#Shazam actor archive#

To this day, Gray is somewhat unsure as to the details of how he was cast as Billy. People still recognize me - I don't know how. I thought I'd have a problem there, but he recognized me and gave me a big hug. One day someone screams, 'Oh my God!' and it's a construction guy. I did a Warner panel and saw 700 people - it almost brought tears to my eyes. I did Comic-Con International in San Diego and was totally blown away by it. 'It's an ongoing thing and it amazes me still 37 years later. I was very impressed with Les Tremayne.'Īside from learning from Tremayne, Gray stated he 'didn't really hang out with the cast much at all.' 'Les and I had a good relationship, and I hung out with the crew sometimes, but when I was off the show, I had my own friends to be around.'ĭespite the show having been off the air for nearly 4 decades, Gray still finds himself recognized by fans on the street. I wasn't in the position to say this was the right or wrong decision. Les was my guardian, my father figure - he was cast in the role and I accepted it. 'I didn't really go into the history of Shazam! when I took the role. 'I didn't read the serial, so to some degree I created my own backstory.' Among the changes from the comic book origins were the inclusion of the character of Mentor, Billy's sagacious father figure played by Les Tremayne, and the way the pair travelled together in the previously mentioned R.V.

'I was doing the writer's things - whatever they wrote down I did it,' Gray said. Gray's interpretation of Billy Batson, the alter ego of superhero Captain Marvel (Shazam!), was unique from the comic book character and detached from the DC Universe. A little known fact - Adam West played an Elder and spoke the ''Shazam!' will be right back' line prior to a commercial break.' 'The voices of The Elders were actually the executive producers of the show. 'When The Elders would call, they'd superimpose me later on,' Gray said. and no one will ever know!' 'Shazam!' was Filmation's first foray into live-action television, blending scenes with a green-screened Gray and the animated Elders. Panel host Alonso Duralde opened the post-screening panel, quipping, 'If you want to keep a secret identity, put your superhero logo on the front of your R.V.

The actor spent the event amicably recounting stories and looking back fondly on his time as a Saturday morning teen idol.

#Shazam actor archive#

Presented as part of last weekend's Retro-TV Action-Adventure-Thon hosted by the Paley Center for Media and the Warner Archive Collection, fans of the vintage DC Comics TV adaptation were treated to an episode of the series, coming to DVD in late October, before Billy himself, actor Michael Gray, took to the stage for a lively Q&A session. An excited crowd whooped and cheered for Billy Batson and Captain Marvel's first appearances on screen during a special screening of an episode of Filmation's mid-seventies live-action 'Shazam!' series.