Mark Lester (born Mark A. Letzer;[1] 11 July 1958) is an English former child actor 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!, a musical version of the stage production by Lionel Bart based on Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist. 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, he retired from acting. In the 1980s, he trained as an osteopath specialising in sports injuries.[2]
Early life
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.[3] 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Lester received critical acclaim for his portrayal of a dysfunctional and withdrawn only child in Run Wild, Run Free (1969), starring opposite John Mills, released by Columbia who financed Oliver!.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.[6]
Lester starred in a film version of Black Beauty (1971). He was announced for a version of Treasure Island but it was never made.[8] After this period, his acting roles in the UK would begin to wane. This coincided with a decline in the British film industry.
At the age of 28, he took his A-Levels, passing Chemistry and Biology.[13] He became an osteopath, studying at the British School of Osteopathy, and in 1993, Lester opened the Carlton Clinic, an acupuncture clinic in Cheltenham.[14][15]
Lester has four children with his first wife, Jane, whom he married in January 1993 and divorced in 2005. In 2006[17] he married his second wife, Lisa, a psychiatric nurse.[18][19] They divorced in 2009.
