Jack Wild

Acting

Jack Wild

Born 1952-09-30 · Royton, near Oldham, England, UK

Born September 30, 1952, in Royton, near Oldham, England, Jack Wild was discovered by talent agent June Collins, mother of rock star Phil Collins. His breakthrough came when he landed the role of Oliver in the London stage production of "Oliver!" When it came to casting the film, the role of the Artful Dodger went to Jack, a role that resulted in his getting an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Fresh from this success, Jack was offered the lead role in the American television series "H.R. Pufnstuf" (1969). This Sid Krofft and Marty Krofft production featured Wild as a boy marooned in an enchanted land with puppets and actors in elaborate costumes. The success of this program led to Wild reprising the role for the film version, Pufnstuf (1970). Other roles followed, including Melody (1971) and Flight of the Doves (1971). Around the same time, Wild released three albums ("The Jack Wild Album"; "Everything's Coming up Roses", featuring along with cover numbers a couple of new songs written by up-and-coming songwriter Lynsey De Paul; and "Beautiful World"). By 1972, however, he was already being demoted to the role of supporting actor for The Pied Piper (1972). He also appeared in "Our Mutual Friend" (1976). He returned to films in two small roles: the miller's son in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and a peddler in Basil (1998). Wild underwent surgery for oral cancer in July 2004, and had some vocal cords and part of his tongue removed. Unfortunately, the cancer proved untreatable and he died on 1 March 2006.

Acting credits

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves poster
6.9

Nobleman crusader Robin of Locksley breaks out of a Jerusalem prison with the help of Moorish fellow prisoner Azeem and travels back home to England. But upon arrival he discovers his dead father in the ruins of his family estate, killed by the vicious sheriff of Nottingham, Robin and Azeem join forces with outlaws Little John and Will Scarlett to save the kingdom from the sheriff's villainy.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

1991

Oliver! poster
7.0

Musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, a classic tale of an orphan who runs away from the workhouse and joins up with a group of boys headed by the Artful Dodger and trained to be pickpockets by master thief Fagin.

Oliver!

1968

Melody poster
7.1

Two youngsters declare to their parents that they want to get married. Not sometime in the future but as soon as possible.

Melody

1971

The Pied Piper poster
5.9

Greed, corruption, ignorance, and disease. Midsummer, 1349: the Black Death reaches northern Germany. Minstrels go to Hamelin for the Mayor's daughter's wedding to the Baron's son. He wants her dowry to pay his army while his father taxes the people to build a cathedral he thinks will save his soul. A local apothecary who's a Jew seeks a treatment for the plague; the priests charge him with witchcraft. One of the minstrels, who has soothed the Mayor's daughter with his music, promises to rid the town of rats for the fee. The Mayor agrees, then renigs. In the morning, the plague, the Jew's trial, and the Piper's revenge come at once.

The Pied Piper

1972

Basil poster
5.5

A lonely young aristocrat in turn-of the century England struggles to meet the approval of his over-bearing, class-conscious father while trying to please the selfish woman he loves.

Basil

1998

Pufnstuf poster
6.2

Jimmy (Jack Wild) ventures to Living Island with his magical, talking flute, Freddy. Once there, he befriends many of the island's inhabitants, but the evil Witchiepoo (Billie Hayes) is determined to steal Freddy the flute away from the boy to impress the visiting Witches' Council and win the Witch of the Year Award.

Pufnstuf

1970

The Big Screen poster
NR

Two of Britain's leading film directors - John Schlesinger and Gerald Thomas - share the anxiety, hopes and risks experienced by those involved with the movie industry. The Big Screen follows the production of four British films: the eighth James Bond film Live and Let Die, The Optimists of Nine Elms, science fiction-thriller The Final Programme and The 14. Actors Peter Sellers, David Hemmings, Jon Finch, Roger Moore and Jenny Runacre are among those seen at work.

