Mark Dinning

Although Dinning never duplicated the success of "Teen Angel," he had three minor hit records in the ensuing few years and continued to perform in the music industry until his unexpected passing at the age of fifty-two from a heart attack in Jefferson City, Missouri. Essex has nevertheless continued to act and sing and enjoys a large fan base in the UK. The sad lyrics told of the death of a teenage love that radio stations in the United Kingdom deemed too morbid to be aired but went to No.1 on the Billboard Charts in the United States. However, by the time of his West End musical flop, Mutiny, based on the Mutiny on the Bounty story, in 1985, his appeal was on the wane. His recording efforts met with limited success until 1960 when he recorded a 45rpm single called "Teen Angel" that was written by his sister Jean & her husband Red Surrey. In 1978, Essex was Che Guevara in the original production of Evita, and in the same year appeared in the film Silver Dream Racer, all the while continuing his successful singing career. Dinning pursued a career in country music and in 1957, Wesley Rose got him a record contract. A number one hit and a follow-up film turned him into one of the UK's biggest stars.

From a musical family, three of his sisters formed the Dinning Sisters singing group that had a "Top Ten" hit in the late 1940s. It took a couple of years for his career to take off, which it did with his appearance in the film, That'll Be The Day (1973) and a major hit, "Rock On" (which he wrote himself), in the same year. Dinning was born near Drury, Oklahoma but grew up on a farm outside of Nashville, Tennessee. His big break came when he was selected to play the lead in the musical Godspell in 1971. Mark Dinning ( August 17, 1933 - March 22, 1986 ) was an American singer. Born in London, real name David Cook, he failed in his first attempt at stardom. David Essex (born July 23, 1947) is a British actor and singer who has enjoyed a varied career.