Shazam! star dies at 75 after leaving Hollywood behind for a surprising new career

Shazam! Star Michael Gray passed away aged 75 on October 16, leaving behind his wife, Stacy Benon Gray, and his stepchildren, Ryan and Laurel Cooper.

The actor, who died of natural causes, stepped away from Hollywood after his starring role in Shazam! came to an end, yet his legacy as Billy Batson lived on.

Remembering Michael Gray

Michael was raised in Miami Beach and got his big break in the 1972 series The Little People, before starring in an episode of The Brady Bunch in 1973 as Marcia's boyfriend. He then hit the big time with Shazam! in 1974, which ran for three seasons and made him a certified star.

The show followed an orphan boy named Billy, who could transform into Captain Marvel simply by saying the word "Shazam!" Jackson Bostwick originated the role of Captain Marvel before John Davey took over.

"From my very first day on Shazam!, Mike and Les [Tremayne] welcomed me like a king," John shared in a statement.

"Mike was just a loving, sweet guy with a great sense of humor. He loved acting, loved doing the show and, in recent years, loved appearing at comic cons. He really enjoyed meeting and chatting with the fans. Mike was a wonderful man – I don't think he ever stopped smiling."

Michael shared onstage at a comic con panel that he loved the excitement and challenge Shazam! provided him. "I didn't know the character or the story when I was initially cast, so I had to be a quick study – so it was fun and exhausting, challenging and thrilling, all at once," he recalled.  

"It didn't matter that it was on Saturday morning or prime time – though the fact that it was one of the first few live-action shows on Saturday morning was exciting. It truly was a thrilling show to work."

Michael Gray's life after Hollywood

Michael made a cameo appearance in 2023's Shazam! Fury of the Gods in a throwback to the original series. The star's role as Billy Batson had a significant impact on fans, so much so that he would have people still scrambling to meet him decades later.  

"I meet people [every day] who say, 'You have no idea what you did for me as a child.' 'You helped me get through life.' 'You made me the better man, or woman, that I am today,'" he told Fanboy Planet. "And that's a nice feeling. I didn't know the show had that much strength and power back then."

After stepping back from Hollywood in the '70s due to the intense pressures of being a teen idol, Michael explored a variety of careers, including owning a flower shop and working in retail.

"I had odd jobs here and there, and then I found a lady, got married and ran a flower shop for many years," he previously said in an interview. "After too many hours working and not enough money, I quit that too, and now I work in one of the best men's clothing stores in the country. It's a job, and I enjoy it." Michael married Stacy in 1994 and became a stepfather to her children, Ryan and Laurel.