MovieChat Forums > Shazam! (1974) Discussion > Davey vs. Bostwick

Davey vs. Bostwick

posted 13 years ago by fentress
15 replies | jump to latest

I was a comic reading nerd as a kid in the 1970's, so of course I was crazy about the Shazam series. As a middle-aged adult now, I still occasionally watch one of the few episodes I have for nostalgia's sake.

I've learned about the back story on Jackson Bostwick's departure. Never could figure out the producers' decision. Like most fans, I alwasy felt Bostwick was obviously the man for the role. He was tall and lean and fit, and he had the right bearing. He took the role seriously. By contrast, Davey was this lardy sort of guy. What were they thinking?

I get the sense from what I read that the producers just wanted to do everything as quickly and cheaply as possible. They probably figured, "So what? As long as someone is flying around in a red suit, kids aren't going to care!"

However, I have to admit Davey has kind of grown on me some. In re-watching some of these old episodes, I find myself thinking sometimes that Davey is ... well ... maybe not so bad. Davey does have a somewhat more earthy, fatherly way about him. I could see where someone might say Bostwick looks a bit like a Ken doll. Don't get wrong though; I still prefer Bostwick easily.

Just curious ... has anyone else revised their opinion? Anyone out there actually prefer John Davey?

[–] dakert-1 13 years ago

Of course Jackson looks like the typical hunky superhero but John is good in his own way. They are both good as Captain Marvel

[–] blusreturned 12 years ago

i don't "Prefer" Davey To Bostwick but i have come to like Davey's portrayal.

however, though i think Bostwick did a better leap into flying scene i have to mention that in 4 episodes we see Captain Marvel change back to Billy (3 with Bostwick 1 with Davey) i thought Davey's "Shazam" was better then Bostwicks.

i will always think that the producers screwed themselves by accusing Bostwick of trying to hijack them for a bigger paycheck and frankly due to his own foresight and smarts by having a friend filming him during the stunt that injured his eye and being able to produce it for the adjudicator during the mediation they not only had to pay up but gave him residuals which will be handy if and when this series gets put on DVD (probably won't do it because of that reason though)

i've read that Bostwick took his role as seriously as Clayton Moore did as The Lone Ranger (Bostwick was a huge fan and apparently an acquaintance of Moores)he really sold the morals part of the show (Davey himself did a good job of that near the end of the series, selling it like he meant it as Cameron did at the end of each Isis episode.) where have our fine american values gone today.

i would love to one day meet Bostwick at a comicon (or Davey and Cameron if they so choose to appear) and thank him for such a wonderful childhood memory.

[–] fentress 12 years ago

[i have to mention that in 4 episodes we see Captain Marvel change back to Billy (3 with Bostwick 1 with Davey)

I have noticed a couple of episodes on my TV Land and bootleg discs where Bostwick as CM changes back to Billy. I can't place the one where Davey does it. (I hadn't invested in owning all the episodes, but I will have them soon with the WB archive release.) I do have to agree though: the times when Bostwick did it, he yelled out "Shazam" in a highly over-dramatized manner that I found off-putting.

Bostwick was the better CM. But of the few episodes I presently own, I have to admit I find myself more interested in re-watching some of the Davey eps. Not because of Davey so much, but they were just among the better episodes. These are:

The "The Odd Couple" - As a middle-aged guy now, the show is enjoyable to me in the context of reliving childhood memory. It would probably seem totally hokey to me if I were watching it for the first time as an adult. But in "The Odd Couple", I honestly found that cocky young pilot and his girlfriend to be refreshingly earthy characters. Corny as it sounds, I did find the last bit of dialogue when he learned his lesson genuinely moving.

Also, given the situation in this episode, I can believe in the possibility of physical danger to the point of requiring CM's powers. In many episodes, the physical danger seemed pretty contrived.

Also, I happen to really like small airplanes.

"Out of Focus", guest starring Isis, - This one was unusual in that it featured a pretty cool array of various superpower feats near the end.

I remember as a kid seeing the Davey episode "Double Trouble" where some crook disguised himself as Captain Marvel and committed a robbery. CM turned himself in to the police, even knowing he didn't do it of course, out of respect for properly following the law. That is really a nifty idea. I might not have appreciated that concept so well as a kid.Can't wait to see that again when the DVD comes out.

Also they changed the background music in the 3rd season (all Davey seasons obviously). I liked the older music, but I especially liked the newer even more.

