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'Jack Wild' (30 September 1952 – 2 March 2006) was an English actor who achieved fame for his roles in both stage and screen productions of the Lionel Bart musical ''Oliver!''. For the latter performance (playing the Artful Dodger), he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the age of 16, but the Oscar went to Jack Albertson for his performance in ''The Subject was Roses''. Jack Wild appeared with actor Mark Lester in two films: ''Oliver!'' (1968) and ''Melody'' (1971).
It was at the premiere of the 1968 film version of ''Oliver!'' that he met brothers Sid and Marty Krofft, who thought Wild would make a good lead for a show they were developing called ''H.R. Pufnstuf''. Wild starred in this American family TV series that launched in 1969, and also in the movie "Pufnstuf", which was made prior to the television series but released theatrically afterward. He also embarked on a recording career, cutting one album for Capitol Records and two for Buddah Records in the early 1970s.
Excessive drinking at an early age derailed Wild's career. Sobering up in 1988, he returned to the big screen in a few minor roles, such as in the 1991 Kevin Costner film ''. He was also reported to be developing a TV situation comedy with Suzi Quatro around the same time, but those plans never materialised in an actual series. For the most part, though, Wild spent the remainder of his career working in theatre.
Wild died on 2 March, 2006, aged 53, after a long battle with oral cancer, which he claims was caused by his alcoholism and smoking (which he started aged 12). Diagnosed with the disease in 2000, he underwent surgery in July 2004 and had part of his tongue and both vocal cords removed. Because of this surgery, he had lost his speech and had to communicate through his wife.

Contents

Filmography

Sources

External links

Obituaries

Filmography

★ ''Danny The Dragon'' (1967)

★ ''Oliver!'' (1968)

★ ''Pufnstuf'' (1970)

★ ''Melody'' (1971)

★ ''Flight of the Doves'' (1971)

★ ''The Pied Piper'' (1972)

★ ''The 14'' (1973)

★ ''Keep It Up Downstairs'' (1976)

★ ''Alicja'' (1982)

★ '' (1991)

★ ''Basil'' (1998)

★ ''Moussaka & Chips'' (2005)

Sources

#''Celebrate Oliver!'', BBC1 television programme, broadcast 1 January, 2006.

External links

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★ Jack Wild fan site chat with other jack fans

★ Jack Wild Film Club watch all jacks films, see hundreds of rare pictures and chat with some of the best Jack fans on the internet

★ Dffclt1's Jack Wild Page - fansite, with pictures, etc.

★ Sunshine Day - biographical notes

★ Jack Wild Unofficial chat with other jack fans

Obituaries

★ Obituary - ''The Independent'', 3 March 2006.

★ Obituary - ''The Times'', 3 March 2006.

★ Jack Wild Obituary and Public Tributes