David Essex
Actor

David Essex Net Worth

He is best known for his music career, having released over 20 albums and singles, and for his acting career, having appeared in numerous films and television shows.
David Essex is a member of Actor

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Actor, Soundtrack, Music Department
Birth Day July 23, 1947
Birth Place  Plaistow, London, England, United Kingdom
Age 76 YEARS OLD
Birth Sign Leo
Birth name David Albert Cook
Genres Pop, musical theatre, Glam rock
Occupation(s) Musician, singer-songwriter, actor
Instruments Vocals, drums
Years active 1963–present
Labels Columbia, Lamplight Records
Website davidessex.com

💰 Net worth: $1 Million (2024)

David Essex is a multi-talented individual hailing from the United Kingdom. With a career spanning various fields such as acting, soundtrack creation, and music direction, he has made a significant impact in the entertainment industry. As of 2024, his net worth is estimated to be around $1 million. Essex has garnered fame and success through his remarkable contributions, both on-screen and behind the scenes, making him a well-respected figure in the industry.

Biography/Timeline

1965

He made his first record entitled "And the Tears Came Tumbling Down" for the Fontana label in 1965. He then toured with a band called 'David Essex and the Mood Indigo' for two years and released a further 7 singles in the 1960s. He also recorded two songs, 'A Rose' and 'Leon and John and Billy and Me' which remain unreleased, but exist as acetates. His first notable acting role aside from small appearances in the films Assault and All Coppers Are... was the lead in the stage musical, Godspell in 1971 at the age of 23. Two years later, he starred in the film That'll Be the Day (1973) and recorded his international hit single, the self-penned "Rock On", in the same year. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in March 1974. It was nominated for a Grammy and reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. A second single, "Lamplight", also reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart.

1973

In December 1973, Essex appeared in the stage version of Tommy at London's Rainbow Theatre.

1974

Essex's pop idol looks gave him a strong female fan base and his British tours created scenes of hysteria reminiscent of Beatlemania. According to The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles, he was voted the number one British male vocalist in 1974, and was a teen idol for more than a decade.

1978

In 1978, he appeared on Jeff Wayne's concept album, a musical version of The War of the Worlds, as the Artilleryman. In the UK the two-record set remains a bestseller.

1980

In the same year, Essex played the character Che in the original production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Evita, and his recording of the show's "Oh What a Circus" reached Number 3. Two years later, he starred in the motorcycle racing film Silver Dream Racer; and the Soundtrack song "Silver Dream Machine" was yet another Top 3 hit in the UK Singles Chart. Essex, a keen motorcyclist, waived his fee for the then-new 1980 electric start Triumph Bonneville he had contracted to advertise on behalf of the struggling Triumph motorcycle workers' co-operative.

1981

In 1981, he starred in Childe Byron, a play staged at the Young Vic theatre.

1985

In 1985, he co-wrote and starred as Fletcher Christian in the West End musical Mutiny!, based on the novel Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. The score produced two more hit singles, including "Tahiti," his tenth Top 10 success.

1988

Essex continued to perform in all areas of show Business. A 1988 sitcom, "The River", achieved good ratings. In 1991, a compilation entitled His Greatest Hits reached Number 13; a 1993 album, Cover Shot, featuring a cover version of the Buzz Cason/Mac Gayden song "Everlasting Love", peaked at Number 3. His autobiography, A Charmed Life, was published in 2002, and became a bestseller.

1999

Essex spent six years as an ambassador for Voluntary Service Overseas, which earned him an OBE in 1999.

2005

In 2005, he appeared as a guest vocalist and wrote songs for Saint Etienne's album Tales from Turnpike House. Also that year, he appeared in the Channel 4 documentary Bring Back...The Christmas Number One.

2006

Essex was due to join the cast of soap opera EastEnders, in early 2006, as new character Jack Edwards. However, the role was expanded beyond the three weeks planned, and Essex was unable to commit the time. The role instead went to Nicky Henson.

2008

Essex used to record and release records on his own 'Lamplight' record label. He has since changed the name of his company to Joseph Webster Ltd, named after his first grandchild. He tours regularly and continues to act, appearing in Boogie Nights 2, Footloose and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Aspects of Love. From September 2008 to the summer of 2009 he took his own musical, All the Fun of the Fair, on a tour of the United Kingdom. He followed this in the autumn with a sell-out tour of the UK, named the Secret Tour. Essex has released a DVD on his website of the last night of the tour, filmed in Bournemouth. He returned to London's West End with his own hit musical All the Fun of the Fair but with a different ending to that performed in the Provinces.

2010

On 20 September 2010, Essex married Welsh Actress Susan Hallam-Wright, his third wife, 26 years his junior, born 1973, at St Cross Church, Talybont, near Bangor, North Wales. He first met her at the end of 2008 whilst she was auditioning for a role in Essex's musical, All the Fun of the Fair. She got the part of Sally, then got promoted to the role of Mary, Jack's girlfriend for the West End version at the Garrick Theatre in London in April 2010. He had previously been married to Maureen Neal (in 1971) and Carlotta Christy (in 1997).

2011

In January 2011, it was announced that Essex had finally joined the cast of EastEnders as Eddie Moon, five years after he was initially supposed to appear in the show. His first on-screen appearance was on 3 June 2011. Eddie left the square on 6 October 2011. He then wrote the music score for the film Traveller (2013), in which he co-starred with his son Billy Cook who played the main role as a half-gypsy trying to find his identity.

2013

Essex was born in Plaistow, east London. His father, Albert, was an East End docker and his mother, Olive (née Kemp), was a self-taught Pianist and an Irish Traveller, descended from Romany Gypsies. His grandfather, Thomas Kemp, was nicknamed "Philimore", which was the anglicised version of "Philly Mor" – being Irish for "Big Philly". Essex was two years old when his parents moved out of the overcrowded home the family was sharing with relatives, to Canning Town where he grew up.

2016

In February 2016, Essex performed in The War Of The Worlds at the Dominion Theatre.

Some David Essex images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.