Today in Television History (December 2nd, 1983): Michael Jackson's "Thriller" Music Video Premieres on MTV!

On December 2nd, 1983, Michael Jackson's iconic "Thriller" music video aired on MTV for the first time. The 14-minute long video, one of the longest-length music videos played on the channel, starred Michael Jackson and Ola Ray, and featured Jackson dancing with a horde of zombies. The video is said to have doubled the sales of the "Thriller" album, helping it become the best-selling album in music history! It also helped the documentary sell over a million copies, making it the best-selling VHS tape at the time. It is often credited for transforming music videos into a serious art form, and its success helped transform Jackson into a global pop-culture icon. Ola Ray was only paid $2500 for her role in the music video, and later sued Jackson in May 2009 for unpaid royalties.