Jackson Bostwick

The cult legend Jackson Bostwick is an actor, theatre director and film producer, best known for portraying the superhero Captain Marvel in the Saturday morning TV series Shazam! in the mid-1970s. He is the founder of the L.A. (Lower Alabama) Film Group and the MIT (Made [mostly] In Tennessee) Film Group, two independent “off-Hollywood” film and TV production companies.

Born in Pennsylvania and raised in Alabama, Bostwick grew up with a love for the arts. He took a Masters degree at the University of Southern California, and studied under acting coach Lurene Tuttle. He was a contestant on the TV series The Dating Game in 1968, and he made his acting debut in 1971 on The Red Skelton Show. He went on to play a number of small parts in productions such as Evel Knievel, Funny Face, and The Island at the Top of the World, and then he was cast as Captain Marvel in the TV series Shazam! in 1974. He was fired from the show after two episodes into the second season and replaced by another actor. He failed to show up for a shooting and the producers accused him of holding out for more money. However, he had actually sustained an injury at the previous day’s shooting and was getting treatment. Jackson successfully filed a lawsuit against Filmation Enterprises, who was forced to pay him for the remainder of his contract. He went on to appear in several minor roles in the late 1970s and 1980s, including in My Science Project, Tron, and The Prey. During the early 1990s he taught Drama and directed several plays at Auburn University in Montgomery, and continued to act in the occasional film.

Bostwick doesn’t currently connect with his huge fanbase through social media, but he does offer that personalised shout-out via the Cameo platform. He also has an official website, jacksonbostwick.com.