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),
Bill Sykes community activities including school councils, youth groups, sporting clubs, Landcare, fire brigade and the Victorian Farmers Federation. Sykes was also instrumental in the establishment of the Benalla Trust Foundation, a trust to assist local people in times of crisis, and the Benalla Young Sportspersons Trust, a trust that assists promising young athletes to compete in interstate and overseas competitions. When former Nationals leader and deputy premier Pat McNamara retired from politics in 2000, Sykes ran as the Nationals' candidate in the ensuring by-election. On paper, Sykes had a significant advantage. Benalla was one of the most conservative seats in Victoria;