Mark Lester

Mark Lester (born Mark A. Letzer on 1958-07-11 in Oxford, England) is an English former child actor whose early fame was propelled by the iconic 1968 musical Oliver! where his on‑screen innocence captured the imagination of audiences worldwide. Born to actress Rita Keene Lester and actor‑producer Michael Lester (originally Michael Boris Letzer), Mark grew up in a culturally rich household that blended Jewish and Anglican traditions. He attended the Corona Theatre School in West London, followed by Tower House School and Halliford School, where his natural talent for performance was nurtured alongside a solid academic foundation. By the age of six he was already appearing in British television series such as The Human Jungle and Danger Man, and his first film role came in Robert Dhéry's Allez France! (1964). The breakthrough came when director Carol Reed cast him as the eponymous orphan in Oliver!, a role that earned him critical acclaim despite his singing being dubbed by Kathe Green. Over the next decade, Lester starred in a diverse slate of productions—including Run Wild, Run Free (1969), Eyewitness (1970), Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1971), and several European ventures like Senza ragione (1973) and Scalawag (1973)—showcasing a versatility that extended beyond the British film industry. His final cinematic appearance was the dual role of Edward VI and Tom Canty in The Prince and the Pauper (1977), after which he famously declared he bought a Ferrari and toured Europe for 18 months.