his closest friends.
David came home Tuesday with one of Jackson's famous beaded gloves and a red leather jacket he wore in his "Beat It" video.
"He pulled out his red letter jacket with the "M' on it at first, the one he used in the beginning of the "Thriller' video," David said. "But then he pulled this one out and said I could have my choice."
David's mother said the keepsakes will be put into a vault for safekeeping.
"Words cannot express how wonderful this dream was for us," Mrs. Karen Smithee said after she and David returned from the visit with Jackson at his Encino, Calif., home. "The memories will be with us forever."
David, visibly fatigued by the trip, goes back to his doctor next week for treatment of the congenital disease that attacks the pancreas and can result in frequent respiratory infections.
The youngster's trip was made possible by the Brass Ring Society, founded last August in Tulsa by Ray Esposito to fulfill the wishes of youngsters battling potentially terminal illnesses.
A 14-year-old cystic fibrosis victim didn't live to see Michael Jackson in concert, but the boy's mother says a dedication on the singer's latest album is keeping her son's memory alive.
A month before David Smithee died in May after a 13-year battle with the lung disease, he got one of his longtime wishes a visit with Jackson at the singer's California home, said David's mother, Karen.
The trip was arranged by the Brass Ring Society, a Tulsa group dedicated to making dreams come true for terminally ill children.
Jackson gave David the rhinestone-studded glove he wore this year when he received a record eight Grammy awards, and the red jacket he wore in a rock video.
The superstar also promised to send David tickets to one of the Jacksons' concerts and to dedicate his hit song "Beat It" to the youth when he attended.
Shortly after David's death May 28, Mrs. Smithee called Jackson's personal secretary and left a message that David had died.
Karen Wilson was traveling back to Tulsa from a business trip when she heard the news that Michael Jackson had died Thursday.
"It brought back some wonderful memories of my son and how special Michael Jackson treated him," Wilson said. "His loss was terrible, and his death brought up a heavy heart."
It was in 1984 when her 14-year-old son, David Smithee, who was terminally ill with cystic fibrosis, met Jackson at his California home.
The visit was part of a weeklong California trip for David made possible by a nonprofit organization that fulfilled the dreams of terminally ill children.
During the afternoon visit at Jackson's Encino, Calif., home, David watched a movie with Jackson in his home theater, played video games and learned how to moonwalk.
Of the video games, David told a Tulsa Tribune reporter, "I played two games with him and beat him both times."
The visit was topped off with Jackson giving David the red leather jacket he had worn in the "Beat It" video and a beaded glove he had worn to the American Music Awards, where he collected eight awards.
David wore the jacket and glove home on the plane to Tulsa, his mother recalled.
"He was just in heaven," Wilson said.
David, an eighth-grader at Nimitz Junior High School, went straight to the hospital after arriving home, his mother said.
While in the hospital, David showed visitors the jacket, glove and pictures of himself and Jackson, Wilson said.
David died one month later.
"Michael Jackson gave us the happiest last month of our lives," Wilson said. "(David) died very happy."
The visit must have made an impact on Jackson, too; he later dedicated the Jackson 5's "Victory" album to David.
Wilson continued to follow Jackson's career after her son's death. She remains an adamant defender of Jackson, who faced rumors and accusations of inappropriate behavior with children.
"Despite everything that was said of him later, we saw none of that," Wilson said. "I never, never, never believed any of it. He was alone with my son a lot and never did anything ever happen.
"I never really believed any of that."
Wilson still has all the pictures and memorabilia from their visit with Jackson.
And she still has the jacket and glove.
"They are under lock and key," Wilson said. "But now they've become too fragile to take out and touch too much."
Ironically, Wilson was dancing to a Jackson song Wednesday night while at a convention during her business trip. The song gave her the opportunity to tell others about her son's meeting with Jackson. "I still, when a Michael Jackson song comes on, my heart still pounds," Wilson said.
Randy Taraborrelli, biographer, “Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story”
In 1984 it was Liza, not Michael, who received the coveted invitation to the 10 April party hosted by famed literary agent, Irving ‘Swifty’ Lazar. Held every year right after the Academy Awards, the event had once been so prestigious that even big-name stars considered it an honour to be invited. Celebrities often instructed their publicists to hound ‘Swifty’ for months in advance for an invitation. In 1984, the party was held at the Bistro in Beverly Hills. Guests included Orson Welles, Cary Grant, Jacqueline Bisset and Linda Evans.
It was obvious that no matter how famous Michael had become, in his heart he was just another star-struck fan. Judging from the expression on his face, his success didn't diminish his awe, but it did allow him to observe his idols up close. In return, the celebs fell all over themselves for a chance to meet Michael, a guy who had made only one movie (and that one a flop!).
Michael never strayed from Liza's side. Wearing one of his blue glitter military outfits, dark aviator shades, and the requisite rhinestoned glove, Michael looked around the room and probably couldn't help noticing that everyone was gawking at him. For her part, Liza strolled about proudly with Michael on her arm, as if to say, Yes, I'm with Michael Jackson. What do you think of that?
