Mark Lester
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Mark Lester (born Mark A. Letzer; 11 July 1958) is an English former
child actor The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage or in film, movies or television. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associ ...
, osteopath, and
acupuncturist Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which thin needles are inserted into the body. Acupuncture is a pseudoscience; the theories and practices of TCM are not based on scientifi ...
who starred in a number of British and European films in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1968 he played the title role in the film ''
Oliver! ''Oliver!'' is a coming-of-age stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before op ...
'', a
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
version of the
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
' novel ''
Oliver Twist ''Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress'', Charles Dickens's second novel, was published as a serial from 1837 to 1839, and as a three-volume book in 1838. Born in a workhouse, the orphan Oliver Twist is bound into apprenticeship with ...
''. Lester also made several appearances in a number of British television series. In 1977, after appearing in the all-star international action adventure film ''
The Prince and the Pauper ''The Prince and the Pauper'' is a novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada, before its 1882 publication in the United States. The novel represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction. Set in 1547, ...
'', he retired from acting. In the 1980s, he trained as an osteopath specialising in sport injuries.


Early life

Mark Lester was born in the city of
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
to actress Rita Keene Lester and actor and producer Michael Lester (originally Michael Boris Letzer). His father is
Jew Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...
ish and his mother
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
. Lester was educated at three independent schools: at
Corona Theatre School Corona Theatre School (formerly Corona Academy) was founded in 1950 as a performing arts academy, operating in the region of west London. After the retirement of its owner, Rona Knight, it reopened as Ravenscourt Theatre School in 1989. Histor ...
in Ravenscourt Park in West London, followed by
Tower House School Tower House School is an independent prep school for boys aged 4 to 13 . Established in 1932, it is in located in East Sheen, near Richmond Park, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England. Notable former pupils * Adam Boulton * ...
, a boys' preparatory school near
Richmond Park Richmond Park, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is the largest of Royal Parks of London, London's Royal Parks, and is of national and international importance for wildlife conservation. It was created by Charles I of England, C ...
(also in West London), and at
Halliford School Halliford School is a selective boys independent day school, which also admits girls into its sixth form, in Lower Halliford, Shepperton, Surrey, England. The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC). The cu ...
in
Shepperton Shepperton is an urban village in the Borough of Spelthorne, Surrey, approximately south west of central London. Shepperton is equidistant between the towns of Chertsey and Sunbury-on-Thames. The village is mentioned in a document of 959 AD ...
in
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
.


Acting career


Early performances

Lester initially had small roles in several
British television Regular television broadcasts in the United Kingdom started in 1936 as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transmitted moving image in 1926. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection ...
series, including '' The Human Jungle'' and ''
Danger Man ''Danger Man'' (retitled ''Secret Agent'' in the United States for the revived series, and ''Destination Danger'' and ''John Drake'' in other overseas markets) is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again b ...
''. In 1964, at the age of six, Lester was cast in
Robert Dhéry Robert Dhéry (27 April 1921 – 3 December 2004) (born Robert Léon Henri Fourrey or Robert Foullcy) was a French comedian, actor, director and screenwriter. He was married to actor Colette Brosset, with whom he appeared onstage in ''La Plume de ...
's film ''
Allez France! ''The Counterfeit Constable'' (French: ''Allez France!'') is a 1964 French comedy film directed by Robert Dhéry and Pierre Tchernia and starring Ronald Fraser, Diana Dors and Arthur Mullard. Plot A French rugby supporter (Robert Dhéry), in ...
'' (1964) (English title ''The Counterfeit Constable'') with
Diana Dors Diana Dors (born Diana Mary Fluck; 23 October 19314 May 1984) was an English actress and singer. Dors came to public notice as a blonde bombshell, much in the style of Americans Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren. Dors was p ...
. He also appeared in '' Spaceflight IC-1: An Adventure in Space'' (1965), played a small part as the second schoolboy in ''
Fahrenheit 451 ''Fahrenheit 451'' is a 1953 dystopian novel by American writer Ray Bradbury. Often regarded as one of his best works, ''Fahrenheit 451'' presents an American society where books have been personified and outlawed and "firemen" burn any that ar ...
'' (1966) and had a larger role in ''
Our Mother's House ''Our Mother's House'' is a 1967 British drama thriller film directed by Jack Clayton. It nominally stars Dirk Bogarde (who only appears in the film's second half) and principally features a cast of seven juvenile actors, including Pamela Frankli ...
'' (1967).