I also like it that the Davey episodes feature more captain Marvel. The first season they seemed to be following a formula of Billy changing into CM to save the day at the end (with a couple of exceptions). But with the Davey episodes, the formula seemed to be an appearance by CM in the first half of the episode and once again in the 2nd half.

In contrast, one of the Bostwick episodes I have, "Thou Shalt Not Kill" ... I'll still watch it every great now and then for the sake of reliving my memories of the show. But as much I hate to admit it, I can't honestly say I like it as much as other eps. Even allowing some slack for this being cheesy children's TV, that episode does seem a bit mushy. The girl and her sheriff father are just a bit overly precious for my taste.

But, I still prefer Bostwick as CM.

[–] capnmrvl 11 years ago

The episode where John Davey says SHAZAM, was DEBBIE - coincidentally Davey's first episode. The running across the field(s) to catch up to the motorcycle was one of the first things he shot.

[–] engle_james 11 years ago

I actually prefer John Davey as Capt. Marvel. After watching the dvd collection, I realized how much he reminded me of Lee Majors, who was playing the Six Million Dollar Man at that time.

It's interesting how the producers went so far from Jackson Bostwick to John Davey in terms of physicality, but ultimately it was probably a good thing. The two were always going to be compared no matter what, so they figured it didn't matter who they went with. I also prefer John Davey because in a couple of episodes, he acts like he's annoyed with the kids he rescued. . . which would make sense, since they were usually doing something totally stupid and dangerous in the first place!

[–] fentress 11 years ago

I also prefer John Davey because in a couple of episodes, he acts like he's annoyed with the kids he rescued. . . which would make sense, since they were usually doing something totally stupid and dangerous in the first place!

That's funny! But it's also true. Good observation.

I got the DVD collection in the mail, but haven't gotten around to watching any of it yet. I'm going to try to watch only one or two episodes a week. I want to savor the pleasure and make it last. Plus, it's more in keeping with the pace of how often we got to see it in when it originally ran in the 1970's. Looking forward to it.

[–] engle_james 11 years ago

I just finished watching it yesterday. . . I envy you your patience! It's incredible how Andy Mangels and others were able to do so much with the Isis DVD collection, with all the extras and interviews, etc, but there is nothing like that here, unfortunately. Would have loved interviews with Michael Gray, Bostwick and Davey. Still, a lot of Shazam! info is available on the Isis dvds.

[–] erikjestrada-104-474363 10 years ago

I liked Davey but have always thought that Bostwick for the bill. I often wondered what if Bostwick had remained on the show and how his chemistry with JoAnna aka ISIS would have been like. When the show was marketed as the SHAZAM and ISIS hour, they showed Bostwick as CM but not Davey. I think that if Bostwick had not suffered an eye injury, the episodes with ISIS would have also been great to watch.

[–] Dark_Sithlord 10 years ago

I preferred Bostwick in the role of Captain Marvel. I thought he set a very high standard in that, he took the role very seriously, even though he was running around in a bright red costume with a cape. In that regard, Bostwick sort of reminded me of Christopher Reeve. Having said that, Davey sort of grew on me, but as a kid, I didn't really understand the change in actors.

[–] srb-3 10 years ago

Davey by far.

1) Captain Marvel has the strength of Hercules. Davey looks like he has that where Bostwick looks like an average guy.

2) Davey is the much better actor giving warmth and dimension to Captain Marvel. Bostwick's acting is very flat.

[–] ddski63 10 years ago

I liked Davey better for one reason. Whenever Bostwick had to lift something very heavy, his facial expression made it seem like he was really struggling to move the object, where Davey did not show strain like that when moving heavy objects. That made his Captain Marvel seem stronger.

[–] fentress 10 years ago

Yeah, I hadn't really noticed who strained more, but I always thought the straining was a bit much. I can see where they would want to show some for dramatic effect, but not that much. After all, CM is supposed to have super strength.

[–] TVholic 9 years ago

To tell the truth, neither of them impressed me. They were both rather interchangeably bland. The fact of the matter is that Captain Marvel was treated as almost an afterthought in the show and usually had so little on-screen time that his appearances in the episodes were no big deal to me.

[–] sjmcollins-1 9 years ago

Bostwick...by a mile. He just WAS Captain Marvel, and Davey came off as a substandard replacement.

[–] S_Maxwell 7 years ago

I prefer Davey. He had more warmth and gave a better performance. I don't dislike Bostwick, but to me Davey is the better Captain Marvel.