‘Let me have a scotch and Coca-Cola,’ Liza instructed the waiter. ‘And Mr Jackson will have the same.’
‘Oh, no,’ Michael protested. ‘I'll have a…’ He hesitated. ‘I'll have an orange juice, please.’
‘Oh, of course he will,’ Liza said. ‘And so will I. With scotch.’ She laughed merrily.
The waiter walked away. ‘Yoo-hoo,’ Michael meekly called out after him. ‘No scotch in mine.’
Joan Collins sauntered over to the couple. ‘Michael, my dear boy, how truly wonderful to see you.’ She embraced him warmly and winked at Liza, as if sharing a joke with her. Michael looked confused.
‘Quick, stand right next to him; let's get a picture.’ A woman shoved her husband next to Michael. ‘This is for our daughter, Natasha,’ the man sheepishly explained. Michael, who has no doubt heard a similar line a thousand times before, nodded patiently.
‘Oh, by the way, my name is Michael Caine,’ said the actor after the photo was taken. The two shook hands as Caine's wife, Shakira, snapped another picture of them.
Joan Collins turned to a friend. ‘You know, I must get the name of his plastic surgeon,’ she said. ‘I simply adore his nose, don't you?’
Johnny Carson, seated with his girlfriend Alexis Mass, took in the scene and walked over to Michael just as his orange juice was being served to him.
‘Nice to see you, Michael,’ Carson said with a firm handshake.
Michael seemed dazed. ‘I… uh, gee, nice to see you again too, Mr Carson.’
‘Call me John.’
‘Oh, okay. Call me Mike.’
Liza Minnelli grabbed Michael's hand. ‘Now look, Johnny, he's my date,’ she told Carson with a big smile.
‘Wow! What a nice guy that Johnny Carson is,’ Michael was overheard saying as Liza dragged him away.
‘Oh, yes, he's a dear,’ she agreed. ‘Now we're going to call my father.’
‘We are?’
Liza then led Michael off to a payphone.
After Liza dialled the number, she began doing a soft-shoe dance routine and started singing, ‘Forget your troubles, c'mon get happy,’ she sang. She was feeling…good.
Michael laughed. ‘I love being around you, you know that?’ he told her.
‘Shhh,’ Liza said. Her father answered the phone. ‘Daddy, listen, I want you to meet Michael Jackson.’
‘Who?’ was apparently the question back to her.
‘Why, he's a wonderful singer and one of my best friends,’ she explained. ‘Now just say hello.’ A pause. ‘Oh, Daddy, just say hello. Now, c'mon’
She handed the phone to Michael. ‘No, I can't,’ Michael protested, his hand over the mouthpiece.
‘Oh, but you must’ Liza insisted.
‘But he's my idol.’ Michael had always enjoyed director Vincente Minnelli's films.
‘Well, then say hello.’ Liza punched him on the arm playfully. ‘He doesn't bite.’
Michael took his hand off the mouthpiece. ‘Hello, Mr Minnelli,’ he whispered. He listened for five seconds, his eyes darting left and right. With a giggle, he handed the phone back to Liza. ‘God, he's so nice,’ Michael gushed.
Liza got back on the phone. ‘Now listen, Daddy. Put on your velvet jacket. We'll be over in twenty minutes.’
Pause.
‘Yes, I'm bringing him over there.’
A pause.
‘Never mind what he's wearing.’
Another pause.
‘Okay, he's wearing one sequined glove, all right? Now, are you satisfied?’
Michael doubled over, laughing.
‘Okay, then fine. Goodbye.’
As Liza and Michael pushed through the crowd and out the door to the waiting limousine, Jimmy Stewart was overheard saying, ‘Well, there they go, Dorothy's little girl… and the Wiz.’
George McFarland, actor best known for his role as “Spanky” from “Our Gang”, Unknown magazine article (archived)
“In 1984, I was at the Governor’s Ball in Los Angeles following the Oscars”, says McFarland, now a retired salesman, speaking from his home in Fort Worth, Texas.
“A secretary asked if someone could come over to meet me. I was flabbergasted when it turned out to be Michael Jackson. I love his music.
“After we talked for a while, I told him to look me up if he was ever in Texas.
“He’s a very private person--so I told him I lived in the country, and he could hide out for a few days.”
A year later, when Jackson was in Fort Worth for his “Victory Tour”, he called out of the blue to invite George and his wife Doris to his hotel suite.
“When it came time to leave, Michael grabbed my sleeve and said, ‘Did you really mean what you said about coming out to your house to visit?’
“And I said, ‘Sure!’ So his security people brought him out to the house and we spent three days together.
“Michael would sleep late--he’s a night person while I worked until noon”, says George. Then we’d just relax. We’d watch television, or drive around Fort Worth, or just sit in the backyard and rap.
“And it took him almost two days to go through all my scrapbooks--he’s a real big ‘Little Rascal’ fan.”
Uncharacteristically, Michael stayed alone at George’s home, while his bodyguard and chef--who delivered his vegetarian meals every day--stayed at a local hotel.
“What impressed him most”, says George, “was the sign in front of my property:
“Don’t Worry About the Dogs -- Beware of the Owner!”
