Oliver - Cast

Ron Moody(1924-)

Ronald Moodnick entered show business at a relatively mature age, not performing professionally until the age of 29. He began his career as a British standup revue artist.

Moody's first movie role was an uncredited part in "Davy" in 1957. He had to wait two more years to finally receive credit for his film work in the 1959 "Follow a Star." Moody went on to have an almost five decade long career in films and British and American television.

Moody has also appeared on the British stage, with his first role in London in 1959 in "Candide." This was followed a year later with the role he is most associated with - Fagin in the London stage production of "Oliver." He repeated the role eight years later in the movie version and he received an Academy Award nomination for his performance.

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Shani Wallis(1933-)

Shani Wallis, born in London in 1933, began performing at the age of four. As a child, she attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. By the age of 18, Wallis was appearing on London's West End in "Call Me Madam." She continued her London stage career until 1960.

In the early 1960s, Wallis moved to the US and appeared in road tours of musicals, such as "South Pacific," "The King and I" and "Bells are Ringing." During this time, Wallis also performed in concerts in the US. She made her Broadway debut in 1966, but, unfortunately, the play, "A Time for Singing," only ran for 41 performances.

In 1968, Wallis played the role of Nancy, for the first time, in the film version of "Oliver." In later years, she reprised the role on the stage. After completing the movie version of "Oliver," Wallis returned to her theater career.

Wallis has made only a few films, with her most recent one, "Mojave Phone Booth," in 2006. She has also appeared occasionally on television, including a role in the US soap opera, "The Young and the Restless," from 2003 to 2004.

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Oliver Reed(1937-1999)

Robert Oliver Reed, born in London in 1937, began an acting career in 1958 without having any acting training or experience. His first credited film was "Hello London." Reed followed that movie with many others from 1958 until his death in 1999 from a heart attack, due at least in part to his alcoholism. His final two movies, "Gladiator" and "Orpheus & Eurydice," were released posthumously in 2000.

Website: www.oliverreed.net

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Mark Lester(1958-)

Mark A. Letzer was born to actor parents in Oxfordshire, England in 1958. He studied acting at the Corona Academy stage school as a child and, at the age of 6, he made his first movie, "Allez France!" After his first film, Lester appeared on British television.

Lester competed against 250 child actors to earn the title role in the film version of the musical "Oliver." He won the part but he didn't do the singing for Oliver. Instead, Kathe Green, the young daughter of the movie's musical arranger, dubbed the singing for Lester.

Lester worked in films in both England and Italy throughout the 1970s. He retired to become an osteopath after completing his last film, "Crossed Swords," in 1977.

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Jack Wild(1952-2006)

Jack Wild was born in Lancashire, England in 1952. While still in school, he was discovered by the mother of singer Phil Collins. Wild's family needed money to pay for his schooling, so he agreed to work in theater. He ended up playing the title role in the London version of "Oliver." When he was hired for the film, however, he was cast as The Artful Dodger. Wild received an Academy Award nomination for his performance in the movie version of "Oliver."

Wild's first role in television came in 1965 when he was only 13, and two years later, he appeared in his first film, "Danny the Dragon." In 1969, Wild was hired to play the lead role in a television show, "H. R. Pufnstuf." The show became a success and in 1970, he recreated the role in the movie version of "Pufnstuf."

Wild's career faltered in the 1980s when he became an alcoholic. His last years in the business were spent mostly in theater work, but he made a final film, "Moussaka & Chips," in 2005. Wild died in 2006 at the age of only 53 from oral cancer.

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