Rod Temperton, who wrote the 1970s disco classic “Boogie Nights” and went on to compose some of Michael Jackson’s biggest hits, including “Rock With You” and “Thriller,” died last week. His family gave his age as 66, though many sources indicate he was 68.

Jon Platt, the chairman of Warner/Chappell, his music publisher, said the cause was cancer. He did not give the date or location.

Mr. Temperton, a British-born keyboardist and songwriter, was a member of the disco-funk group Heatwave when he caught the ear of the producer and composer Quincy Jones with “Boogie Nights” and other songs on the group’s debut album, “Too Hot to Handle,” released in 1977 in the United States.

When Mr. Jones began working with Jackson in 1978 on his first solo album in four years, he invited Mr. Temperton to submit songs. Mr. Temperton responded with “Off the Wall,” which became the title track of the album, released in late 1979, as well as “Rock With You,” which reached the top of the pop and R&B charts and became one of the biggest hits of 1980, and “Burn This Disco Out.”