Jack Wild

Jack Wild (30 September 1952 – 1 March 2006) was an English actor and singer, best known for his debut role as the Artful Dodger in "Oliver!" (1968), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor as well as Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations.
Wild is also known for his roles as Jimmy in the NBC children's television series "H.R. Pufnstuf" (1969) and in the accompanying 1970 feature film as well as Much the Miller's Son in "" (1991).
Early life.
Wild was born into a working-class family in Royton, Lancashire. In 1960, at the age of eight, with his parents and his elder brother Arthur, he moved to Hounslow, in Middlesex, where he got a job helping the milkman, which paid about five shillings. While playing football with his brother in the park, he was discovered by theatrical agent June Collins, mother of Phil Collins. Collins enrolled both Jack and Arthur at the Barbara Speake Stage School, an independent school in Acton, west London.
Acting.
"Oliver!".
The Wild brothers sought acting roles to supplement their parents' income. In the autumn of 1964 the pair were cast in the West End theatre production of Lionel Bart's "Oliver!" – Arthur in the title role and Jack as Charley Bates, a member of Fagin's gang. Wild was chosen to play the Artful Dodger for the 1968 movie version of "Oliver!" His performance received critical acclaim and several nominations:
TV work.
In the spring of 1966, Wild left the stage show of "Oliver!" to make the film serial "Danny the Dragon" for the Children's Film Foundation. Wild's first speaking roles on TV were in an episode of "Out of the Unknown", and in the third part of the BBC's version of the 'Wesker trilogy', "I'm Talking About Jerusalem". He also appeared in episodes of "Z-Cars", "The Newcomers" and "George and the Dragon".
After "Oliver!".
At the 1968 premiere of "Oliver!", Jack Wild met brothers Sid and Marty Krofft, who thought he would make a good lead for a show they were developing called "H.R. Pufnstuf". Wild starred in that American family television series that launched in 1969. "H.R. Pufnstuf" was also a segment in the second (and final) season of "The Banana Splits Adventure Hour", despite two episodes remaining unaired until 2018. As well, Wild starred in the film "Pufnstuf" (1970), filmed shortly after production of the television show had concluded. 
Other roles followed, including the films "Melody" (1971, with "Oliver!" co-star Mark Lester) and "Flight of the Doves" (1971). The latter film reunited him with Ron Moody, who had played Fagin in "Oliver!" In 1972, Wild appeared as a stowaway in an episode of BBC TV's "The Onedin Line". In 1973, he played Reg in "The 14", a film directed by David Hemmings, about a family of London children orphaned by the death of their mother. On television, Wild appeared in a BBC adaptation of "Our Mutual Friend" in 1976.
He also embarked on a recording career, releasing "The Jack Wild Album" for Capitol Records. That contained the single "Some Beautiful", which received considerable exposure on Radio Luxembourg but did not chart well. In the early 1970s, Wild also released the albums "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Beautiful World" for Buddah Records. By then, however, Wild was becoming tired of being typecast in younger roles. He was 17 years old when he played the 11-year-old lead in "H.R. Pufnstuf". 
In 1999, Wild lamented, "When I first entered in the show business, of course I didn't mind playing younger roles. However it did bug me when I would be twenty-one being offered the role of a thirteen-year-old. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy playing these roles; I had barrels of fun, I just wanted more serious and dramatic roles; it's that simple." During the early 1970s, Wild was considered a teen heartthrob, alongside David Cassidy and Barry Williams.
Later career.
He returned to the big screen in a few minor roles, such as in the 1991 Kevin Costner film "" and as a peddler in "Basil" (1998). For the most part, he spent the remainder of his career working in theatre. His last major appearance was as the male lead, "Mouse", in Tayla Goodman's rock musical "Virus". The show ran for two weeks at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, in 1999. For his final film appearance he had a minor role in "Moussaka & Chips" (2005), in which he once again worked with Ron Moody.
Personal life.
Wild first met Welsh-born actress Gaynor Jones when they were around 12 years old at the Barbara Speake stage school. After he left in 1966, he did not see her again until Christmas of 1970. They married on 14 February 1976. She left him in 1985 because of his chronic drinking. He met his second wife, Claire L. Harding, when he was working with her in "Jack and the Beanstalk" in Worthing. They married in Bedford in September 2005. In 2001, Wild was diagnosed with oral cancer, blaming the disease on his drinking and smoking habits. He underwent chemotherapy immediately, and had his tongue and voicebox removed in July 2004, leaving him unable to speak. Wild had to communicate through his wife Claire for the rest of his life.
Alcoholism.
By 1973, aged 21, he was an alcoholic. After exhausting his remaining fortune, Wild lived with his retired father for a few years. His alcoholism caused three cardiac arrests and resulted in numerous hospital stays. He was diagnosed with diabetes on 14 March 1983. His alcoholism ruined both his career and marriage to Gaynor Jones, who left him in 1985 because of his excessive drinking. During the mid-1980s, he often drank three to four bottles of vodka a week; he typically drank half a bottle of vodka and two bottles of wine every day. He later admitted his alcoholism was so debilitating that he was incapable of performing any kind of work. Wild eventually became sober on 6 March 1989, after joining the support group, "Alcoholics Victorious".
Death and legacy.
Wild died just before midnight on 1 March 2006, following a long battle with cancer. He is buried in Toddington Parish Cemetery, Bedfordshire. At the time of his death, he and his wife, Claire, had been working on his autobiography. She said: "All the material was there when Jack died, it just needed rearranging, editing, and, in certain sections, writing out from transcripts Jack and I made as we recorded him talking about his life." The book, "It's a Dodger's Life", was published in 2016 with a foreword by "Pufnstuf" co-star Billie Hayes, an afterword by Clive Francis, and an epilogue by Wild's wife.