Baddiel, David 276
Bailey, David 123, 129
Baldry, Long John 73
Bangkok 207–8
Barbican 254
Bart, Lionel 59
Batt, Mike 179, 183, 210, 229, 262
Baxter, Jeff ‘Skunk’ 202
Bay City Rollers 282
BBC Radio One 154–5, 163, 275–6, 278
Beatles 37, 52, 83, 111, 114, 116, 137, 138, 148
Beaumont, Hugh ‘Binky’ 114, 128
Belafonte, Harry 189
Belbin, Susi 237–8
Belfast 282–3
Belgrade 256
Belle Stars 210
Belle Vue 137–8, 149
Bennett, Bobby 262
Bergman, Ingrid 180
Bermondsey 48–9
Berry, Chuck 43, 46, 54
Betjeman, Sir John 235
Blackburn, Tony 154–5
Blackburn Rovers 22
Blackpool 283
Blakey, Art 37
Bligh, Captain 221, 224
Blitz 4, 17
Blondie 216
Bluesology 73
Bob, Uncle 5, 6
Bogdanov, Michael 225, 227–8
Bond, John 22, 26
Bowie, David 72
Bowman, Derek 58–63, 64–71, 74, 78–80, 82–6, 88, 97, 99–101, 106, 113–14, 119, 122–4, 128, 132, 138–9, 141, 145–6, 148, 155–7, 159, 162–3, 167–8, 170–2, 174, 176, 182, 187–8, 202, 205–7, 221, 225, 237–8, 260, 263, 271, 273–5, 299
Brands Hatch 184–5
Branson, Richard 168
Brazil 196, 199–202
Brel, Jacques 194
Bridges, Beau 184
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) 84, 89, 110, 112, 126, 130–1, 210, 237, 240, 272, 297 see also BBC Radio One
Bruce, Christopher 222–3, 227
Buckingham Palace 278–9
Buckley, David Joss 261
Buenos Aires 197
Burke, Solomon 70
Burkina Faso 276
Burrows, David 302
Burton, Richard 172–3, 176, 205
Bush, Bev 148, 150–1, 154–5, 162, 190
Bush, Mel 146–8, 162–3, 170–2, 176, 178–9, 182, 206–8, 236–7, 260, 269–71, 280–1, 293
Cameron, John 185, 191, 224
Canning Town 2, 5–6, 9–10, 38, 160
Cantwell, Noel 22, 26
Capaldi, Jim 200–1
Cape Town 189, 190
Carr, Jacquie-Ann 101–2
Cassidy, David 282–3
Castro, Fidel 177
Cattolica, Italy 50–5, 62
CBGB’s club 216
CBS 123–5, 133, 143, 154, 156, 160–2, 168, 170–1, 178, 183
Chadwell Heath 38–9, 41–2
Charles, Ray 74
Cher 168
Chigwell Row residence 123, 131
Chiswick residence 193
Christian, Fletcher 221, 223
Christy, Carlotta (David’s second wife) 216–17, 219, 226–7, 229, 235–41, 255, 263, 265, 267–8, 272, 275, 277, 281, 287
Churchill Theatre 289
Clapton Football Club 26–7
Clash, The 166, 216
Collins, Joan 182
Coltrane, John 40
Colyer, Steve 125, 143, 163, 165, 169, 174–5
Connolly, Ray 115, 117, 135–6, 137, 138, 141–2
Connor, Kenneth 89, 91
Conway, Jon 281, 288, 289
Cook, Albert (David’s father) 3–10, 16–18, 21, 29–30, 37–8, 47–51, 53, 96, 153, 174, 182, 211–15
and David’s acting 80, 103
and David’s contract with Derek Bowman 64–6
and David’s music 34–40, 43, 60–1, 69–70
death 265–7, 268
tuberculosis 8–10, 12
Cook, Bill (David’s son) 238–41, 255, 263, 265, 267–8, 272–3, 275, 277, 281, 287, 303
Cook, Daniel (David’s son) 173–5, 182, 185–6, 191, 193–6, 217, 235–7, 255, 261, 272, 278–9, 281, 283, 303
Cook, David Albert see Essex, David
Cook, David (David’s grandchild) 303
Cook, George (David’s grandson) 303
Cook, George (David’s uncle) 4
Cook, Kit (David’s son) 238–41, 255, 263, 265, 267–8, 272–3, 275, 277, 281, 287, 303
Cook, Olive ‘Dolly’ (David’s mother) 3–12, 14–17, 30, 37–8, 43, 47–51, 96, 153, 174, 211–14, 280, 283, 295
attends David’s OBE ceremony 278–9
and David’s acting career 80, 103, 143
and David’s contract with Derek 64–6