''Oliver!'' and child stardom

In 1967, at the age of eight, Lester was cast in the title role in the film version of
Lionel Bart Lionel Bart (1 August 1930 – 3 April 1999) was a British writer and composer of pop music and musicals. He wrote Tommy Steele's "Rock with the Caveman" and was the sole creator of the musical '' Oliver!'' (1960). With ''Oliver!'' and his work ...
's musical ''
Oliver! ''Oliver!'' is a coming-of-age stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before op ...
''. The multiple
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning adaptation of
Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
' novel co-starred
Jack Wild Jack Wild (30 September 1952 – 1 March 2006) was an English actor and singer. He is best known for his role as the Artful Dodger in the film ''Oliver!'' (1968), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at t ...
,
Ron Moody Ron Moody (born Ronald Moodnick; 8 January 1924 – 11 June 2015) was an English actor, composer, singer and writer. He was best known for his portrayal of Fagin in ''Oliver!'' (1968) and its 1983 Broadway revival. Moody earned a Golden Globe ...
,
Harry Secombe Sir Harold Donald Secombe (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was a Welsh comedian, actor, singer and television presenter. Secombe was a member of the British radio comedy programme ''The Goon Show'' (1951–1960), playing many characters, m ...
,
Shani Wallis Shani Wallis (born 14 April 1933) is a British actress and singer, who has worked in theatre, film, and television in both her native United Kingdom and in the United States. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she is perhaps best ...
and
Oliver Reed Robert Oliver Reed (13 February 1938 – 2 May 1999) was an English actor known for his well-to-do, macho image and "hellraiser" lifestyle. After making his first significant screen appearances in Hammer Horror films in the early 1960s, his ...
and was directed by
Carol Reed Sir Carol Reed (30 December 1906 – 25 April 1976) was an English film director and producer, best known for ''Odd Man Out'' (1947), '' The Fallen Idol'' (1948), ''The Third Man'' (1949), and '' Oliver!'' (1968), for which he was awarded the ...
. Since Lester could not sing, his singing was dubbed by Kathe Green, daughter of the film's music arranger
Johnny Green John Waldo Green (October 10, 1908 – May 15, 1989) was an American songwriter, composer, musical arranger, conductor and pianist. He was given the nickname "Beulah" by colleague Conrad Salinger. His most famous song was one of his earli ...
. Lester received critical acclaim for his portrayal of a dysfunctional and withdrawn only child in ''
Run Wild, Run Free ''Run Wild, Run Free'' is a 1969 British drama film directed by Richard C. Sarafian and starring John Mills. The film was written by David Rook, based on his novel ''The White Colt'', and shot on location in Dartmoor, Devon, England. The film f ...
'' (1969), starring opposite
John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...
, released by Columbia who financed ''Oliver!''. He played a disturbed child in the first regular episode of ''
Then Came Bronson ''Then Came Bronson'' is an American adventure/drama television series starring Michael Parks that aired on NBC. It was created by Denne Bart Petitclerc, and produced by MGM Television. ''Then Came Bronson'' began with a television film pilot ...
'' ("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. Lester had leading roles in '' Eyewitness'' (1970), a British thriller with Susan George shot on Malta; ''
The Boy Who Stole the Elephant ''The Boy Who Stole the Elephant'' is a 1970 American television film starring Mark Lester. It was produced by Winston Hibler. It was originally filmed as a two part episode of ''The Wonderful World of Disney''. It was filmed in December 1969.Mar ...
'' (1970), a TV movie for Disney; and the horror film ''
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? ''Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?'' (U.S. title: ''Who Slew Auntie Roo?'') is a 1972 horror-thriller film directed by Curtis Harrington and starring Shelley Winters, Mark Lester, and Sir Ralph Richardson. Based partly on the fairy tale "Hansel and Gr ...
'' (1971), with
Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades. She appeared in numerous films. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ''A Patch o ...
. He was reunited with Wild in ''
Melody A melody (from Greek language, Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a Linearity#Music, linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most liter ...
'' (1971), which depicted schoolchildren in love, based on a script by
Alan Parker Sir Alan William Parker (14 February 1944 – 31 July 2020) was an English filmmaker. His early career, beginning in his late teens, was spent as a copywriter and director of television advertisements. After about ten years of filming adverts ...
.
Tracy Hyde Tracy Constance Margaret Hyde (born 16 May 1959) is a British former actress and model who shot to fame in the 1971 film ''Melody'' after being discovered by film producer David Puttnam. Hyde was born in Fulham, London, England. She learned bal ...
played the role of Melody in the film, which used music from the
Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era in ...
and
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) were a folk rock supergroup made up of American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash. When joined by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young as a fourth member ...
. Lester starred in a film version of ''
Black Beauty ''Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions, the Autobiography of a Horse'' is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she was bedridden and seriously ill.Merriam-Webster (1995). ...
'' (1971). He was announced for a version of ''Treasure Island'' but it was never made. After this period, his acting roles in the UK would begin to wane. This coincided with a decline in the British film industry.


