Michael Gray, Former Teen Idol and Star of ‘Shazam!,’ Dies at 75
Michael Gray, who played Billy Batson in the 1970s children’s series Shazam!, has died aged 75. His role made him a familiar face to young viewers and teen magazine readers, while the show became an influential early live-action superhero programme for Saturday mornings.
Gray was born in Chicago in 1951 and began acting on television in 1969, with appearances in The Brady Bunch and other series before Shazam! ran for three seasons from 1974 to 1976. He later left acting, worked in children’s theatre education and fashion, and ran a floral business with his wife. The show’s 2012 DVD release brought him back to fan conventions, and he later appeared in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and voiced a version of himself in Archer.
In short
- Shazam! star Michael Gray has died aged 75.
- He played Billy Batson for three seasons.
- The show’s DVD release revived his connection with fans.
Explained simply
Shazam! was a live-action television series shown on Saturday mornings in the 1970s. It followed Billy Batson, a boy who could become the adult superhero Captain Marvel by speaking the word “Shazam”.
The programme brought superhero stories to a young television audience and helped make Billy Batson a familiar character. Michael Gray played Billy, after beginning his acting career in the late 1960s.
After the series ended, Gray moved into children’s theatre education and other work. The show’s later release on DVD renewed interest among fans, and he returned to public appearances and screen roles connected with Shazam!.