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 at a funeral. In 1984, Sykes played the Genie in the children's film "Gabrielle and the Doodleman", which also featured Windsor Davies (who would also appear with Sykes in the BBC's "Gormenghast" in 2000), Bob Todd, Lynsey de Paul, and Gareth Hunt. In 1985, he played the Mad Hatter in the Anglia Television serial adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland", joining an all-star cast that included Michael Bentine, Leslie Crowther, and Leonard Rossiter, and he also had an uncredited role (as an arcade attendant) in the Julien Temple film musical "Absolute Beginners" (1986) which stars Patsy Kensit. In 1986, Sykes played