Jack Wild (30 September 1952 – 1 March 2006) was a British actor who achieved fame for his roles in both stage and screen productions of the Lionel Bart musical Oliver! with Ron Moody, Shani Wallis and Oliver Reed. For the latter performance (playing the Artful Dodger), he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the age of 16. Jack Wild appeared with actor Mark Lester in two films: Oliver! (1968) and Melody (1971).
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Jack Wild (30 September 1952 – 1 March 2006) was a British actor who achieved fame for his roles in both stage and screen productions of the Lionel Bart musical Oliver! with Ron Moody, Shani Wallis and Oliver Reed. For the latter performance (playing the Artful Dodger), he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the age of 16. Jack Wild appeared with actor Mark Lester in two films: Oliver! (1968) and Melody (1971).
Wild was born into a working-class family in Royton, Lancashire, and moved to Hounslow, West London, with his parents when he was still an infant. He was discovered whilst playing football, by June, mother of Genesis member Phil Collins. He was asked if he wanted a job, and told her he already had one, that he worked for the milkman. He was educated at the independent Barbara Speake Stage School in Acton, London, and had to supplement his parents' modest incomes by working on a stage production of Oliver!, in order to pay his school fees.
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