LOS ANGELES - A PUBLIC memorial service for Michael Jackson began on Tuesday with Smokey Robinson reading comments from Nelson Mandela, Diana Ross and other friends of the King of Pop.

Following a long silent period inside the venue, piano music and a gospel choir kicked things off with a stained-glass motif in the background.

An estimated 20,000 people filed smoothly into the Staples Centre as Jackson's golden, flower-draped casket was brought to the venue in a motorcade under law enforcement escort.

Jackson's hearse had been part of a motorcade that smoothly whisked his body 10 miles (16 kilometres) across closed freeways from a private service at a Hollywood Hills cemetery to his public memorial and awaiting fans.

Some arriving celebrities strolled down a black carpet on their way in. Spike Lee, Wesley Snipes and Barbara Walters were among the celebrities seen at the entrance, the Los Angeles Times said.

The traffic snarls and logistical nightmares that had been feared by police and city officials had not materialised. The thousands of fans with tickets began filing in early and encountered few problems, and traffic was actually considered by police to be lighter than normal.

'I think people got the message to stay home,' said California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Luevano. 'When you have people staying home, it clears up those freeways.'

Earlier in the morning, Jackson's family members and dozens of friends, led by his parents, Joe and Katherine, were seen entering a building at the cemetery. News reports estimated as many as 20 helicopters circled overhead.

In addition to Jackson's gold-plated casket, his pallbearers wore dark suits and gold neckties. Fans with a ticket wore gold wristbands and picked up a gold program guide on their way in.

The public memorial was to be televised live around the world. Among the celebrities expected to attend the memorial were Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher, Lionel Richie, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Martin Luther King III. -- AP