Why has “Melody” continued to be loved, especially in Japan?

The friendship between the cast members remained in my memory even though they were still child actors.

And there is another reason why ``Melody'' will never lose its shine. The cast's adult appearances are not made public, and the film remains in the memories of those who have seen it.

Mark Lester, who played the role of Daniel, had little notable success after 1977's The Prince and the Pauper , and retired from acting in his 20s. He started learning karate while helping out at his father's restaurant, then progressed to becoming a chiropractor and acupuncturist, and currently runs his own osteopathic clinic. Her friendship with Michael Jackson is well-known (at one point, she became a hot topic when it was reported that she donated sperm to Michael), and she even accompanied Michael on his tour to Japan.

“Melody” © Photofest / Getty Images

Jack Wilde, who was already 17 years old when he played Tom, struggled to shed his image as a child actor, became an alcoholic, and died of oral cancer at the age of 53. Tracy Hyde, who played Melody, also returned to acting in the 1980s after taking a hiatus in her career in the 1970s, but Japanese fans never had a chance to see her work. Currently, Tracy is living a quiet life in the French countryside.

However, what fans of ``Melody'' will be glad to know is that their friendship has continued. When Mark Lester came to Japan for Tokyo Comic Con, he directly called Tracy in France and asked her to accompany him (in the end, her visit to Japan did not materialize). Mark says he still keeps in touch with Jack's wife.

Current Mr. Mark Lester (Photographed in 2017) Photo: Hiroaki Saito

Other than the three main cast members, the child actors were played by actual students at the school where the film was filmed, and Mark is said to still be in touch with some of them. The fact that ``Melody'', which was filmed over a period of about three months in the summer of 1970, became an unforgettable ``summer memory'' for many of the child actors is a testament to the fact that fans who have loved this movie forever. It should make your heart even hotter.

Text: Hiroaki Saito

Became freelance in 1997, contributing movie reviews and interview articles to various media such as movie magazines, theater pamphlets, and movie sites. The column is constantly updated on Yahoo! News. Star Channel's program "GO! Theater" introduces the latest released works.

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