NEWS
'Shazam!' star with Carlisle ties will be guest of honor at area Comic Con in October
The Daily Item
Originally published by Joseph Cress - The Sentinel, Carlisle, PA (TNS)
Jan 30, 2024
Jan. 30—Between the upside-down chicken and the lion with a pedigree, Jackson Bostwick Jr. knew he was in for a rough landing.
It was 1974 and the production crew for "Shazam!" was filming a scene on location at the Los Angeles Zoo.
Bostwick played the role of Captain Marvel in the classic TV series that aired on CBS' Saturday morning lineup.
Born Oct. 23, 1943, at the Carlisle Barracks, Bostwick is scheduled to return to his birthplace as the guest of honor at the Carlisle Comic Con right before his 81st birthday. The event will be at the Carlisle Expo Center on Oct. 18-19.
"I look forward to getting out and meeting the people," said Bostwick, whose father Jackson Sr. was an Army captain serving on post when the barracks was the Medical Field Service School during World War II.
Speaking by phone from his home in Tennessee, he was excited by the prospect of sharing stories with fans, such as the one tied to Episode 13 of Season One, titled "The Braggart."
If I'm lion ...
The plot involved a boy who got trapped in an animal exhibit and had to be rescued by Captain Marvel, or the leading figure in the show now referred to as Shazam. For the scene, the crew arranged for a 300-pound male lion to go after the kid.
But this was no ordinary big cat. He was the son of Elsa, the orphan lioness made famous by the book and movie "Born Free," Bostwick said.
"I did all my stunts," he said. "When I would come in for a landing, I would come in from the top of a 14-foot-high ladder because I had to come in over the camera."
Trying to land flat from that kind of height was not easy. But this scene was made more difficult by the presence of a co-star with sharp teeth and claws.
"The way they got the lion to come at the camera was the handler stood behind the camera holding a live chicken upside down by its legs," Bostwick said. "He shook it. The lion was crouched down."
Enter Captain Marvel, a bigger bird in a bright red cape flying in to save the day. Naturally, there were complications.
"He took a swing at me," Bostwick said of the lion. "If it wasn't for my cape, he would have opened up my thigh like a fresh pack of M&Ms. He swung at me and cut that cape like a hot knife through butter."
The handler rushed in and drove the lion back. The animal let out a roar. And that was it for Bostwick who had just about enough excitement for one day.
"We put our backs to it," Bostwick said "The crew was great the first year. It really hummed."
Ties to Carlisle
He has no memory of Carlisle Barracks or the surrounding community.
"I was there just long enough to hit the ground," he said. "I was delivered by a captain, my dad was a captain, and I later became a captain." Marvel, that is.
By his reckoning, Bostwick may have lived on post until he was about 2 years old. Those very early years are a bit foggy. There are only black-and-white photos from that time showing his father, a gifted athlete, leading the troops in calisthenics and holding him as a baby while bundled up for the winter.
In a way, Jackson Sr. was a bit of a mystery. An Army doctor, he ended up working for the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor of the Central Intelligence Agency.
After Carlisle, Jackson Sr. ended up in Shanghai, China, but for the most part, his activities were shrouded in secrecy. "Mom never knew where he was," Bostwick said.
Growing up in Montgomery Alabama, he remembers going to the movie theater in 1953 when "War of the Worlds" came out. The Saturday matinee was just a dime and included a serial or cartoon with each feature.
"I saw this guy flying across the sky," Bostwick said. "Of course, they used a dummy, but that's how I came to know the actual character of Captain Marvel. I had all the comics until my mom threw them away. I had a stack that would be worth a fortune."
Playing the role of his favorite superhero, Bostwick wanted the portrayal to be perfect. At the end of each shift, he would review the daily footage on the lookout for quirks and gestures that took him out of character.
Golden anniversary
Like Bostwick, Ronald M. Vastola of Derry Township, Dauphin County, is a fan of that era's Captain Marvel. Vastola owns USA Theatres, which runs movies on an outdoor screen at such local venues as Thornwald Park, Indian Field at Carlisle Barracks and Summerfair at Dickinson College. Off-season, he promotes and organizes concerts and conventions, including the upcoming Carlisle Comic Con.
Vastola reached out and contacted Bostwick when he noticed that 2024 will mark the 50th anniversary of the launch of the "Shazam!" TV series. He knew Bostwick from previous events.
"This is a milestone," Vastola said. "It was something that needed to be acknowledged. He was talking about his ties and roots to Carlisle. He was born on the post. I thought the circle was complete. You are returning to celebrate your achievements."
Bostwick will be available both days of the Comic Con to sign autographs and interact with fans. Bostwick may also be a featured guest on various Q&A panels. There may also be special 50th anniversary commemorative merchandise.
"It was a very cool show," Vastola said of "Shazam!" "The older you get, the more you should go down memory lane and reflect on childhood memories. It was just magical and exciting. Who wouldn't relate to a superhero with all the problems in the world?"
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