"Shazam!" (1974) TV series 1974-1977

Directors:

Robert Chenault
Robert Douglas
(more)

Writers:

Donald F. Glut
Jack Kaplan
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | unknown

Release Date:

7 September 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A young boy, able to transform into the superhero Captain Marvel, travels the country fighting evil.

Plot Keywords:

Shazam | Superhero | Based On Comic | Based On Comic Book | DC Comics

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Michael Gray	...	Billy Batson (28 episodes, 1974-1976)
Les Tremayne	...	Mentor (28 episodes, 1974-1976)
Jackson Bostwick	...	Captain Marvel (17 episodes, 1974-1975)
John Davey	...	Captain Marvel (11 episodes, 1975-1976)

Series Directed by
Hollingsworth Morse		(3 episodes, 1974-1976)
Robert Chenault		(unknown episodes)
Robert Douglas		(unknown episodes)
Henry J. Lange Jr.		(unknown episodes)
Arnold Laven		(unknown episodes)
Chuck Menville		(unknown episodes)
Arthur H. Nadel		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Sidney Morse		(1 episode, 1975)
Michael Sutton		(1 episode, 1975)
Len Janson		(1 episode, 1976)
Paolo Orsini		(1 episode, 1976)
C.C. Beck		(unknown episodes)
Susan Dworski		(unknown episodes)
Donald F. Glut		(unknown episodes)
Jack Kaplan		(unknown episodes)
Jack Mendelsohn		(unknown episodes)
Chuck Menville		(unknown episodes)
Marianne Mosner		(unknown episodes)
Arthur H. Nadel		(unknown episodes)
Olga Simms		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Norm Prescott	....	executive producer (28 episodes, 1974-1976)
Lou Scheimer	....	executive producer (28 episodes, 1974-1976)
Len Janson	....	associate producer (15 episodes, 1974)
Chuck Menville	....	associate producer (15 episodes, 1974)
Arthur H. Nadel	....	producer (3 episodes, 1975-1976)
Richard M. Rosenbloom	....	executive producer (3 episodes, 1975-1976)
Robert Chenault	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Ray Ellis		(28 episodes, 1974-1976)
Norm Prescott		(28 episodes, 1974-1976)

Series Cinematography by
Robert F. Sparks		(1 episode, 1976)

Series Film Editing by
Stanley Rabjohn		(unknown episodes)
Ray Williford		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Meryl O'Loughlin		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Thalia Phillips		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Robert Sidell	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henry J. Lange Jr.	....	assistant director (1 episode, 1976)
William McGarry	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Fred Westcott	....	property master (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
William Randall	....	sound (1 episode, 1976)

Series Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Kahlo	....	key grip (1 episode, 1976)
Drain M. Marshall	....	gaffer (1 episode, 1976)

Series Editorial Department
Bill Moore	....	editorial supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Dale Henry	....	transportation manager (1 episode, 1976)

Series Other crew
Don Christensen	....	creative director (28 episodes, 1974-1976)
Richard Briggs	....	production executive (unknown episodes)
Carmine Infantino	....	creative consultant: National Periodical (unknown episodes)
Thomas LaBelle	....	educational advisor (unknown episodes)
Gloria Powell	....	educational advisor (unknown episodes)
Marshall J. Wolins	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Filmation Associates

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Warner Bros. Television
• Warner Home Video (2012) (USA) (DVD) (complete series) (DVD-R)
• World Beyond Video (video)

Special Effects

• Sonex International Corp. (electronic special effects)

Other Companies

• Horta-Mahana Corp.  music and sound effects
• National Periodical Publications  based on characters appearing in "Shazam" magazine, published by
• Open Road  motor home provided by
• Shermley Music Co.  music publishing

Runtime:

30 min (28 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Filmation Associates

Trivia:

In the comic book, the wizard Shazam grants Billy Batson the power of Captain Marvel, not the six gods themselves as in the TV show.

Quotes:

[Opening title narration]
Narrator:Chosen from among all others by the immortal elders - SOLOMON, HERCULES, ATLAS, ZEUS, ACHILLES, MERCURY - Billy Batson and his mentor travel the highways and byways of the land on a never ending mission: to right wrongs, to develop understanding, and to seek justice for all! In time of dire need, young Billy has been granted the power by the immortals to summon awesome forces at the utterance of a single word!
Billy Batson:SHAZAM!
Narrator:A word which transforms him, in a flash, into the mightiest of mortal beings, CAPTAIN MARVEL!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Starsky and Hutch: Murder at Sea (#2.3)" (1976)

Soundtrack:

SHAZAM

S-weet H-unk A-nd Z-any A-ged M-an!....SHAZAM!

"SHAZAM!!" With this desperately bleated out word, young Billy Batson (Gray) turns from a 25 year-old teenager to a bland, 30-something guy in a red body suit who saves horses lives and puts out school fires. (...a far cry from the loftier efforts of the comic book superhero who inspired this Saturday morning kid's show!) Pretty, youngish Gray (who owns one shirt) travels the globe (actually the same neighborhood over and over) in a Winnebago with his 'Mentor' (chickenhawk Tremayne sporting the worst comb-over in the history of TV.) While Tremayne dispenses sage advice with his formerly-velvet announcer voice, Gray learns lessons each week from an animated (actually one picture in which only the lips move!) array of 'elders'. These elders spout platitudes on how things should be and then, miraculously, Gray and Tremayne stumble across an example in which they can put their newfound knowledge to work. On cue, a danger comes about which is beyond Gray's ability to solve. This invariably means that Gray will have to call out "Shazam!" (an acronym of the elders' names) and Captain Marvel will appear in his place. Marvel was played by two men, neither of whom were able to get anywhere after this show, though the second one did do a large amount of TV guest roles. While they are handsome, they are hopelessly average in build and strength. The costume just sort of clings here and there, rather than being stretched across rippled muscles. The producers may as well have gotten the guy who played "Dennis the Menace's" dad to do the part. The poor guys are further humiliated by eternally cruddy flying effects in which the men lie on a board while a fan blows on them and stock footage of sky is projected behind them. More hilarious is watching Tremayne ALMOST keep his hands off Gray. He paws on the kid at every opportunity, telling him what to do, and his "this just in" vocal style adds a campy, homoerotic flavor to their scenes. Still, the show is irresistible and watching it brings back a lot of memories. The overbearing music is like a brainwashing device. Once one hears it again, it sticks in the mind and can't be excised. A flood of childhood memories involving jumping off a rock and landing face down in the dirt reappears. A delightful companion piece is it's spin-off "Isis".