Michael Gray, 1970s Shazam! Star, Dies at 75
Michael Gray, who played Billy Batson on the 1970s CBS children's series Shazam!, died Friday in Palm Desert at 75. He also appeared on The Brady Bunch and had a cameo in 2023's Shazam! Fury of the Gods. A family spokesperson said the cause was natural causes.
Gray’s career began with a 1969 Room 222 appearance and included guest roles on The Flying Nun, Marcus Welby, M.D., and The Brady Bunch, where he was Marcia’s boyfriend in a 1973 episode. He also worked on The Little People as Ronnie Collins and appeared in Run, Simon, Run, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, and Myra Breckinridge.
Born in Chicago in 1951 and raised in Miami Beach, Gray studied at the Pasadena Playhouse. Shazam! ran three seasons on CBS from 1974 to 1976, with Jackson Bostwick and later John Davey as Captain Marvel; Gray later cameoed in the 2023 film Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Gray’s death may prompt nostalgia among viewers who grew up with 1970s Saturday-morning television and among superhero fans curious about earlier adaptations. His 2023 cameo could also lead newer audiences to revisit the original Shazam! series. Convention organizers, former co-stars, and fans of teen-idol-era entertainment may feel a particular loss, while obituaries and retrospectives could renew discussion of how child actors and young performers navigated sudden fame.