Mark Lester

Mark Lester was born in the city of Oxford to actress Rita Keene Lester and actor and producer Michael Lester (originally Michael Boris Letzer). His father is Jewish and his mother Anglican.{{cite journal| last=McNeill| first=Ruby Simonson| journal=Cain Connections |title= |year=1982| location=Spokane, Washington| issn=0899-1375}} Lester was educated at three independent schools: at Corona Theatre School in Ravenscourt Park in West London, followed by Tower House School, a boys' preparatory school near Richmond Park (also in West London), and at Halliford School in Shepperton in Surrey.

Lester initially had small roles in several British television series, including The Human Jungle and Danger Man. In 1964, at the age of six, Lester was cast in Robert Dhéry's film Allez France! (1964) (English title The Counterfeit Constable) with Diana Dors.

He also appeared in Spaceflight IC-1: An Adventure in Space (1965), played a small part as the second schoolboy in Fahrenheit 451 (1966) and had a larger role in Our Mother's House (1967).

In 1967, at the age of eight, Lester was cast in the title role in the film version of Lionel Bart's musical Oliver! (1968).{{cite web| url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b208402| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811123505/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b208402| url-status=dead| archive-date=11 August 2016| title=Oliver! (1968)| website=British Film Institute| access-date=1 March 2017}} The multiple Academy Award-winning adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel co-starred Jack Wild, Ron Moody, Harry Secombe, Shani Wallis and Oliver Reed and was directed by Carol Reed. Since Lester could not sing, his singing was dubbed by Kathe Green, daughter of the film's music arranger Johnny Green.{{cite news| url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-12-19/oliver-twists-voice-dubbed-by-girl-report/605010| work=ABC News| title=Oliver Twist's voice dubbed by girl: report| date=19 December 2004| access-date=1 March 2017}}

Lester received critical acclaim for his portrayal of a dysfunctional and withdrawn only child in Run Wild, Run Free (1969), starring opposite John Mills, released by Columbia who financed Oliver!. He played a disturbed child in the first regular episode of Then Came Bronson ("The Runner") and also guest starred on The Ghost & Mrs. Muir. Columbia wanted to sign him to a long-term contract but Lester's parents refused.{{cite news| title=Mark Lester Wants to Be Normal| url=https://newspapers.com/clip/120824342/mark-lester/| last=Essoe| first=Gabe| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=14 December 1969| page=R28| access-date=13 March 2023| url-access=subscription}}

Lester had leading roles in Eyewitness (1970), a British thriller with Susan George shot on Malta; The Boy Who Stole the Elephant (1970), a TV movie for Disney; and the horror film Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1971), with Shelley Winters.{{cite news| title=National General Slates 'Terror'| url=https://newspapers.com/clip/120824853/sudden-terror-film| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=25 December 1970| page=D25| url-access=subscription}}

He was reunited with Wild in Melody (1971), which depicted schoolchildren in love, based on a script by Alan Parker. Tracy Hyde played the role of Melody in the film, which used music from the Bee Gees and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Lester starred in a film version of Black Beauty (1971). He was announced for a version of Treasure Island but it was never made.{{cite news| title=What a Honeymoon!: Honeymoon| first=A.H.| last=Weiler| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/03/archives/what-a-honeymoon-honeymoon.html| newspaper=The New York Times| date=3 October 1971| page=D13| url-access=subscription}} After this period, his acting roles in the UK would begin to wane. This coincided with a decline in the British film industry.

Lester remained in demand for films outside England: What the Peeper Saw (1972) with Britt Ekland; Senza ragione (1973), in Italy with Franco Nero; Little Adventurer (1973), a Japanese film; Scalawag (1973), a pirate film with Kirk Douglas shot in Yugoslavia;{{cite news| first=Rex| last=Reed| authorlink=Rex Reed| title=Doin' what comes naturally, Kirk takes on Mr. Hyde| newspaper=Chicago Tribune| date=March 4, 1973}} and the costume drama La Prima volta sull'erba (English title The First Time on the Grass, 1974), which was nominated for the Golden Bear prize at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival.{{cite news| title=Bated breath| first=Derek| last=Malcolm| newspaper=The Guardian| location=London| date=16 November 1972| issue=12}}

Lester ended his film career playing the dual role as Edward VI of England and Tom Canty in the all-star film The Prince and the Pauper (US title: Crossed Swords, 1977) starring Raquel Welch, Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison, George C. Scott, and Oliver Reed, who had played Bill Sikes in Oliver!.{{cite news| first=Bart| last=Mills| title=What the paupers play| newspaper=The Guardian| location=London| date=24 August 1976}} After this, he said, "I bought myself a Ferrari and set off through Europe for 18 months."{{cite news| first=Jane| last=Crinnion| title=Famous Back Then: Mark Lester| newspaper=The Guardian| location=London| date=2 December 2000| page=102}}

At the age of 28, he took his A-Levels, passing Chemistry and Biology.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/long-after-the-stardom-another-twist-mark-lester-was-the-child-star-of-oliver-who-asked-for-more-but-1464248.html| title=Long after the stardom, another twist: Mark Lester was the child star| date=30 August 1993| newspaper=The Independent|location=London| access-date=19 October 2017}} He became an osteopath, studying at the British School of Osteopathy, and in 1993, Lester opened the Carlton Clinic, an acupuncture clinic in Cheltenham.{{cite web |url=http://www.carltonclinic.com |title=Welcome |website=Carlton Clinic |access-date=3 November 2012}}{{cite news |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2009/08/08/star-report-beatles-fans-swarm-abbey-road-on-album-anniversary/| title=Star Report: Beatles fans swarm Abbey Road on album anniversary| date=8 August 2009| newspaper=The Mercury News| location=San Jose, Calif.| access-date=13 March 2023}}

He is a patron of the theatre charity The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America.{{cite web|url=http://www.themusichallguild.com/about.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727224136/http://www.themusichallguild.com/about.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 July 2011|title=Patrons of The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America| website=The Music Hall Guild|access-date=9 March 2018}}

File:Mark_Wiki.jpg

Lester has four children with his first wife, Jane, whom he married in January 1993 and divorced in 2005. In 2006{{cite web | url=https://www.hollywood.com/general/actor-mark-lester-set-to-marry-for-third-time-60687022 | title=Actor Mark Lester set to marry for third time | date=3 May 2017 }} he married his second wife, Lisa, a psychiatric nurse.{{cite news| url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/120875/Lester-will-leave-test-decision-to-Paris| title=Lester will leave test decision to Paris| newspaper=Daily Express| location=London| date=August 16, 2009}}{{cite web| url=http://www.ciaranbrown.com/lester.html| title=Mark Lester| website=Ciaran Meets the Stars| access-date=14 June 2018}} They divorced in 2009.

{{Reflist|2}}

• Holmstrom, John. The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995. Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, pp. 323–324.
• Dye, David. Child and Youth Actors: Filmography of Their Entire Careers, 1914-1985. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1988, pp. 130–131.

• {{IMDb name|504492}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}

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Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century English male actors

Category:English male child actors

Category:English male film actors

Category:English male television actors

Category:Osteopaths

Category:People educated at Tower House School

Category:Male actors from Oxford