The Estate of Michael Jackson Plans Grauman's Chinese Theatre Hand & Footprint Ceremony Celebrating The King of Pop, January 26, 2012

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Estate of Michael Jackson announced today that Michael Jackson will be immortalized in a hand and foot print ceremony at Hollywood's legendary Grauman's Chinese Theatre on January 26, 2012, starting at 11:00am, in a giant celebration of the legacy of the King of Pop and the Los Angeles debut of Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour, the critically acclaimed Cirque du Soleil production and top grossing tour in the United States, according to Pollstar.

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The Estate will be joined by Michael Jackson's three children, Prince, Paris and "Blanket" who will use their father's sequined glove and shoes to make impressions in the cement in the famous forecourt of the theatre as family, friends and fans celebrate the legacy of the King of Pop.  The event is produced by the executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson, John McClain and John Branca. A special live presentation from the cast of THE IMMORTAL World Tour will be performed, and the event will be M.C.'d by Access Hollywood and Access Hollywood Live's anchor Billy Bush. 

The entire event will be streamed live via Twitter @michaeljackson with additional photos and live coverage of the event tweeted from Twitter's music channel @twittermusic.   

Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour performs in Los Angeles at Staples Center January 27-29, 2012. The production is a riveting fusion of visuals, dance, music and fantasy that immerses audiences in Michael's creative world. The show literally turns his signature moves upside down, unfolding his artistry before the eyes of the audience. USA Today called it "A Thriller of a show!" and Rolling Stone raved about 'the hit-packed King of Pop spectacle." Commenting on IMMORTAL's success, Forbes noted "That should come as no surprise, given the extraordinary spectacle that audiences witness with each performance" while Entertainment Weekly said that, "Even the most casual of Jackson followers will be entertained, and Jackson acolytes will revel in every glittering, peculiar moment." www.cirquedusoleil.com/MichaelJackson

Aimed at lifelong fans as well as those experiencing Michael's creative genius for the first time, the show captures the essence, soul and inspiration of the King of Pop, celebrating a legacy that continues to transcend generations. "His legend lives on," wrote US Weekly. The album, IMMORTAL, available on Epic Records, is the soundtrack for Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour.

Michael Jackson is one of the most beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time. To date Jackson has sold an estimated 1 billion records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and "Thriller" as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 17 Grammy Awards including 8 in one year, a record in itself, and received 26 American Music Awards, including the Artist of the Century Award. Jackson defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking short films as "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and the classic "Thriller," which in 2009 became the first and only music video inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. Jackson's sound, style and dance moves continue to inspire today's performers and new generations of fans worldwide continue to discover his artistry.  

At Grauman's  Michael Jackson's legacy will be enshrined alongside such entertainment icons as Fred Astaire, Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Sidney Poitier, Clark Gable, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Michael Jackson's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is located on the sidewalk in front of the theatre.

The Grauman's Chinese Theatre forecourt is one of the most photographed tourist sites in the world, annually attracting as many visitors as the Taj Mahal in India and the Prado Museum in Madrid. Grauman's Chinese Theatre hands and footprints ceremony is rich in tradition and provides the four million plus people a year who visit the site an up close look at the hand and footprints of Hollywood's most notable talents. Movie exhibitor Sid Grauman, one of Hollywood's most creative showmen, opened The Chinese in 1927 and launched the handprints-footprints ceremony a year later. The event is one of the most selective in the world, and very few are chosen to be honored. 

Follow the coverage at: Michael Jackson @michaeljackson and Twitter Music @twittermusic

Fans can go to findeventdetails.com/mjlegacy on January 19 for line up information.

SOURCE The Estate of Michael Jackson