In 1984, Michael Jackson was arguably the biggest pop star in the world.
But backstage in Vancouver, one illusion made him look less like the King of Pop and more like a kid discovering magic for the first time.
On November 15, 1984, illusion designer Franz Harary demonstrated a levitation effect while Michael was preparing for the Jacksons’ upcoming Victory Tour concerts at BC Place.
Then Michael tried it himself.
Photographs from that day show Michael stretched horizontally in mid-air while Harary appears to control the illusion beneath him. Getty’s archive identifies the moment as taking place backstage in Vancouver and confirms Harary was responsible for illusions surrounding the upcoming concerts.
Michael Jackson During the 1984 Victory Tour
Harary’s connection with Michael had only recently begun.
According to Harary, he had sent Michael a videotape showing his illusion work. Michael was impressed enough to bring him in to help create effects for the Victory Tour, giving the young magician one of the biggest opportunities of his career.
Those effects became part of the enormous spectacle surrounding the tour.
A contemporary Vancouver review described a production filled with lasers, mechanical creatures and theatrical tricks, including a sequence where Michael appeared to vanish from a box and reappear elsewhere onstage.
The Vancouver concerts began the very next day, on November 16, and continued through November 18 at BC Place.
But the backstage levitation photographs reveal something different from the giant stadium production.
They capture Michael’s fascination with the mechanics of entertainment itself.
His longtime photographer Harrison Funk later said Michael maintained a strong sense of wonder and was constantly interested in creating “magic” through performance and imagery. Funk even selected a photograph of Michael being levitated by Harary as one of the memorable moments from their years together.
That partnership with Harary did not end in Vancouver.
Harary continued designing illusions for Michael and later described their creative relationship as one that lasted for decades.
For a few minutes backstage in 1984, though, none of the record sales or stadium crowds seemed to matter.
Michael Jackson simply wanted his turn to float.