Categories
Shazam!
"The Boy Who Said No"
October 26, 1974
"Snitches dig ditches" is a common phrase among the young today, sadly, but it seems to hold true with young Larry Burns. In this episode, John and Richard discuss the responsibility of youth to step forward and report wrongdoing, the question of powerful beings granting insight into potential danger, and the difficult stunts Jackson Bostwick had to perform.
It's all here and we want to hear from you on what you think of the episode. Write us as ShazamIsisPodcast@gmail.com.
Moral: “Some day you may see somebody do something wrong. If you don't know what to do about it, just remember that when a problem has you stumped, it's a good idea to talk with a grown-up you can trust. It could save you a lot of trouble in the long run!"
Guest Cast
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We present a new interview in our series with those who were a part of making it happen. And this time around, we have the man himself, Michael Gray, who played Billy Batson on Shazam! Michael talks with us about his career, his time on Shazam! including his favorite episodes, his dealing with typecasting and how it is so different for actors playing hero types today, and his comeback starting with an appearance on Archer.
Good looks and a couple of television roles helped to give actor Michael Gray many years in between and on the covers of Tiger Beat magazine. Born in Chicago, Michael moved to Florida when he was a young boy.
He caught the acting bug in high school, and eventually made his way to Hollywood. In 1972, Michael won the role of Ronnie on the NBC series The Little People, a charming sitcom that starred Brian Keith as a pediatrician with a practice on Oahu, Hawaii. The series was reworked for the second season and retitled The Brian Keith Show, and Michael was let go.
Signed to a management deal with Charles Laufer, pubisher of "Tiger Beat," Michael was able to keep a high profile while rounding up other acting roles. Michael's second series came in 1974, when he was cast in his signature role, as Billy Batson on the Saturday morning series Shazam. The series ran for 3 years but was then cancelled due to increasing production costs.
Some of Michael's other credits include:
Life with Father Entertainment Tonight
Room 222 MTV's - I Love the 70's
The Brady Bunch E Television, Life After Stardom
Marcus Welby M.D. The Rretro Radio Live Show
The Flying Nun VH1 - Superheros, Where Are
Dynasty They Now?
Although Michael Gray had all the tools one would expect to be necessary to build a sturdy career, due to type casting it became harder for him to make
a living at his craft.
The ever youthful Michael Gray is happily married and living in Northern California. He is currently writing a book about his life in Hollywood.
Links
Shazam!
"The Treasure"
October 19, 1974
This episode has a great deal of ties to the seventies as the struggles of the Native American were finally being recognized in American television. No longer were we seeing the Native American as the Indian, the enemy of the cowboy, but rather as a group of displaced people looking to be recognized and respected. But does the episode hold up? John and Richard discuss this and more on a new episode of the podcast.
It's all here and we want to hear from you on what you think of the episode. Write us as ShazamIsisPodcast@gmail.com.
Moral: “The desert and traditions of other people have much to teach us and must be preserved for future generations to see and to know."
Guest Cast
Ruben Moreno as Chief Adam
John Linton as Johnny
Allen G. Norman as Jed
Will Seltzer as Artie
Shazam!
"The Athlete"
October 12, 1974
After the dark themes of the previous two episodes, John and Richard tackle the ideas of equality and realizing your dreams in "The Athlete". Is this a tale that still needs to be told today? What is it about the "utterance of a single word" that lends such credibility to the show? Would this story need to be altered as we've discussed with previous stories in order to work for a modern audience? Are the stunts seen in this episode the best in the entire series?
It's all here and we want to hear from you on what you think of the episode. Write us as ShazamIsisPodcast@gmail.com.
Moral: “Everyone should be given a chance to prove his or her abilities."
Guest Cast