While these days there’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney+ television series, and upcoming HBO Max shows like Green Lantern, comic fans from prior eras weren't so lucky. When it came to superhero adaptations in the best, audiences had to take what they could get.

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In 1974, CBS continued their string of superhero by making Shazam!, a television series focused on Billy Batson and Captain Marvel. Shazam! ran for three seasons from 1974 to 1976, and while most fans barely realize it exists, the show was actually rather popular for its era!

9 The Mentor Shazam Is Gone And Replaced By The Elders

Shazam Had The Immortal Elders Instead Of The Greek Gods

When people think of Captain Marvel, they also think of the Wizard Shazam, who’s responsible for giving him his powers. The lightning bolt that channels the power of six different gods and demigods was a unique kind of magic made just for Billy Batson. But the show did away with Shazam, and instead had Billy get his powers directly from the gods and demigods responsible for powering him to begin with. During the series, Billy would also converse with this group.

8 There Were Two Different Captain Marvels

Jackson Bostwick Is The Original Shazam Actor For The Television

In an era where one of the most popular shows on television in Bewitched featured an actor swap on the main cast, this shouldn’t be so surprising. Originally, Captain Marvel was played by Jackson Bostwick, who looks the part for Captain Marvel, being almost identical to the comic book version of the character. But thanks to some contract disputes and him taking time off because of an injury, Bostwick lost his job. He was replaced for the second portion of season two and all of season three by John Davey, who played the role considerably different.

7 Every Episode Had A Different Moral

John Davey as Shazam

Without watching television from before the 90’s, it’s hard to believe, but children’s television used to have to have much stronger educational messages. At the end of G.I. Joe’s 80’s cartoon, they used to offer helpful tips for children, and Centurions used to teach kids about science.

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In Shazam!, at the end of every episode, Captain Marvel would spend a few seconds giving a helpful lesson to children. Referred to as “moral tags,” the first season’s were all filmed in a single day at the Franklin Canyon Reservoir in Bel-Air.

6 Shazam! Was Produced By Animation Studio Filmation

Filmation's Ghostbusters

Shazam! was Filmation’s first attempt at making their own live-action media. Before this point, Filmation was best known for making cartoons with their limited animation style. Shazam! was a decent success early on, even managing to gain popularity internationally. Production eventually shut down, however, while Filmation went on to make series like Ghost Busters – largely returning back to doing cartoon series once again. They even had their own Shazam cartoon series in 1981.

5 Producers Wanted Mark Harmon To Play Captain Marvel

Mark Harmon in NCIS "Blood in the Water"

Sometimes rumors will swirl about an actor potentially playing a role without there being any proof to it. But in an interview with the magazine Back Issue, issue #30, actor Jackson Bostwick explained that NCIS actor Mark Harmon was originally supposed to be one of the final four candidates to play Shazam in the 1970’s television series. Yes, that Mark Harmon. The producers originally wanted an athlete to play the role before Bostwick appeared, and Mark Harmon had just graduated from UCLA.

4 Many Of The Fantastical Elements Were Taken Out

Billy Batson's Uncle Dudley Is There But Not The Marvel Family

Anyone looking to watch 70’s Shazam! and expecting any cool characters from the comics might as well look elsewhere. Most of Shazam's lore was left unadapted for the TV series.

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Much of this came down the budget, as the budget of the show was only $70,000 per episode. Between that and stringent censors, it’s difficult to do something like the Rock of Eternity or have the other members of the Marvel Family that were excluded from the television series.

3 John Davey Didn't Want To Be Captain Marvel

1970s Shazam

Jackson Bostwick was the original actor who played Captain Marvel, but he only kept the job for a season and a few episodes from the second season. He was replaced by John Davey, who amusingly enough didn’t even want the job at first.

When offered the job, he initially believed it would be something similar to hosting a kid’s show in the vein of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. He accepted largely because his son was excited at the idea of his dad being Captain Marvel.

2 Shazam! Had A Crossover With The Secrets Of Isis

Secrets-of-Isis

Television has always come with challenges unlike anything in any other medium. In the case of Shazam!, the series was paired with an unrelated series, The Secrets of Isis, to fill a full hour on CBS Saturday mornings.The protagonist was Andrea Thomas, a schoolteacher who could transform into the goddess Isis when she needed to. Isis and Captain Marvel would appear on each other’s shows frequently, which led to DC Comics adding Isis into the actual canon of their universe. Longtime fans of Black Adam will recognize Isis as Teth-Adam’s wife who was introduced in the weekly comic series 52.

1 Billy Batson's Actor Was In His Twenties When The Show Started

The Billy Batson Actor Was In His Twenties

Actors are rarely the age they’re supposed to be playing. Tom Holland looks like a kid, but he’s actually 25 years old and will be playing a high-school senior in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Similarly, Billy Batson is generally supposed to be a young child in his early teens at best.

That’s actually part of Billy's charm, getting to see him become “Captain Marvel” which looks like an idealized version of himself as an adult. Actor Michael Gray, responsible for playing the teenaged Billy Batson, was actually 24 at the time of filming and 26 by the time the series went off the air.

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