Michael Gray, Former ‘Shazam!’ Actor, Dies at 75

Michael Gray, best known for his role as Billy Batson in the 1970s television series Shazam!, has passed away at the age of 75. His death occurred on October 16 in Palm Desert, California, as confirmed by a representative to Deadline.

Gray began his career in 1972 with a role in NBC’s The Little People, playing student doctor Ronnie Collins alongside Brian Keith and Shelly Fabares. However, it was his casting as Billy Batson in Shazam! that brought him mainstream recognition. The live-action series, which aired from 1974 to 1976 over three seasons, featured Gray as a teenager who transforms into the superhero Captain Marvel by speaking the magic word “shazam.” The role was originally portrayed by Jackson Bostwick and later taken over by John Davey.

Beyond Shazam!, Gray appeared in numerous television shows throughout the 1970s, including guest spots on The Brady Bunch, where he played Marcia’s boyfriend in a 1973 episode, as well as appearances on Dynasty, Marcus Welby, M.D., The Flying Nun, and Room 222. His film work during this decade included roles in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and Myra Breckinridge.

In more recent years, Gray lent his voice as “TV’s Michael Gray” in four episodes of the FX comedy Archer between 2015 and 2019. He also participated in the 2016 AMC series Surge of Power and made a cameo appearance in the 2023 film Shazam! Fury of the Gods, where he interacted with Zachary Levi’s Captain Marvel—a nostalgic reference to his iconic role from decades earlier.

During a 2012 Comic-Con panel, Gray reflected on his experience with Shazam! He remarked, “I didn’t know the character or the story when I was initially cast, so I had to be a quick study – it was fun and exhausting, challenging and thrilling, all at once. It didn’t matter that it was on Saturday morning or primetime—though the fact that it was one of the first few live-action shows on Saturday morning was exciting. It truly was a thrilling show to work on.”

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