Robert Wright

For the television writer, see Rob Wright (writer).

Robert Craig Wright (September 25, 1914 – July 27, 2005), also known as Bob Wright, was an American composer-lyricist for Hollywood and the musical theatre, best known for the Broadway musical and musical film Kismet, for which he and his professional partner George Forrest adapted themes by Alexander Borodin and added lyrics. Kismet was one of several Wright and Forrest creations that was commissioned by impresario Edwin Lester for the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera. Song of Norway, Gypsy Lady, Magdalena, and their adaptation of The Great Waltz were also commissioned by Lester for the LACLO. The LACLO then exported most of these productions to Broadway.

Wright was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Wright and Forrest had an affinity for adapting classical music themes and adding lyrics to these themes for Hollywood and the Broadway musical stage. Wright said that the music was usually a 50-50 "collaboration" between Wright and Forrest and the composer. While both men were credited equally as composer-lyricists, it was Forrest who worked with the music. Forrest and Wright won a Tony Award for their work on Kismet and, in 1995, they were awarded the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers Award.

He was cremated at Cofer-Kolski-Combs mortuary, Miami, and his ashes given to his executor.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 25th, 1914 (Daytona Beach), Died July 21st, 2005 (Miami)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-03275 10-in. 11/24/1936 I stumbled over love Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio songwriter  
Victor BS-03502 10-in. 12/1/1936 I stumbled over love Dolly Dawn and her Dawn Patrol Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBS-09935 10-in. 1/13/1938 The donkey serenade Allan Jones ; Nathaniel Shilkret Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BS-017736 10-in. 12/17/1937 Always and always Jerry Blaine ; Phyllis Kenny ; Stream Line Rhythm Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-018105 10-in. 1/5/1938 Always and always Larry Clinton Orchestra ; Bea Wain Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-021130 10-in. 3/9/1938 Always and always Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-038454 10-in. 7/20/1939 Loveliness Ozzie Nelson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor PBS-042294 10-in. 12/11/1939 Oh! What a lovely dream Freddy Martin Orchestra ; Eddie Stone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBS-042313 10-in. 12/22/1939 It's a blue world Kenny Baker ; David Broekman Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Victor BS-043975 10-in. 12/6/1939 It's a blue world Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-044308 10-in. 12/4/1939 Ho! Punchinello Rose Blane ; Californians ; Abe Lyman Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-044309 10-in. 12/4/1939 At the Balalaika Californians ; Eddie Holly ; Abe Lyman Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-044529 10-in. 12/28/1939 It's a blue world Anita Boyer ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-044557 10-in. 1/4/1940 At the Balalaika Wayne King Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal trio lyricist  
Victor BS-053245 10-in. 7/26/1940 South of Pago Pago Carl Ravazza Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-055542 10-in. 8/27/1940 South of Pago-Pago Hawaiian Musical Ambassadors ; Ray Kinney Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo (Hawaiian) lyricist  
Victor BS-060309 10-in. 1/11/1941 Donkey serenade Emile Coté ; Frank Parker ; Victor Mixed Chorus Male vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus and piano lyricist  
Gramophone 0BA2712 10-in. 9/9/1938 Serenata del somarello Emílio Livi ; Orchestra Gino Dover Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Gramophone 0EA5385 10-in. Oct. 1937 Firefly selection Gerry Fitzgerald ; Gaumont-British Symphony ; Louis Levy Orchestra, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Gramophone 0EA5855 10-in. 1937 The donkey serenade Ben Frankel Orchestra Jazz/dance band lyricist  
Gramophone 0EA7643 10-in. 5/2/1939 Sweethearts Webster Booth Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wright, Robert," accessed February 26, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103695.

Wright, Robert. (2021). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved February 26, 2021, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103695.

"Wright, Robert." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2021. Web. 26 February 2021.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103695

External Sources

Wikipedia: Robert Wright (musical writer)

Discogs: Wright, Robert

Allmusic: Wright, Robert

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Wright, Robert, 1914-2005 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82083378

Wikidata: Robert Wright (musical writer) - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q888339

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/93854485/

MusicBrainz: Wright, Robert, 1914-2005 - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/e2f3fb9d-5ce0-4287-82b1-9124fd4cf50c

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