Jack Wild was a British actor born on September 30, 1952 in Royton, Lancashire, England. He became famous in the 1960s after portraying the cunning Dodger in the film adaptation of Oliver!. This role earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the age of 16. Wild had a successful acting career, appearing in various film and television projects, including the television series H.R. Pufnstuf. However, he struggled with alcoholism and eventually lost momentum in his career. Wild passed away on March 1, 2006, at the age of 53, due to complications from mouth cancer.