Note: If viewing Michael Jackson Ultimate Archive on archive.org (Wayback Machine), please view the latest snapshot of this page for the most up-to-date information and media.

Dallas, Texas (Victory Tour)

“Associated Press” (July 16, 1984) (archived)

Thousands of Michael Jackson fans waited in hotels and malls over the weekend, hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive singer, but an 8-year-old boy suffering from a brain tumor got a special invitation to meet the superstar.

Leroy Robinson Jr., known to his friends and doctors as "Huggy", was taken by ambulance from Fort Worth Children's Hospital to Friday night's Victory Tour concert and then to Jackson's hotel room after the show early Saturday morning for 10 emotional minutes.

"Everybody in the room, including the security guards, had chills running up and down their spines," said Norman Winter, Jackson's public relations manager.

"Michael does this kind of thing all the time, but I don't think I've ever seen him quite so moved by a youngster. That is one very special kid," Winter said.

Concert promoters gave Leroy tickets to the Friday concert and promised his family a limousine ride to Texas Stadium and a pre-show backstage meeting.

But because of a mix up with the limousine, Leroy, dressed in a Michael Jackson outfit, arrived about 30 minutes after the concert started and missed the chance to meet the singer.

Leroy had been tired and irritable during the trip, but the moment a nurse propped him up on a pillow at the concert, his attitude changed.

"That's Michael. I can't believe it. I'm really here," he said.

But the fascination soon wore off when the heat and noise at the stadium gave him a headache. Just as he was ready to leave in his ambulance, Winter sent a message that Jackson wanted to meet Leroy in his hotel room, Dr. Richard Guy LaMere said.

"You know, it was really moving. Here's Michael Jackson being very sincere, talking to this little boy. He wasn't aloof at all," he said.

Jackson signed Leroy's white glove, LaMere said, before the boy and his family left. The boy's father, Leroy Robinson, said Jackson asked the family to keep him posted on Leroy's condition.

"I've never seen him happier," Robinson said.

“And after sleeping most of the day Saturday, Leroy woke up, ate two pancakes and asked for more”, Robinson said.

"He's really taken a turn for the better since he saw Michael", his father said. "They have taken the IV (intravenous) out of his arm and they're only going to put it in when he has to have medicine—his spirits are so much higher."

Jackson and his brothers, meanwhile, ended their three-day stand in Texas on Sunday night before another capacity crowd.

The group, which drew about 117,000 screaming fans to sweltering Texas Stadium in Irving, now were scheduled to take their 13-city Victory Tour to Jacksonville, Fla. later in the week.

Among the 39,000 spectators Sunday night were several cast members of the prime-time television soap opera "Dallas", including Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Charlene Tilton and Priscilla Presley. Singer Lou Rawls also attended the concert.

George McFarland, actor best known for his role as “Spanky” from “Our Gang”, Unknown magazine article, from Chris Cadman’s “Michael Jackson the Maestro” (article summary/quotes)

[Michael] had the pleasure of meeting McFarland in 1984 at the Governor’s Ball in Los Angeles after the Oscars. McFarland said:

“A secretary asked if someone could come over and meet me. I was flabbergasted when it turned out to be Michael Jackson. I love his music. 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 few months later Michael took McFarland up on his invite and stayed for 3 days. It was during the period when Michael was touring with the Victory Tour. Michael would sleep most of the day as he was described by McFarland as a night person. When they spent time together McFarland said:

“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 scrapbooks – he’s a real big ‘Little Rascal’ fan.”

Michael also discovered while at McFarland’s that they had both lived at the same house in California. It was when Michael was looking over some photos of the Little Rascals star that he recognised the bedroom he used to have. It seemed they both had the same one in the house.

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!”

Chris Cadman, author, “Michael Jackson the Maestro”

Joining Michael and his brothers on stage in Dallas was Eddie Van Halen on ‘Beat It.’

Also at a show in Dallas Michael got agitated with security guards for not letting the fans get up and dance. He said just before performing Human Nature:

“Hey security people you gotta let these kids have fun, you can’t tell them to sit down!”