and David’s music 34–5, 60–1, 69–70
gypsy roots 5, 17
and her husband’s death 265–7, 268
illness and death 285–7
Cook, Peter 85
Cook, Verity (David’s daughter) 254, 261, 272, 303
attends David’s OBE ceremony 278–9
birth of her son, Josef 280–1
childhood 115–17, 123, 131, 134, 136, 139, 143, 152, 157–8, 163–5, 171, 182, 186, 191–6, 217, 226–7, 235–7, 255
marriage 280
in The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe 261–2
Cooper, Ray 119, 145
Coulson, Lindsey 297
Covington, Julie 101, 108, 111, 126, 172, 176
Cox, Harvey 101
Crane, Richard 221
Cukor, George 180
Cumberland Road 25–6
Curtis Brown 293
Daily Mail (newspaper) 79, 280
Daily Mirror (newspaper) 79
Daily Telegraph (newspaper) 291
Daisy (David’s granddaughter) 303
Darlow, Alan 289
Davey, Colin 129, 154
Davey Jones and the Locker 72
Deayton, Angus 276
Defoe, Daniel 260, 261
Delfont, Bernard 88
Delhi 232–3
Des Longchamps, Ines 141–2, 144
DeSouza, Barry 119
Diana, Princess of Wales 196
Dick, John 22
Diddley, Bo 215
Dietrich, Marlene 166
Digance, Richard 210
Discipline, Tony 299
Dockland Settlement nursery school 9, 11
Dolby, Thomas 210
Driscoll, Julie 73
Dubrovnik 256
Dudley, William 225–6
Duncan, Peter 137
Dunlop, Frank 203–4
Dylan, Bob 147, 179
East Ham Odeon 148–51
Edmunds, Dave 137
Eel Pie Island 72
Eileen (David’s Cousin) 42
El Grotto club 71, 73, 87
El Morocco club 85
Elizabeth II 241–2, 278–9
Ellen, Aunt 5, 6
English, Louise 289, 291
Equity 68
Essex, David
acting career
All Coppers Are (film) 89
All the Fun of the Fair (musical) 288–92, 301–3
American success 131–2
Aspects of Love (musical) 284, 287
Assault (film) 89, 224
Boogie Nights 2 (musical) 281–2, 283, 287
Carry On Henry (film) 2, 89, 116
Childe Byron (play) 202–5
Cinderella (pantomime) 93, 95, 96, 97
Dick Whittington (pantomime) 90–3, 167, 302
EastEnders (TV soap) 1, 2, 283, 293–301, 304
Evita (as Che Guevara) 2, 176–81, 242, 256, 272
Footloose (musical) 283
Godspell (as Jesus) (musical) 1, 99–114, 116, 118, 121–8, 177, 247
Heartbeat (TV drama) 280, 283
Mutiny! (musical) 221–32, 260–1, 277
Oh, Kay! (musical) 81–2
She Stoops to Conquer (play) 263–6, 268–9
Shogun Mayeda (film) 255–60
Silver Dream Racer (film) 182, 183–5, 187–8
Smashing Time (film)
88
Stardust (film) 2, 128, 135–43, 145–7, 149, 165, 182, 272
That’ll Be the Day (film) 2, 113–18, 121–2, 126, 128–30, 134–6, 139, 142–3, 147, 160, 182, 272
The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (pantomime) 169, 260–2
The Fantasticks (musical) 81–2
The Magic Carpet (pantomime) 86
The River (TV sitcom) 2, 237–8, 240–1
To Dorothy a Son (play) 81
Tommy (rock opera) 134
training 67–8
birth 3
character
inverted snobbery 180
laid-back appearance 220
moral code 152–3, 182, 192
shyness 45, 121, 153
charity interests
Amnesty International 197
Children in Need 242
Comic Relief 276–7
Voluntary Services Overseas 242, 243–54, 279
childhood 2–3, 5–27
Canning Town Arsonist 13–14
football 17–22, 25–7, 39–40
gang membership 28–9, 37
hop picking holidays 15–17
schools 11–12, 18–25, 28, 37, 39–42
children see Cook, Bill; Cook, Daniel; Cook, Kit; Cook, Verity
and the David Essex Showcase (TV show) 210
