Here’s Why Jackson Bostwick Was Replaced as TV’s Captain Marvel

In fall of 1974, Saturday morning television viewers were in for a big surprise: CBS, working with Filmation and a handful of other studios, made the decision to overhaul their cartoon-heavy lineup with live-action programming designed for kids. One of the first shows to debut was Shazam!, starring Michael Gray as Billy Batson, and Jackson Bostwick as the hero he transformed into after saying one magic word. Fans who loved Jackson as the cape-wearing crime fighter would be disappointed, however, when the actor mysteriously disappeared from the show’s second season.