by Cicely Richard

Created on: May 27, 2008

In the beginning of her career, she was simply known as the baby sister of The Jackson Five. However, any time she was on stage, this pint-sized cutie stole the show. Janet Jackson first appeared on stage in 1974 in a Las Vegas show with her brother, Randy. Her impressions wowed the crowds, especially her most memorable impression of Mae West. As years passed by, Janet began surpassing her brothers in the public eye and is now the most marketable one in the clan.

Janet Jackson was born on May 16, 1966 in Gary, Indiana. She was the youngest of nine children born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson. By the time Janet was a toddler, her brothers were a successful family singing group with Motown Records. Eventually, the family moved to Los Angeles in order to maximize the careers of the children.

However, Janet and her siblings grew up in a conflicted household. Their mother, a Jehovah's Witness, was a deeply religious woman and tried raising all of the children in a spiritual household. On the other hand, Joseph wanted to push his children into the spotlight and often worked his children with an iron fist, and he let the children perform at venues that were contrary to their mother's beliefs.

Little Janet officially joined the family business with her appearance in the families Vegas show and a subsequent appearance in their 1976 summer replacement series. She would finally make her mark as an individual when she began working as a regular on the comedy series "Good Times" as Penny. Her entrance on the show was dramatic. Her character was a victim of physical abuse who is abandoned by her mother and adopted by the Evans' neighbor. She worked on the show from 1977-79, when it was canceled. She continued acting in such television shows as "Different Strokes" and "Fame."

During her time on "Fame," she broke free of the supervision of her family. In September 1984, she and James DeBarge eloped. Like Janet, he was a member of a family singing group. Her family disapproved of the marriage, and because of conflicts within the marriage, it was annulled in January 1985. After the marriage, her professional life began to flourish.

Although she had released an album in 1982, her music career really took off with the release of her 1986 album "Control." The record sold 8 million copies worldwide and produced two #1 singles, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and the title track. Her dancing skills, with the help of choreographer Paula Abdul, were showcased in the videos. Her sexy

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