John Bostwick as Captain Marvel.
Did you know that in the mid 1970’s, D.C. Comics actually made a television series centered around one of their slightly lesser-known characters, Captain Marvel? Well, they did. The show was titled Shazam! which is an alternative title for the character himself.
This series followed the exploits of a young boy named Billy Batson who could turn into the here-pictured superhero, Captain Marvel. The show ran from 1975 until 1977 and was considered by the mass public to be . . . tolerable. Much of the acting was stilted, the effects budget was ridiculously small, and the episode plots were extremely standard. However, it did fill that niche that many comic book fans at the time wanted, to see their favorite characters come to life on the silver screen.
The actor who is photographed here has a rather interesting story regarding the show. For the first season, the actor playing Captain Marvel was this man, John Bostwick. Bostwick had only this role to his credit as his career as an actor would end shortly after this first season. He played the part well throughout the entire beginning, but then as the second season was being filmed, absurdity struck.
One day, John didn’t show up for filming, so the directors assumed he was just holding out for more pay. They fired him for this reason only to have him come in the next day to explain he had gotten hurt during the filming the day before his absence and he was visiting a doctor. The still fired him, however and replaced him with actor John Davey for the rest of the show’s lifespan.
Writer / Quiz Creator
Andrew Nicholas is a passionate reader and writer on the subjects of history and mankind. He is a published author, critic, and poet who grew up in the friendly scenery of rural Ohio. He is a graduate of Wright State University and a regular student of historical curiosities.