European films

Lester remained in demand for films outside England: '' What the Peeper Saw'' (1972) with
Britt Ekland Britt Ekland (; born Britt-Marie Eklund; 6 October 1942) is a Swedish actress, model and singer. She appeared in numerous films in her heyday throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including roles in '' The Double Man'' (1967), ''The Night They Raided ...
; ''
Senza ragione ''Redneck'' ( it, Senza ragione) is a 1973 Italian-British crime-thriller film directed by Silvio Narizzano. Plot Memphis, the “American”, assaulted a jewelry store with “Moskito”, whose real name is Dino Bianco, while Dino's hippie-es ...
'' (1973), in Italy with
Franco Nero Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero (born 23 November 1941), known professionally as Franco Nero, is an Italian actor, producer, and director. His breakthrough role was as the title character in the Spaghetti Western film '' Django'' (1966), ...
; ''Little Adventurer'' (1973), a Japanese film; ''
Scalawag In United States history, the term scalawag (sometimes spelled scallawag or scallywag) referred to white Southerners who supported Reconstruction policies and efforts after the conclusion of the American Civil War. As with the term '' carpetb ...
'' (1973), a pirate film with
Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in ''The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Do ...
shot in Yugoslavia; and the costume drama ''
La Prima volta sull'erba ''The First Time on the Grass'' ( it, La prima volta sull'erba, and known in the United States as ''Love Under the Elms'') is a 1974 Italian drama film directed by Gianluigi Calderone. It was entered into the 25th Berlin International Film Fest ...
'' (English title ''The First Time on the Grass'', 1974), which was nominated for the
Golden Bear The Golden Bear (german: Goldener Bär) is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin, featured on both the coat of arms and flag of Berlin. History The winn ...
prize at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival. Lester ended his film career playing the dual role as
Edward VI of England Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first En ...
and
Tom Canty Thomas "Tom" Canty is a fictitious character from Mark Twain's 1881 novel ''The Prince and the Pauper.'' He was born the same day as Edward Tudor, the Prince of Wales in 1537 and grew up in a life of poverty with his abusive, alcoholic father and ...
in the all-star film ''
The Prince and the Pauper ''The Prince and the Pauper'' is a novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada, before its 1882 publication in the United States. The novel represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction. Set in 1547, ...
'' (US title: ''Crossed Swords'', 1977) starring
Raquel Welch Jo Raquel Welch ( Tejada; September 5, 1940) is an American actress. She first won attention for her role in ''Fantastic Voyage'' (1966), after which she won a contract with 20th Century Fox. They lent her contract to the British studio Hammer ...
,
Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in almost 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film ''The Ten C ...
,
Rex Harrison Sir Reginald Carey "Rex" Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English actor. Harrison began his career on the stage in 1924. He made his West End debut in 1936 appearing in the Terence Rattigan play ''French Without Tears'', in what ...
,
George C. Scott George Campbell Scott (October 18, 1927 – September 22, 1999) was an American actor, director, and producer who had a celebrated career on both stage and screen. With a gruff demeanor and commanding presence, Scott became known for his port ...
, and
Oliver Reed Robert Oliver Reed (13 February 1938 – 2 May 1999) was an English actor known for his well-to-do, macho image and "hellraiser" lifestyle. After making his first significant screen appearances in Hammer Horror films in the early 1960s, his ...
, who had played
Bill Sikes William "Bill" Sikes is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. Sikes is a malicious criminal in Fagin's gang, and a vicious robber and murderer. Throughout much of the novel Sikes i ...
in ''Oliver!''. After this he said "I bought myself a Ferrari and set off through Europe for 18 months."


