Jackson to be buried in LA today : official

Michael Jackson will be buried at a Los Angeles cemetery today shortly before a gala tribute to the pop icon at an arena here, the city's acting mayor said.     

The funeral will take place at Forest Lawn Cemetery at 1500 GMT, two hours before the memorial service at the downtown Staples Center, Jan Perry told the local NBC television affiliate today.     

The funeral would end speculation that the family may wait to clear legal hurdles to bury the King of Pop at his Neverland Ranch, his fantasy estate north of Los Angeles that some fans wanted to turn into a memorial.     

Perry, a city council woman, is in charge of Los Angeles as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is on vacation in South Africa.     

Forest Lawn, located near some Hollywood studios, is one of Los Angeles' best-known cemeteries and is no stranger to celebrities.     

Screen legends Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable and Jean Harlow are buried at Forest Lawn.     

The cemetery also tries to preserve pre-Hollywood aspects of US history. It features a monument to the country's first president, George Washington.