Michael Jackson dead at 50

Michael Jackson has died unexpectedly at the age of 50.

While the circumstances of his death were initially shrouded in mystery – early reports had him in a coma after a cardiac arrest early on Thursday afternoon, he was rushed to the UCLA Medical Centre in Los Angeles where he was eventually pronounced dead.

Though best known for his music – including such best-selling albums as Thriller, Off The Wall and Bad, Jackson was a mysterious, misunderstood figure, particularly later in life.

But he was also fascinated by the art of making movies, and launched a career in cinema with The Wiz in 1978.

Among his other film moments were experimental Disney movie Captain EO, music-based epic Moonwalker (below) and a small cameo in Men In Black II as self-parodying “Agent M”.

His final performance was in little-seen spoof Miss Castaway And The Island Girls, though his music can be heard through dozens of movies.

But our favourite Jackson On Film moment has to be the John Landis-directed, 14-minute, zombie-influenced promo for his 1982 song Thriller.

Despite recent personal troubles, he had planned a series of comeback concerts in London next month.

Born in Indiana in 1958, Michael Joseph Jackson is survived by his parents, his eight siblings and three children.