...starring in his first musical THE GOLDEN YEARS, based on the life story of Ireland's celebrated composer Percy French premiered appropriately enough in Dublin . The picture on the left shows Mark with Milo O'Shea. The show transferred to London 's Palace Theatre in 1969, with a new title, PHIL THE FLUTER and with Mark now playing the lead alongside Stanley Baxter and Evelyn Laye. So by the end of the 1960's the transition to actor was complete.
The mid 1970's saw Mark starring in his first West End play as ‘Arthur Drake' in CONDUCT UNBECOMING, [pictured left] a role he played for fifteen months at London 's Queen's Theatre, followed by a six month run in Australia . Other West End work includes ‘Jack Chesney' in the play CHARLEY'S AUNT [pictured right] at the Adelphi with John Inman,‘Bruce Granit' in ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY and the ‘Phantom' and ‘M Andre' in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA both at Her Majesty's, ‘Gus' in CATS at the New London Theatre, ‘Jack Connor' in CHARLIE GIRL, and ‘Vittorio Vidal' in SWEET CHARITY both at the Victoria Palace.
Mark is pictured below from left to right in, ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY with Keith Michell and Julia McKenzie and with Nicholas Parsons, Dora Bryan, Paul Nicholas and Cyd Charisse in CHARLIE GIRL.
And now working from left to right in our West End roundup of Wynter appearances Mark is pictured as ‘Monsieur Andre' in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA then in the famous CATS makeup and finally in even more make up as the ‘Phantom' himself!
Regionally, Mark appeared in the 21st Anniversary season at the Chichester Festival Theatre as the title role in HENRY V [pictured below left], ‘Viscount Barking' in Bernard Shaws little seen ON THE ROCKS No 10 DOWNING STREET, as ‘Captain Dick Thoroughfare' [pictured below right with Femi Taylor] in Sandy Wilson's musical VALMOUTH with Bertice Reading, Fenella Fielding, Doris Hare and Robert Helpmann and as ‘Gibson' in a new play, CAVELL with Joan Plowright.
Mark returned to Chichester a few years later for a very successful production of ROBERT AND ELIZABETH where Mark played ‘Robert Browning' and Gaynor Miles was ‘Elizabeth' [pictured below] was recorded and is available on the CD page of this website.
Mark has also played a season at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre as ‘Elyot' in PRIVATE LIVES [pictured below], ‘Captain Grouch' in VOLPONE /SLY FOX, ‘Joe Mulvaney' in WHILE THE SUN SHINES and ‘Dearth' in DEAR BRUTUS.
In repertory Mark has played ‘Macbeth' in MACBETH at Oldham Rep, ‘Don Baker' in BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE at Northampton Theatre Royal and ‘Arthur Gower’ in TRELAWNY OF THE WELLS at the Liverpool Playhouse.
Mark's more up to date pantomime roles include more contemporary roles like ‘Captain Hook' [right] and ‘Mr Darling' in PETER PAN and ‘Abanazar' in ALADDIN.
Mark has toured nationally in a variety of shows as ‘Emile de Beque' in SOUTH PACIFIC, ‘Monsieur Richard' in Ken Hill's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, ‘Tybalt' in ROMEO & JULIET, ‘Roland Maule' in PRESENT LAUGHTER, ‘Teddy Deakin' [below left] in Arnold Ridley's wonderfully reliable comedy thriller THE GHOST TRAIN, ‘Bella Zangler' in the hit musical CRAZY FOR YOU [middle], reached for his razor to shave his head for three tours as ‘Daddy Warbucks' [far right] in ANNIE and also played crusty, irascible ‘Mr Bennett' in a national tour of Jane Austen's classic PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, a role he mastered long ago in real life at home in Sussex with his wife and three children!
Mark has completed three national tours playing the leading role of 'Daddy Warbucks' in ANNIE with the most recent tour ending in Leicester in December 2005.
