| − | ''The Adventures of Captain Marvel'' came on to the big screen as a 12-chapter serial in 1941, starring Tom Tyler in the title role. The plot involved a mad scientist, a masked man who dubbed himself “the Scorpion”, seeking the means with which to conquer the world. The first film to portray a comic book superhero, ''The Adventures of Captain Marvel'' has been critically-acclaimed to be among the finest serial films made. (Muir, 9) <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn8PJ4AEhmY&feature=related</ref> | + | ''The Adventures of Captain Marvel'' came on to the big screen as a 12-chapter serial in 1941, starring Tom Tyler in the title role. The plot involved a mad scientist, a masked man who dubbed himself “the Scorpion”, seeking the means with which to conquer the world. The first film to portray a comic book superhero, ''The Adventures of Captain Marvel'' has been critically-acclaimed to be among the finest serial films made in that genre. (Muir, 9) <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn8PJ4AEhmY&feature=related</ref> |
| − | Captain Marvel would not be filmed again until the 1970’s when ''Shazam!'' came to [[television]] on CBS in 1974. Filmation executives Lou Scheimer and Norm Prescott had marked success with Saturday morning [[cartoons]], using a progressive approach to children’s programming, particularly with ''Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids'' ''The Archie Show'', and the successful transfer of ''Star Trek'' to animation in 1973. Going into live-action fantasy television, ''Shazam!'' was a half-hour series focusing on morality and civic responsibility rather than action; violence was avoided. Michael Gray starred as Billy Batson, who traveled the country in an RV driven by Mentor, played by Les Tremayne. Captain Marvel was played by two actors: John Davey (1974-75), and Jackson Bostwick (1976). The last two seasons had ''Shazam!'' paired with a female superhero, Isis, in ''The Shazam/Isis Hour''. (Muir, 400) | + | Captain Marvel would not be filmed again until the 1970’s when ''Shazam!'' came to [[television]] on CBS in 1974. [[Filmation]] executives Lou Scheimer and Norm Prescott had marked success with Saturday morning [[cartoons]], using a progressive approach to children’s programming, particularly with ''Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids'', ''The Archie Show'', and the successful transfer of ''Star Trek'' to animation in 1973. Going into live-action fantasy television, ''Shazam!'' was a half-hour series focusing on morality and civic responsibility rather than action; violence was avoided. Michael Gray starred as Billy Batson, who traveled the country in an RV driven by Mentor, played by Les Tremayne. Captain Marvel was played by two actors: John Davey (1974-75), and Jackson Bostwick (1976). The last two seasons had Captain Marvel paired with a female superhero, Isis, in ''The Shazam/Isis Hour''. (Muir, 400) |
| | After the cancellation of ''Shazam!'', NBC broadcast another Filmation entry on the hero, ''The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!'' It ran on Saturdays in 1980, and this time featured the other members of the Marvel Family, as well as the classic villains Dr. Sivana and Black Adam. (Muir, 400) | | After the cancellation of ''Shazam!'', NBC broadcast another Filmation entry on the hero, ''The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!'' It ran on Saturdays in 1980, and this time featured the other members of the Marvel Family, as well as the classic villains Dr. Sivana and Black Adam. (Muir, 400) |