It all started with a bit part in the TV movie “Run, Simon, Run” starring Burt Reynolds and produced by Aaron Spelling. Aspiring actor, Michael Gray, had a very small part as Burt’s younger brother. As Michael recalls “Burt and I found silver. I was in the movie for several minutes before I was shot dead.”
in “Run, Simon, Run.”
What happened next astounded everyone, including Chuck Laufer, publisher of Tiger Beat. Within weeks of the airing of the movie on ABC, we began receiving an overwhelming amount of mail pleading with us to write about Michael.
Like a shark smelling blood in the water, Chuck invited young Michael to the Tiger Beat offices for a talk and photo session. In Michael’s own words, “Chuck wanted to manage my career and did so.”
Our first story appeared in the September 1971 issue. The story: “Michael Gray: he’s lonely. . .he’s alone. . .can you love him?” Beside the story was a full page color shot taken during that initial photo session. The next few month’s mags were filled with: “Michael’s Turn On’s and Turn Off’s.” “When I sing I Think Of. . .” As the mail poured in, we kept them coming: “The Story of My Life by Michael Gary” which spread over four months – four chapters of his life story. Plus the color pin-ups!
Michael continues: “Then ‘The Little People’ cast me and things got even bigger in the magazine.”
‘The Little People’ debuted in 1972, a sitcom starring Brian Keith and Shelley Fabares. Michael appeared the first season as Ronnie Collins, a student doctor. The next season his role was written out.
Michael went on: “Chuck took me to New York to meet with RCA record executives. I took singing lessons and recorded several singles.”
1971 to 1974 were the big years for Michael. Once introduced in Tiger Beat, he became one of our top teen idols. The mail count kept going up and we kept the fans happy. I think we were all shocked at the reaction of the fans when Michael was our guest at The Osmonds concert at The Forum in Los Angeles.
Michael “wrote” his own story of that fateful night. “It was the evening the Osmonds played the Forum in LA. I’d never seen them perform before (except on TV) an when I was at Tiger Beat that afternoon I heard Ann Moses and Laudy Powell talking with Sharon lee (the editor of the Partridge Family Magazine) about the show. They must have read my mind, because Ann asked me if I’d like to go with them!
Well, of course I did! We made arrangements to meet, and then Sharon said ‘I bet you get asked for autographs tonight Mike.’ I laughed!”
Michael had the greatest night of his life! From the will-call ticket window and outside the stadium, he was hounded for autographs. Then inside the arena, they were coming down to our near-front row seats and signed over and over again, and they only dispersed when the house lights dimmed as the Osmonds were coming on stage. Michael was blown away by the Osmonds saying, “I knew they were good, but I’d never known HOW GOOD they really were!”
After the show ended, we planned to make our way out, but Michael was stuck in place as the girls surrounded him. Finally the guards and usher wanted to close the place and they helped him make his way to the exit. But more kids were waiting outside! He was being grabbed from all directions and soon Sharon and Laudy and I had lost sight of him. Police officers finally got Michael down a long stairway and they told him when they opened the door he’d have to make a run for it. Finally I spotted Michael and we made our way to the car. Michael’s head was spinning – in a good way! He remembers, “I’d been excited and I’d been scared, but the thing I remembered most clearly was the tremendous amount of love I’d felt!”
Michael was selling records and making TV appearances. At Tiger Beat, we were privy to the pilot he had signed on for with producers Paul Witt and Tony Thomas. The working title was “Bobby Jo & the Big Apple Good Time Band.” It seemed like it had all the winning story lines and feels, and a great cast. Sadly, it was not sold as a series.
In 1974 Michael was cast as Billy Baston in “Shazam.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NLuRZ3A76U The show ran until 1977 and Michael is still remembered for that role to this day. I had left Tiger Beat in 1972, but to my great delight, I’ve been in touch with Michael and he filled me in on all the deets of the many years that have passed.
Here’s Michael’s story:
My life changed a lot after we stopped shooting Shazam. I was terribly type cast and finally said “that’s it, I’m going to get normal jobs.” I spent lots of years doing numerous jobs then met my future wife. Her parents owned a flower shop in West Hollywood and I bought it and eventually moved it to Beverly Hills. Ran it for 12 years then closed it up and moved up to Carmel where I got into men’s retail clothing. Did that for 12 years then sold the house and moved back to SoCal. Then a resurgence of Shazam started. WB bought the rights and put it on DVD. I started doing Comic Cons then DC started to stream it on DCU and more Cons took place. The Shazam movie added to the resurgence. The Archer animated series asked me to be on it and played myself and named me “TVs Michael Gray” so I did four episodes. I retired from all my other jobs about three years ago and now I’m back doing what I love again. I don’t know how far it will go but I’m having fun. I might end up with a cameo in Shazam 2, but won’t hold my breath. When I had the flower shop People Magazine did a story about me.
Whatever the future holds for Michael, nothing will change the wonderful years we worked together. He was a dream to work with. He was one of the most down-to-earth groovy guys, and it appears the years have only enhanced those qualities. You can catch up with Michael at: https://www.facebook.com/michael.g.shazam and https://www.facebook.com/Michael-Billy-Batson-Gray-1398557110398179
Stay tuned to my Facebook page for more pics of Michael shooting the pilot for “Bobby Jo & the big Apple Good Time Band.”
Good times. . .Ann Moses reporting about “back in the day.”
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