Later life

At the age of 18, Lester had access to some of his earnings from his films. He bought a
Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...
and a house in
Belgravia Belgravia () is a Districts of London, district in Central London, covering parts of the areas of both the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Belgravia was known as the 'Five Fields' Tudor Period, during the ...
and went to parties, nightclubs and restaurants, often paying for friends, and taking drugs. In his twenties, he became a karate black belt; through this he grew interested in sports injuries, and from there
osteopathy Osteopathy () is a type of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of the body's muscle tissue and bones. Practitioners of osteopathy are referred to as osteopaths. Osteopathic manipulation is the core set of techniques in ...
. At the age of 28, he took his A-Levels, passing Chemistry and Biology. He became an osteopath, studying at the
British School of Osteopathy The University College of Osteopathy (UCO), formerly the British School of Osteopathy (BSO), is the largest and oldest school of osteopathy in the United Kingdom. The UCO holds Recognised Qualification (RQ) status from the statutory regulatory ...
, and in 1993, Lester opened the Carlton Clinic, an acupuncture clinic in
Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...
. He is a patron of the theatre charity
The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America and the Theatre and Film Guild of Great Britain and America is a registered theatre charity and non-profit making theatre organisation based in London. The Guild's patrons include Brian Croucher ...
.


Personal life

Lester has four children with his first wife, Jane, whom he married in January 1993 and divorced in 2005. In 2006 he married his second wife, Lisa, a psychiatric nurse. They divorced in 2009. Since 2018, he has been in a relationship with Brooke Hamilton, a former Miss Dallas, USA. Lester was a close friend of
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
and is godfather to Jackson's three children, while Jackson was godfather to Lester's four children, for which they did a ceremony in Las Vegas in 2003. In 2019, Lester appears in the documentary, '' Michael Jackson: Chase the Truth'', in which he doubts allegations of sexual misconduct that had been made against Jackson by
Wade Robson Wade, WADE, or Wades may refer to: Places in the United States * Wade, California, a former settlement * Wade, Maine, a town * Wade, Mississippi, a census-designated place * Wade, North Carolina, a town * Wade, Ohio, an unincorporated commu ...
and James Safechuck.


Filmography


Film


Television


References


Bibliography

* 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.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lester, Mark 1958 births Living people 20th-century English male actors English male child actors English male film actors English male television actors Male actors from Oxfordshire Osteopaths People educated at Tower House School actors from Oxford