Actor Jack Wild Dies at 53


Mar 2, 12:17 PM (ET)


LONDON (AP) - Jack Wild, who earned an Oscar nomination as a teenager for his role as the Artful Dodger in the 1968 film "Oliver!" has died from cancer, his agent said Thursday. He was 53.

Wild died Wednesday, agent Alex Jay said. The actor was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2000, and surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy had left him unable to speak.

Born in Royton, northwest England, in 1952, Wild was spotted by a talent agent while playing soccer in a London park and later attended stage school.

He appeared in the London stage production of "Oliver!" Lionel Bart's adaptation of Charles Dickens'"Oliver Twist." Wild was cast in the film as cheeky pickpocket the Artful Dodger, a role that earned the 16-year-old an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.

Wild also was known to a generation of children as the hero of "H.R. Pufnstuf," a psychedelic TV series about a boy stranded on a fantastical island with a talking flute, a friendly dragon and eerie, chatty trees. A feature film, "Pufnstuf," was released in 1970.

He became a teen music idol, releasing three albums - "The Jack Wild Album,""Everything's Coming up Roses" and "Beautiful World."

But Wild struggled with alcoholism and his adult acting career was fitful, although he had a role in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" in 1991.

The actor blamed his cancer on years of heavy drinking and smoking. "My lifestyle had made me a walking time bomb," he said last year.

Wild is survived by his wife, Claire Harding.

They featured him on the VH1 teen idol countdown a few weeks back. I thought he looked pretty bad, but they made it out like he'd been doing fairly well.

people should stop dying.

They featured him on the VH1 teen idol countdown a few weeks back. I thought he looked pretty bad, but they made it out like he'd been doing fairly well.

He did look bad I didn't even recognize him. :(

That's so sad, Waay too young to die. :( I'd heard that he wasn't in good health in recent years but didn't realize it was that bad. I'm not very familiar with HR Pufnstuff but I loved him in Oliver!. One of my favorite movies. He was just so cute in that and the cutest accent too.

My God, it's a sharp contrast to see Jack in an undated photo. How the ravages of time took him from a young man swooned by young girls across America and around the world 35 or so years ago and Pufnstuf enjoyed by '60's-70's kids, than to an almost forgotten actor. Very sad what he went through.


I'm not very familiar with HR Pufnstuff but I loved him in Oliver!.

There's a page on "H.R. Pufnstuf" if you'd like to know more about the series that aired for one season in 1969-70, Mijada and it's found here (http://www.70slivekidvid.com/pufn.htm).

Wild received an Oscar® nomination for his role as The Artful Dodger in the film and he was sixteen at the time.

I saw the complete series on DVD a few months ago at a local shopping mall in California over a year ago and the price was a bit high ($40) or so.

That is so sad. That was such a fun show back in the 70's. :(

That was one of the first show's I remember watching. R.I.P. Jack. :(