Actor Jack Wild Dies at 53

[hadrons]

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.

....

[skooooo]

1. hate that..

Guess things went downhill for him after his childhood acting career.

:cry:

[Greeby]

2. Sad

He ain't gonna pick a pocket no more :cry:

[KurtNYC]

3. That is sad

He was great in "Oliver!"

Consider yourself at home
Consider yourself one of the family
We've taken to you so strong
It's clear we're going to get along

Consider yourself well in
Consider yourself part of the furniture
There isn't a lot to spare
Who cares, whatever we've got we share

If it should chance to be we should see some harder days
Empty larder days, why grouse
Always a chance to meet somebody to foot the bill
Then the drinks are on the house...

:cry:

[Yollam]

8. Yes, he was a remarkably talented boy.

I was shocked to read that he was in his late teens on Pufnstuf - he looked much younger. But he was quite good dancing, singing, whatever was asked of him.

[Fridays Child]

4. Aw...

I loved him in "Oliver." Didn't know he was so sick. Poor guy. :(

[Mist]

5. RIP Jack. My sister had a huge crush on him when she was 10. nt

[Redstone]

6. He's only a year older than me in that last picture? Good God, he looks

old enough to be my uncle!

Must have had a damn hard life. Sorry for him.

Redstone

[hadrons]

7. I saw him 10 years ago at a Comic Convention ....

and I said the same thing then and he was only 15 years older than me

[skooooo]

10. Alcohol aged him..

..he had a long time problem with alcohol, from what I've read. He must have smoked too, maybe. Poor Jack, I loved ya when i was a kid.

[Aristus]

9. Sheesh! In that last photo, he looks like a Hobbit!

He must have been VERY ill!

I used to listen to the soundtrack to "Oliver!" nearly every day. I loved the songs. And my sister and I were huge fans of Pufnstuff. I remember seeing him in a tiny role in Kevin Costner's "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves", and wondering just how old he was. He'd aged so quickly.

[Avalux]

11. Oh how very sad. H.R. Pufnstuf - my favorite show as a kid.

Rest in peace Jack. :hug:

[upi402]

13. now THERE was an acid trip for kids!

can you imagine the Falwells if THAT show aired today?

[Art_from_Ark]

14. I never noticed the "acid trip" aspect of "Pufnstuff"

It just seemed like an inanely entertaining way to kill a half hour on a Saturday morning. The Banana Splits seemed much more psychadelic to me.

However, now that I understand the connotations of "puffin' stuff", I wonder how the show would look to me now.

Witcheepoo for Mayor! :crazy:

[upi402]

12. it can happen to the best

alcohol is a bad drug
he looks like he has hep c or cirosis, which is fine BUT he needed to quit drinking to stay healthy!

[mw]

15. I watched "Pufnstuff" as a kid...still remember the song:

Artist: Lyrics
Song: H.R. Pufnstuff Lyrics
H.R. Pufnstuff,
Who's your friend when things get rough?
H.R. Pufnstuff
Can't do a little cause he can't do enough.

Once upon a summertime
Just a dream from yesterday
A boy and his magic golden flute
Heard a boat from off the bay
"Come and play with me, Jimmy
Come and play with me.
And I will take you on a trip
Far across the sea."

But the boat belonged to a kooky old witch
Who had in mind the flute to snitch
From her broom broom in the sky
She watched her plans materialize
She waved her wand
The beautiful boat was gone
The skies grew dark
The sea grew rough
And the boat sailed on and on and on and on and on and on.

But Pufnstuff was watching too
And knew exactly what to do
He saw the witch's boat attack
And as the boy was fighting back
He called his rescue racer crew
As often they'd rehearsed
And off to save the boy they flew
But who would get there first?

But now the boy had washed ashore
Puf arrived to save the day
Which made the witch so mad and sore
She shook her first and screamed away.

H.R. Pufnstuff,
Who's your friend when things get rough?
H.R. Pufnstuff
Can't do a little cause he can't do enough.

H.R. Pufnstuff,
Who's your friend when things get rough?
H.R. Pufnstuff
Can't do a little cause he can't do enough.