The Big Screen

1973

Come Buttercup, Come Daisy, Come......? poster
10.0

Henry Wilkes cultivates rare tropical plants as a hobby, with an attention to detail closer to obsession. The length to which he goes to propagate and nurture new hybrids alarms his wife. Is there more going on in the greenhouse than could safely be exhibited at the next Battersea Flower Show?

Come Buttercup, Come Daisy, Come......?

1965

The 14 poster
5.9

Set in London’s East End, The 14 (aka The Wild Little Bunch aka Existence) is based on the true story of fourteen children who struggle against overwhelming pressures to stay together after the death of their single mother.

The 14

1973

The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl poster
8.0

The special consists of a series of performances and skits based around the shows of Sid and Marty Krofft. Johnny Whitaker hosts the show and performs "Friends," the theme song from Sigmund and the Sea Monsters. Jack Wild appears as Jimmy, who searches high and low for his friend H.R. Pufnstuf (Van Snowden). H.R. Pufnstuf 's resident villain, Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (Louise DuArt, substituting for Billie Hayes) and Lidsville 's wacky magician Horatio J. Hoodoo (Paul Gale, substituting for Charles Nelson Reilly) each showcase their unique magic talents. The Brady Bunch Kids perform a medley of songs, though they would not appear in a Sid and Marty Krofft TV production until The Brady Bunch Hour in 1976.

The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl

1973

Flight of the Doves poster
5.9

While fleeing across the Irish countryside, two orphans are pursued by their villainous uncle, a master of disguises.

Flight of the Doves

1971

Alice poster
6.3

Alice was sitting in the park one day. She sees a jogger called Rabbit. When she first meets him she thinks he's a jerk later she finds him nice and relaxing. She falls in love with him. He takes her to Queenie's party. Rabbit later finds out that Queenie wants to kill him. So Rabbit packs up to leave the country. When Alice finds this out she commits suicide which brings her into a fantasy world.

Alice

1982

Keep It Up Downstairs poster
4.2

The year is 1904; the setting is Cockshute Towers, one of England's stateliest homes. When the household is threatened with bankruptcy, both the masters and the servants are prepared to co-operate in trying to find some cash - after all, most of them are enjoying liaisons of one kind or another among themselves, and none have any desire to give up their rewarding way of life...

Keep It Up Downstairs

1976

Moussaka & Chips poster
8.0

Getaway driver Miles Foster is placed in witness protection after the murder of his friend Andres by Astin Brody, a shady underworld boss. Miles is hidden on the Greek Island of Zanthi with a recently graduated female MI6 officer, Charlotte Green. Shalom Godsall, Brody's disgruntled number two, has recommended two Irish assassins take out Miles, much to their surprise as a father and son assassin team they h ave a terrible track record. Godsall, however, is working with American secret service to oust his rival Astin Brody and take the top job. Nothing is going to plan; the assassins have found their target and are getting close. Miles and Charlotte are not getting on at all and the special relationship between the British and American secret service is at breaking point.

Moussaka & Chips

2005

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Invisible Space Bubble

1966

Danny the Dragon poster
10.0

Gavin, Jean and Peter meet Danny the Dragon, an unintentional visitor from outer space. Danny and the children encounter many adventures before Danny finally manages to return to his own planet.

Danny the Dragon

1966

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Stranger from Dragonara

1966

No artwork available
7.0

The story begins with the death of a cat. For Mrs Everton, the owner, it climaxes four months of terror during which she has been paying two young brothers £1 a week to keep them from carrying out their threats against her two cats.Although Mrs Everton is aware that the two boys aren't responsible for the cat's death, she nevertheless sets out to wreak revenge.

A Game, Like, Only a Game

1966

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Tent with Four Legs

1966

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Runaway Bubble

1966

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Dragon Trail

1966

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Potter in Pursuit

1966

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Danny Gets Jet-Propelled

1966

No artwork available
NR

Jackie has some terrible sins to admit to at his very first confession including a plan to murder his grandmother and cut her body up into little pieces. (Jack Wild, who plays the part of Jackie, recently scored a great success as the Artful Dodger in the film version of Lionel Bart's musical "Oliver!")

First Confession

1969