Badmovies.org Forum

In doing some research on the Shazam! live action TV show from the 70s, I came across an interview with the actor Jackson Bostwick (the first season Captain Marvel...and considered by many to be the only Captain Marvel) concerning his firing from the show and being replace by John Davey.

Just to keep everybody up to speed, this is how Jackson Bostwick ended up being fired (in his words, but pretty much confirmed by everybody):

The "brilliant" Executive Producers at Filmation thought I was holding out for more money when I didn't show up on the set one day at the start of the second season. In fact, I had injured myself doing a takeoff the day before, and was at the doctor's office. The stunt boxes had collapsed on my landing, and I had snagged my eye and busted a blood vessel underneath it as I went piling through the cardboard onto the asphalt. I had the nurse call the studio to tell them where I was that morning at 9:00 AM, but Filmation said they never got the message. I go into detail of this event in my forthcoming book, "Myth, Magic, and a Mortal." It was a precedent setting case at the Screen Actor's Guild, and Filmation had to pay me for all the shows they didn't use me on, plus residuals. Still, these clown's actions doomed a marvelous show.


He also made a comment with regard to John Davey playing the role of Captain Marvel:

John's a fine actor, but he's no more Captain Marvel, than I am Wonder Woman.


God...that's cold.


The interview was here: http://www.tvparty.com/rec-shazam.html (they consistently spell John Davey as John Davies).

Hmm sounds like someone at Filmation was kind of a weasle. But as I remember it, the actor who played Captian Marvel didn't matter that much. You just needed a big clean cut guy who fit the suit to hurl styrofoam boulders around. The tv show was cheesy good but I would have watched it alot more if Wonder Woman, specifically Lynda Carter, WAS in it.

Nothing wrong with mighty Isis either.

From some of what I've been reading, though opinions may vary, Jackson Bostwick was the main draw of the show. He was the one who suggested doing the moral tag on the end of the show, and though they did not originally use it, they began to add the tag after so many requests for more of Captain Marvel.

I remember when I watched it, it was just such a drastic change when they replaced him; though I think Davey was adequate for the part and his softer spoken presence made him personable in a different way, he just did not have that commanding presence that Bostwick had.

Of course, from the Wonder Woman perspective, Isis ruled! Joanna Cameron was so hot. :teddyr:

I saw the ark 2 box set the other day.  it was 4 dvds and only like 9.99.   I might get that and the Isis one

Damn!

Was that at a chain store or online?

no just at a store.  they are put out by bci or brentwood or something they are really cheap new