fame, and Essex Mania 121–2, 124–5, 127, 128–9, 136, 139, 152–5, 163–4
grandchildren 280–1, 303
gypsy blood 29, 98, 160–1, 178, 279–80, 288–9
patron of the Gypsy Council 279–80
hobbies, helicopter flying (Bell 47) 211–12, 226
jobs 29–30, 42–4, 49, 56, 60–1, 68, 75–8, 129, 160, 206
management
John Reid 206
Maxine Hoffman 293
Michael Grade 89–90, 93
see also Bowman, Derek; Bush, Mel
music 1–2
albums
All the Fun of the Fair (1975) 160–2, 166
Be-Bop the Future (1981) 202
Beautiful Day (2006) 283
Cover Shot (1995) 262, 275
David Essex (1974) 145–6, 147, 160
Forever (2002) 281
Gold and Ivory (1977) 168–9
Here We All Are Together (1998) 277
Hot Love (1980) 191–2, 196, 206
I Still Believe (1999) 278
Imperial Wizard (1979) 183
It’s Gonna Be Alright (2004) 281
Living in England (1995) 276
Missing You (1996) 276
Out on the Street (1976) 165, 168, 235
Rock On (debut, 1973) 126, 129, 133–4
Silver Dream Racer (1980) 185–7, 191
Stage-Struck (1982) 206
Sunset (2003) 281
The Best of collection (1996) 277
The Whisper (1983) 210
Touching the Ghost (1989) 235–6, 241
Wonderful (2001) 280
American number ones 138–9, 141
American success 131–3, 138–9, 141, 147, 159
Beauty and the Beast ice ballet 269–71
CBS Records deal 123–5, 133, 143, 156, 160–2, 168, 170–1, 178, 183
dreams of being a drummer 33–41
and the Dudley Moore Trio 85
and the Everons (China Plates) 42–6, 48–55, 57–64, 67–8, 165, 273
first band, with Reg and Eric 40–3
Grammy nominations 156–7
guests on War of the Worlds album 172, 176
Johnny Carson Show appearance 167
Lamplight Records 241, 281
London Palladium gig 1976 167–8
Merv Griffin show appearance 168
and Mood Indigo 71–5, 79, 82–3, 86, 153, 165
offered solo career 62–3
Phonogram Records deal 178–9, 183, 191, 277
and producer Bunny Lewis 68–70, 74, 75, 78–9
and producer J J Jackson 74, 78–9
and producer Mike Leander 83–4
singing lessons 67
starts writing music seriously 117–19
tap-dancing lessons 66
on The Cher Show 168
Top of the Pops appearances 130–1
tours 162–3, 196, 207–10, 236, 277–8, 280, 282–3
America 156–9
debut 145–6, 147–51
The Secret Tour 290
tracks
‘A Winter’s Tale’ 210, 280
‘Africa – You Shine’ 247
‘All the Fun of the Fair’ 161
‘America’ 136, 144–5
‘And the Tears Came
Tumbling Down’ 69–70, 246
‘Any Day Now’ 86
‘Are You Still My True Love’ 183
‘Bedfordshire’ 283
‘Can’t Nobody Love You’ 70
‘City Lights’ 165
‘Friends’ 273–4
‘Gonna Make You a Star’ 143–4, 145, 147, 150
‘He’s a Better Man than Me’ 83–4
‘High Flying, Adored’ 179
‘Hold Me Close’ 2, 160, 161, 163
‘If I Could’ 167
‘Imperial Wizard’ 183
‘Just for Tonight’ 84
‘Lamplight’ 133–4, 136
‘Love Story’ 84
‘Me and My Girl (Nightclubbing)’ 206
‘Myfanwy’ 235
‘Oh What a Circus’ 179
‘On My Bike’ 191–2
‘On and On’ 119–20, 123, 129
‘Rock On’ 2, 118–24, 126, 129–31, 133–4, 138–9, 141, 147, 150, 179, 215, 277
‘Rolling Stone’ 162
‘September 15th’ 126
‘She’s Leaving Home’ 83
‘Silver Dream Machine’ 187
‘Stardust’ 150
‘Thigh High’ 78–9, 229
‘This Little Girl of Mine’ 74
‘Verity’ 280
‘World’ 183
‘You Are the Spark that Lights the Flame’ (duet with Rozaa) 84
‘You Can’t Stop Me From Loving You’ 70
UK number ones 147, 163
work on Under Different Skies (album) 246–7
