Los Angeles  - Ten weeks after his drug-induced death, the late pop superstar Michael Jackson was to be buried Thursday in a private ceremony for family and friends at a cemetery for the stars in Los Angeles.

Jackson, who would have been 51 on Saturday, was to be buried at 7 pm local time (0002 GMT Friday) in the Grand Mausoleum of the historic Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale.

The ornate building features copies of the Michelangelo statues of David and Moses, and a stained glass rendition of Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper. It is also the final resting place of other showbiz legends like Walt Disney, Humphrey Bogart, Jean Harlow, Errol Flynn Carole Lombard and Clark Gable.

Jackson is expected to be buried in the gold coffin used at his massive public funeral. But in stark contrast to that massive event, attendance at Thursday's event will be limited to close friends and family with no media allowed.

Police mounted a huge operation to insure the integrity of the event, patrolling the 300 hectare cemetery with helicopters and dogs. Glendale police said they expected to bill the cost to Jackson's estate, which was ordered Wednesday by a probate judge to bear the "extraordinary" costs of his funeral.

Apart from Jackson's family, entertainment figures including Diana Ross, Brooke Shields and Larry King are expected to attend the no- expenses spared funeral that will even feature Jackson's favourite donuts flown in specially from Connecticut.

Probate Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved the payment at a hearing this morning in downtown Los Angeles after an attorney for the estate's administrators, John Branca and John McClain, assured him that the estate has enough cash to cover the expenses and that paying for the funeral will not affect its solvency.

"The expenses are extraordinary; however, Michael Jackson is extraordinary," said attorney Jeryll S Cohen, who told the judge the administrators did not object to the expenses. "They may not be appropriate for an ordinary person, but Michael Jackson was not ordinary."  dpa