"Shazam!" (1974) TV series 1974-1977

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Directors:

Robert Chenault
Robert Douglas

Writers:

Susan Dworski (writer)
Donald F. Glut (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

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:

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

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)

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:

The six letters in the word Shazam stood for the six elders who granted Billy their powers: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the camera shot was Billy and Mentor driving in their motor home, the motor home's windshield is always one large piece. In all camera shots of the motor home actually driving on the road, the windshield is a split version in two pieces.

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 (#2.2)" (1976)

Soundtrack:

SHAZAM

Captain Marvel, "Shazam" very underrated

"Shazam" was a very good show considering it had a budget of $70,000 per episode and only consisted of 28 episodes. The show brought life back to the D.C. Comics character, who was revived after a 20 year absence. Had the show had a prime time slot and been based more on the comic, it's potential would have been even greater.