name 3, 68
OBE 278–9
parents see Cook, Albert; Cook, Olive ‘Dolly’
romance 73–4, 83
adolescent 29–30, 45–56, 75, 79, 162
and fame 152–3, 163–4
first wife see Neal, Maureen
girls sell kiss and tell stories 192–3
plays the field after split from Maureen 192–3
second wife see Christy, Carlotta
Sinitta 229
third wife see Hallam-Wright, Susan
Royal Variety Performances 241–2
semi-retirement 275, 281, 284
solo travels 196–202, 232–5
This is Your Life appearance 271–3
TV commercials 110–11
writes Che (musical) 303
writes Tramp (play) 303–4
Evening Standard (newspaper) 102–3, 115
Fairchild, Frank 71, 73–4, 86–7, 98
Faith, Adam 136, 137, 140–1
Falcons 45–6
Fame, Georgie 33, 122
Ferdinand, Rio 273
Festival Theatre, Chichester 264
Finlay, Frank 89, 224, 228, 230
Fitzgerald, F Scott 1
Fitzwilliam, Neil 101
Flamingo club, Soho 32–4, 37, 72, 122
Florida 260–1
Flowers, Herbie 119–20, 202, 207
Fontana 70
Forest House 6–7, 16
Foster, Nikolai 284, 287, 289, 291, 292, 302
Foster, Roger 31
Foundations 85
France 143, 144–5, 162, 171
Frankfurt 162
Freeborn, Eddie 39, 40
Fury, Billy 94, 114
Gabriel, Peter 246
Gajengi Boy (film) 303
Garfunkel, Art 210
Garrick Theatre 291
Georgia 157
Germany 162
Gershwins 81
Gilder, Eric 67
Gilmore, David 291
Glitter, Gary 83
Globe Theatre 99, 100
Goa 234
Godwin, Madge (David’s PA) 128, 237
Goldsmith, Oliver 263
Gordon, David 183
Grade, Leslie 88, 89–90
Grade, Lew 88
Grade, Michael 89, 93
Granada 139–40
Grant, Cary 180
Green, David 243
Gregory, Ernie 22
Grenada 254
Griffiths, Hugh 173
Guevara, Che 176–9, 303
Guildford residence 281, 295
Guy, Buddy 65–6
Hagman, Larry 141, 142
Hall, Sir Peter 263–5, 272
Hallam-Wright, Susan (David’s third wife) 289, 290–2, 301–3
Hammersmith Odeon 163
Hampshire, Susan 59
Hancock, Nick 276
Hands, Terry 222–3, 225
Harriott, Ainsley 276
Havering-Atte-Bower residence 131, 164, 211–12
Head, Murray 100–1
Hepburn, Katherine 180
Hinkson, Boo 246
H.M. Tennant 114
Hobson, Harold 105–6
Hoffman, Maxine 293
Holder, Noddy 210
Holland 162
Honeycombs 57
Hooper Road residence 8
Hopkin, Mary 93, 95
Hot Gossip 167
Howell, Tony 107
Howlin’ Wolf 37
Howman, Karl 137, 276
Hurst, Geoff 22, 273
Hyde Park residence 191, 192
Ilford Maternity Hospital 107
Ilford Recorder (newspaper) 40
India 232–5
Ireland, Helen 247–9, 252–3
Irons, Jeremy 101, 104–5, 112, 123
Islam, Yusuf 183, 196, 198, 200–1, 262
Isle of Wight 117
Isley Brothers 52
Ivy, Aunt 6
Jackie (magazine) 1, 129, 153, 155
Jaipur 233–4
Japan 133, 260
Jaroszewicz, Mikolaj 303
Jeff Wayne Music 168
Jesus Christ Superstar (musical) 111–12
Jewell, Derek 178
John, Elton 73, 167, 206
Jones, Kenney 144–5, 183, 211
Josef (David’s grandson) 280–1, 303
Journey 157
Kagalana, Abolugana 246
Kampala 244–5, 246, 250–3
Kashmir 235
Keeble, Vic 22
Kemp, Olive (David’s grandmother) 5, 10, 15–16
Kemp, Tom (David’s grandfather) 5
Kent farm residence 164–5, 182, 186, 193
Kestelman, Sarah 203–4
King, Ben E 251
Kinks 262
Kirkwood, Brian 299
Kooper, Al 202
Kosugi, Sho 255–6, 259
Kray twins 85–6, 94
Lampard, Frank 21, 26, 272
Lampard, Frank, Jnr 21, 273
Lapinskas, Matt 299
Lbanowski, John 262
Leahy, Ronnie 169
Leander, Mike 83–4
Leatherhead 264