Bill Sikes won several awards in the early 1960s. Oliver Reed played Sikes in the musical's 1968 film adaptation which also won several awards, with Reed's performance often cited as the best portrayal of Sikes - being labelled as "the sinister core of the film". His songs are removed from the film, making his performance of the character closer to that of the novel rather than the stage version. The famous climax of the 1948 film adaptation is retained and Bill Sikes dies in the same manner of being shot then accidentally hanging himself. In Disney's animated version, "Oliver & Company" (1988),
Ernie Sykes Football League was suspended for the duration of the Second World War, and retired in 1944. Ernie Sykes Ernest Alfred Sykes (27 December 1915 – 1997) was an English professional footballer who made eight appearances in the First Division of the Football League playing for Birmingham. He played as a full back. Sykes was born in Temple Normanton, Derbyshire. He played for Sutton Town before joining Birmingham in March 1936. He made his debut on 10 April 1936, in a 2–2 draw at home to Manchester United. Sykes played only rarely over the next two seasons, and moved to Cardiff