Oliver! (film) in the United States, and Oliver Reed, who played Bill Sikes, had just begun to make a name for himself. Producer John Woolf suggested Oliver Reed for the role to the director Reed, without knowing that the two were in fact related. Ron Moody, who was also well known in Britain but not the US, recreated his London stage performance, after Peter Sellers, Dick Van Dyke and Peter O'Toole reportedly turned down the role. Elizabeth Taylor turned down the role of Nancy as well. Julie Andrews was also considered. Director Reed also had Shirley Bassey in mind, but his choice
Eric Sykes the 1977 Yorkshire Television adaptation of "Charley's Aunt" and appeared in the role of Brassett. The third version of "The Plank" was made in 1979 for Thames TV as a half-hour TV special. Sykes was the subject of Thames Television's "This Is Your Life", broadcast on 25 December 1979. Sykes wrote and appeared in two Thames Television specials broadcast during 1980 – "The Likes of Sykes" and "Rhubarb Rhubarb". The latter special, a remake of his 1969 short film "Rhubarb" which Sykes also directed, featured many of his old friends including Jimmy Edwards, Bob Todd, Charlie Drake, Bill Fraser, Roy