Jack Wild (30 September 1952 - 2 March 2006) was an English actor who achieved fame for his roles in both stage and screen productions of the Lionel Bart musical Oliver!. For the latter performance (playing the Artful Dodger), he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the age of 16, but the Oscar went to Jack Albertson for his performance in The Subject Was Roses. Jack Wild appeared with actor Mark Lester in two films: Oliver! (1968) and Melody (1971).

Wild was born into a working-class family in Royton, Lancashire, and moved south with his parents when he was still an infant. He was educated at the independent Barbara Speake Stage School in Acton, London, and had to supplement his parents' modest incomes by working, in order to pay his school fees.

It was at the premiere of the 1968 film version of Oliver! that he met brothers Sid and Marty Krofft, who thought Wild would make a good lead for a show they were developing called H.R. Pufnstuf. Wild starred in this American family TV series that launched in 1969, and also in the movie Pufnstuf. He also embarked on a recording career, cutting one album for Capitol Records and two for Buddah Records in the early 1970s.

Excessive drinking at an early age derailed Wild's career. Sobering up in 1988, he returned to the big screen in a few minor roles, such as in the 1991 Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. He was also reported to be developing a TV situation comedy with Suzi Quatro around the same time, but those plans never materialised in an actual series. For the most part, though, Wild spent the remainder of his career working in theatre.

Wild died on 2 March, 2006, aged 53, after a long battle with oral cancer, which he claims was caused by his alcoholism and smoking. Diagnosed with the disease in 2000, he underwent surgery in July 2004 and had part of his tongue and both vocal cords removed. Because of this surgery, he had lost his speech and had to communicate through his wife, Clare Harding, whom he had met in a stage production of Cinderella; Jack played one of the ugly stepsisters.

Born September 30, 1952, in Royton, near Oldham, England, Jack Wild was discovered by talent agent June Collins (I), mother of rock star Phil Collins (I). 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. Other characters included Mayor Pufnstuf, a friendly dragon, and the evil Witchipoo (more than a nod to the Wicked Witch from Wizard of Oz, The (1939)), who schemes to steal his magic talking flute for herself. 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 Pied Piper, The (1972). He also appeared in "Our Mutual Friend" (1976) (mini). More recently, 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.