JUST SAY THE MAGIC WORD
JACKSON LIVE
Ernie Magnotta interviews Jackson Bostwick, the American actor, theatre director and film producer who starred as TV’s original Captain Marvel in the 1970s series, Shazam!…
After the enormous success of Superman in Action Comics #1, Fawcett Publications hired writer Bill Parker to create their own superhero and gave him instructions to make the hero’s alter ego a young boy instead of a man à la Clark Kent. The talented Parker dreamed up an imaginative story about 12-year-old orphan Billy Batson who is chosen by an ancient wizard named Shazam to be his successor in the never-ending fight against evil.
Upon uttering the magic word Shazam-an acronym taken from the names of the six gods who Captain Marvel’s powers are derived from: Solomon (wisdom), Hercules (strength), Atlas (stamina), Zeus (power), Achilles (courage) and Mercury (speed)-, Billy is struck by a magic lightning bolt and transformed into the world’s mightiest mortal, the adult superhero Captain Marvel. While being mentored by the wizard, Billy, as Captain Marvel, would go on to fight evil enemies such as Dr. Sivana, Mister Mind and Black Adam. He would later be accompanied by other heroes such as Captain Marvel, Jr. and Mary Marvel.
Rendered beautifully by legendary comic book artist/ cartoonist C.C. Beck, Captain Marvel first appeared in Whiz Comics #2 close to the end of 1939. The character became so popular that, eventually, he even outsold his inspiration, the Man of Steel, Superman.
Although the comics continue to thrive even to this day, Captain Marvel has appeared in other forms such as an almost forgotten radio show from 1943, several animated adventures, a brand new, 2019 live action film, and a much loved twelve chapter serial from 1941 starring Tom Tyler as the popular superhero.
However, in 1974, the character would make his television debut by showing up on Saturday mornings in the live action, CBS TV show Shazam! Like most superheroes who made their way to network television, this fun series, which ran from 1974 until 1977 and is comprised of 28 half hour episodes, would alter the mythology of the comic books somewhat.
For example, Billy Batson is no longer a 12-year-old boy. He seems to be at least 18 and maybe older. (Actor Michael Gray, who played Billy, was actually 23 at the time the series began.) There is also no wizard to mentor Billy and give him his powers.
Instead, he is given the power of Captain Marvel by the six elders (gods) themselves who appear in this series in animated form. Although the wizard Shazam doesn’t appear in the show, there is an older character known only as Mentor who helps Billy in his adventures. Together, they travel the country in a Dodge Open Road motorhome (another departure from the comics) and help characters they come into contact with each week.