- Jack Wild (aged 15) had to
wear special shoes in order to look taller than nine-year-old Mark Lester.
- Mark Lester was chosen out
of 2000 boys interviewed for the part.
- Rex Harrison, Danny Kaye,
Peter O'Toole, Laurence Olivier, Laurence Harvey, Peter Sellers and
Richard Burton were all mentioned for the part of Fagin.
For the part of Nancy Shirley Bassey,
Elizabeth Taylor and Julie Andrews were discussed...
- ...and rumour said that
either Peter O'Toole (again), Sean Connery or Richard Burton were to play
Bill Sikes.
- Mark Lester's singing voice
was dubbed by another boy. Or was it by Kathy Green, daughter of musical
supervisor John Green (like it says on the DVD)? Or did he do his own
singing (as it says on the CD-rom Cinemania)? More alternatives, anyone?
- The budget was $10 million
- The filming started June 23
1967 and ended January 12 1968.
Beware!
Offensive word ahead!
- Nancy's 'Bill, you do love
me, don't you?' wasn't in the original script. It was Oliver Reed who,
when he was walking through a not very nice neighbourhood, had overheard a
rather drunk woman ask her boyfriend the same question and he suggested
they'd add it to the script. Only the original reply (and what Oliver Reed
wanted to say) was 'I fucks you, don't I?'. Director Carol Reed wouldn't
let him (wonder why...), and the line was changed to the more G-rated 'I
live with you, don't I?'.