SHAZAM[]
Shazam!
Shazam! is a half-hour live-action television program produced by Filmation (the animation studio's first such program), based upon DC Comics' superhero Captain Marvel. The show ran from 1974 to 1977 on CBS; from 1975 to 1977 it was known as The Shazam!/Isis Hour, and included The Secrets of Isis, about an Ancient Egyptian superheroine resurrected in the body of a schoolteacher, as the second half of the hour. Shazam! was brought back for reruns in 1980. Actor Michael Gray stars as young Billy Batson and Les Tremayne as his guardian "Mentor", while Captain Marvel was played first by Jackson Bostwick, and later by John Davey. Actress Joanna Cameron appeared as Isis, and her alter-ego Andrea Thomas, on three episodes of Shazam!, and Davey likewise appeared as Captain Marvel in three episodes of Isis.
By uttering a single magic word young Billy Batson transforms himself into the world’s mightiest mortal, Captain Marvel. The acronym of the first letters of the names of the six elders who train Billy with their respective special gifts: Solomon, wisdom; Hercules, strength; Atlas, stamina; Zeus, power; Achilles, courage; and Mercury, speed, in a word...SHAZAM! Now, the entire series is available in this 3-disc set featuring every exciting episode of this classic television show!
SEASON 1 | SEASON 2 | SEASON 3 |
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The Joy Riders | On Winning | The Contest |
The Brothers | Debbie | Bitter Herbs |
Thou Shalt Not Kill | Fool's Gold | Ripcord |
The Lure of the Lost pt 1 | Double Trouble | Finders Keepers |
The Lure of the Lost pt 2 | Goodbye, Packy | The Sound of a Different Drummer |
The Athlete | Speak No Evil | Out of Focus |
The Treasure | The Odd Couple | |
The Boy Who Said 'No' | ||
The Doom Buggy | ||
The Brain | ||
Little Boy Lost | ||
The Delinquent | ||
The Braggart | ||
The Past Is Not Forever pt 1 | ||
The Gang's All Here pt 2 |
THE SECRETS OF ISIS[]
The Secrets of Isis is the syndicated title of a live action CBS television series produced by Filmation in the 1970s originally titled Isis that appeared during the Saturday morning cartoon lineup. The show was also aired in various countries around the world. As indicated on commentary in the 2007 DVD release of the series, and supported by examining broadcast premiere dates, The Secrets of Isis was the first weekly American live-action television series whose lead character was a female superhero, debuting September 6, 1975 and predating the weekly debuts of both The Bionic Woman (January 14, 1976) and Wonder Woman (April 21, 1976). The Secrets of Isis (also called simply Isis) starred JoAnna Cameron as Andrea Thomas, a high school science teacher who found an ancient mystical amulet on an archeological dig in Egypt. The amulet belonged to Hatshepsut, an ancient Egyptian Queen, and it gave the wearer the powers of Isis. Whenever Isis was needed, Andrea would reveal the amulet and recite an incantation ("O Mighty Isis!") and she would be transformed into the goddess Isis. The show co-starred Brian Cutler as Rick Mason, Joanna Pang as Cindy Lee and Albert Reed. In Season 2, Ronalda Douglas joined as Rennie Carol, replacing Cindy. Guest stars on the show included Mike Lookinland, Debralee Scott, Leigh McCloskey, Phil Bruns, Mark Lambert, Steven Paul, Thomas Carter, Colleen Camp, Johnny Doran, William Engesser, Laurette Spang, Tommy Norden, Russ Marin and Christopher Norris.
Three episodes of the series featured crossover appearances by Captain Marvel of the show's companion series, Shazam! and Cameron likewise appeared as Isis in three episodes of the other series. (As of 2013, the complete Shazam! series is only available as a print-to-order DVD set, via the Warner Archive label, on WBshop.com.)[1]
Most storylines involved Isis coming to the rescue of high school students who find themselves endangered due to unwise choices. A notable exception was the two-part series finale "Now You See It..." and "...Now You Don't," which had an espionage-related plotline, revealing that Rick Mason has been working secretly for the government on a weather-making machine. This same two-parter introduced a trio of crime-fighting teens dubbed "The Super-Sleuths," and according to the DVD notes, was intended as a backdoor pilot for a Super-Sleuths series that never materialized. It's not known whether this sudden change in direction from school-related plotlines to more traditional superhero adventures would have continued had production not been discontinued.
The Secrets of Isis often broke the fourth wall with Isis/Andrea winking at the camera or otherwise acknowledging the audience at pertinent moments. Each episode featured a closing segment with Isis directly addressing viewers to impart a moral lesson derived from the action of the day's episode.
SEASON 1 | SEASON 2 |
---|---|
The Lights of Mystery Mountain | Seeing Eye Horse |
Fool's Dare | The Hitchhiker |
Spots of the Leopard | The Class Clown |
The Sound of Silence | The Cheerleader |
Rockhound's Roost | Year of the Dragon |
Lucky | Now You See It... |
Bigfoot | ...Now You Don't |
How to Find a Friend | |
The Show Off | |
The Outsider | |
No Drums, No Trumpets | |
Funny Gal | |
Girl Driver | |
Scuba Duba | |
Dreams of Flight |