Michael Gray, best known for playing Billy Batson on the 1970s live-action series “Shazam!,” died Oct. 16 in Palm Desert, California, at age 75. His publicist confirmed the death to TMZ and People on Oct. 22, citing natural causes.
Gray was a teen idol during his run on the CBS Saturday-morning show, landing Tiger Beat covers and guest roles on series like “The Little People” and “The Brady Bunch.” For viewers who grew up in that era, he was part of a weekend ritual that defined childhood: cereal, cartoons, and shows you planned your whole morning around.
Here on the Suncoast, plenty of longtime residents remember when Saturday-morning lineups were appointment viewing on local stations, and Gray’s Billy Batson was right in the middle of it. No funeral information was immediately available.
Did you watch “Shazam!” back in the day? What was your can’t-miss Saturday-morning show? Tell us in the comments.
